Nikos Verlekis
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Nikos Verlekis (Νίκος Βερλέκης; born 20 January 1948) is a Greek actor and director. As an actor, his known for film roles that include ''A Lady at the Bouzoukia'', ''Those who spoke with death'', and ''Every dawn I die''. He also appeared in British TV series '' Who Pays the Ferryman?'' and Anglo-Greek horror film ''The Devil's Men'', known as '' Land of the Minotaur''.


Life

Nikos Verlekis was born in 1948 in Athamania, Arta. He has two brothers and one sister. His parents were both farmers and could not afford to send him to
drama school A drama school, stage school or theatre school is an undergraduate and/or graduate school or department at a college or university; or a free-standing institution (such as the Drama section at the Juilliard School); which specializes in the pr ...
, so when he graduated from high school he decided to go to
Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
, get a job there and enroll at the Kostis Michailidis Drama School, one of the best drama schools back then, from which a lot of acclaimed actors had graduated. While he was studying drama there, he auditioned for a small role in a movie by
Finos Film Finos Film (Greek: Φίνος Φιλμ) is a film production company that dominated the Greek film industry from 1943 to 1977. It was founded by Filopimin Finos in 1942 during World War II. It was the biggest film production company in Greece at ...
called “A lady at the bouzoukia.” His collaboration with Finos Film went on and played in other films by that film production company as well, such as “Those who spoke with death” and “Every dawn I die”. When he graduated from drama school, he collaborated with the “Karagiannis-Karatzopoulos” company and other independent producers and he played next to other acclaimed comedians and actors. At the same time, he was playing in plays by Greek and foreign authors. Some of those include “Ti 30, ti 40, ti 50,” “Agapi mou paliogria,” “Kare tou erota,” “Bizarre male,” “ Volpone” by
Ben Jonson Benjamin "Ben" Jonson (c. 11 June 1572 – c. 16 August 1637) was an English playwright and poet. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence upon English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for t ...
, directed by
Minos Volanakis Minos Volonakis ( el, Μίνως Βολανάκης; 1925 or 1926, Athens – 15 November 1999, Athens) was a Greek theatre director and translator.See his obituary in ''The New York Times'', November 20, 1999. He studied with Karolos Koun, for who ...
, “
The Mousetrap ''The Mousetrap'' is a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie. ''The Mousetrap'' opened in London's West End in 1952 and ran continuously until 16 March 2020, when the stage performances had to be temporarily discontinued during the COVID-1 ...
” by
Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...
, “ Captain Michael” by
Nikos Kazantzakis Nikos Kazantzakis ( el, ; 2 March ( OS 18 February) 188326 October 1957) was a Greek writer. Widely considered a giant of modern Greek literature, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in nine different years. Kazantzakis's no ...
, etc. In 1973, he stars in acclaimed series, such as: “Keklismenon ton thiron,” “The ship,” “The city,” by Spiros Plaskovitis, “O Patouchas,” by Ioannis Kondilakis, directed by
Alexis Damianos Alexis Damianos ( el, Αλέξης Δαμιανός; 1921–2006) was a Greek, film/theatre and television director. Biography Damianos was born in Athens on January 21, 1921. He studied at the National Theatre of Greece and the philosophy departme ...
, “Tis agapis machairia,” etc. The three last series mentioned, had a huge reception by the Greek TV audience. He has taken part in 30 TV series in total. Leaving briefly his job in Greece, he went to England, where he takes part in English productions, such as
Michael J. Bird Michael J. Bird (31 October 1928, in London – 11 May 2001, in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire) was an English writer. In addition to several novels, he is best remembered for his television drama series for the BBC, usually set in the Mediterra ...
's TV drama ''Who Pays the Ferryman?'' starring
Jack Hedley Jack Snowdon Hawkins (28 October 1929 – 11 December 2021), better known as Jack Hedley, was an English film, voice, radio, stage, character, theater, screen and television actor best known for his performances on television. His birth name n ...
, and others that have not been released in Greece. His British films included ''The Devil's Men'' (aka ''Minotaur'') with Donald Pleasence and Peter Cushing.


Personal life

In 1986, he gets married. He has two daughters and currently resides in Athens, Greece.


Other work

While he is still working in theater and television, at the same time he is directing documentaries for the Greek TV channel, ERT. He has directed 45 documentaries so far. Furthermore, the last eight years, he has been dealing with local government and is deputy mayor of culture of
Kesariani Kaisariani ( el, Καισαριανή) is a suburb and a municipality in the eastern part of the Athens agglomeration in Greece. Geography Kaisariani is located about southeast of Athens city centre, and of the Acropolis of Athens. The munic ...
. He is also at the administrative council at the "House of the Actor" which is a charitable, cultural and non-profit institution which is under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and helps, fosters and generally supports the poor, homeless and helpless artists.


Film

*A lady at the bouzoukia (1968) *Trial of an innocent (1969) *The sacrifice of a woman (1969) *Those who spoke with death (1970) *The brothers swore vengeance (1970) *Agapi mou paliogria (1972) *The devils of the night (1972) *Journey to love and death (1972) ..... Alexis Razis *Ti 30... ti 40... ti 50 (1972) ..... Foivos *Hotel of the corrupted (1972) ..... Alexis Nikolaou / Nikolas Anagnostou / Gerasimos *Ton arapi ki an ton plenis to sapouni sou halas (1973) ..... Lelos *Kolasmeni tou sex / Taste of white death (1974) ..... painter *Erotismos kai pathos (1974) ..... car driver *The metic (1975) *The hunters (1977) *Abnormal load (1977) ..... captain *Thanasis's crazy world (1979) *Flatlet for ten (1981) ..... Petros Mouratoglou *A short guy will save us! (1981) *Tis politsmanas to kangelo (1981) ...... Mike *I will steal you, do you hear me? (1982) ..... Alexis *Handsome as a Greek (1985) *Mia Maria se timi efkerias (1985) *TV cannibals (1987) ..... rebel / torturer *The bluff (1987) *Detective ya klamata (1988) *Young, amazing and pretty (1988) ..... Alkis *The ratter of the two continents (1988) *Business in the Balkans (1996) *I love Karditsa (2010) ..... Nicolas *In the outburst of the moon (2010)


Television

* Who pays the ferryman? (1977) * From the opposite bank (1973) * Ine stigmes (2012) * The disappearance (2008) * The verdict (1978) * The shining (1991) * The bluff (1992) * The company (1982) * The city (1991) * Kalimera zoi (1993) * Café Emigkrek (1986) * Wax doll (1987) * Monachous monachous (1988) * Business in the Balkans (1999) * Mirto (1990) * O Patouchas (1984) * The sound of silence (1993) * I axiopisti (1982) * The guardians of Achaia (1992) * Behind the masks (1994) * Full moon (1989) * Parallel roads (1992) * In the steps of hope (1976) * Crucifixion without resurrection (1989) * Stisihorou ’73 (1972) * Tis agapis machairia (2006) * Diary of a doorman (1979) * The black key (1973) * The first Christmas cake (1982) * Seagull’s hovering (1997) * Handsome as a Greek (1987)


References


Additional references

*Anniversary album 1968-2008 of “Radiotelevision,” published by ERT in November 2008 *“Greek cinema: History, filmography, biographies,” by Aggelos Rouvas, Christos Stathakopoulos *“Eighty years OGA: (Organization of Greek Actors,) theater and cinema,” Sbilios editions, 1917–1997 *“The Almanac of Greek Screen” by Vasilis Georgiadis *www.actorhouse.gr *greekactor.blogspot.gr “Greek actors and actresses”


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Verlekis, Nikos Greek male actors 1949 births Living people People from Arta (regional unit)