Irene "Rena" Vlahopoulou (Greek: Ειρήνη (Ρένα) Βλαχοπούλου; 28 July 1917 – 29 July 2004) was a

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

actress and singer. She starred in theatre, musical, and

Greek cinema The cinema of Greece has a long and rich history. Though hampered at times by war or political instability, the Greek film industry dominates the domestic market and has experienced international success. Characteristics of Greek cinema include ...

productions, including ''The Gambler'' and ''

The Countess of Corfu ''The Countess of Corfu'' ( el, Η Κόμησσα Της Κέρκυρας, translit=I Komissa tis Kerkyras) is a 1972 film starring Rena Vlahopoulou, Alekos Alexandrakis and Nonika Galinea. The movie was filmed in Corfu, the birthplace of Rena V ...

''.

Biography

Vlahopoulou was born on the island of

Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...

, the fifth of nine children. She first began playing the piano, taught by her father, Giannis Vlahopoulos. When she turned ten, she began singing at a local bakery; she was a talented dancer and actress and a qualified

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...

. Over the course of her fifty-five-year career she appeared in 105 theatrical plays between 1939 and 1994, and twenty-six films between 1951 and 1985. In 1939, Vlahopoulou and

AEK Athens A.E.K ( el, AEK , formally Αθλητική Ένωσις Κωνσταντινουπόλεως; Athlitikí Énosis Konstantinoupόleos, ''Athletic Union of Constantinople''), known as A.E.K, is a major Greek multi-sport club based in Nea Filadel ...

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...

, Kostas Vasiliou eloped to Athens and were married. She began singing at the ''Oasis'' varieté show in the

Zappeion The Zappeion ( el, Ζάππειον Μέγαρο, Záppeion Mégaro, ) is a large, palatial building next to the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings and ceremonies, both official and privat ...

gardens, where Mimis Traiforos presented his new work. In the winter of 1930–40, she sang at the World Theatre of Kostas Makedos on Panepistimiou Street. The marriage with Vasiliou ended. In 1942 she married her second husband, a banker, Giannis Kostopoulos; the couple divorced in 1946. She married her third and final husband, Giorgos Lafazanis, on 18 September 1967. They remained wed until her death in 2004. Vlahopoulou had no children by any of her marriages. She left

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 ...

in 1966 and moved to Karagiannis-Karatzopoulos. From 1972, she continued to star in films for the next seven years. In 1992–93, she starred in the musical comedy ''Gia Tin Ellada Re Gamo To'' (''Για την Ελλάδα ρε γαμώ το''), after which she retired.

Filmography

*1951: ''Anatolitikes nyhtes'' (''Ανατολίτικες νύχτες''; ''Oriental Nights'') *1956: '' The Girl from Corfu'' (''Πρωτευουσιάνικες περιπέτειες''; ''Capital adventures'') ..... Rinoula *1962: '' Otan leipei i gata'' (''Όταν λείπει η γάτα''; ''When the cat's away'') ..... Marigo *1962: '' Merikoi to protimoun kryo'' (''Μερικοί το προτιμούν κρύο''; ''Some like it Cold'') ..... Rena Angelou *1963: ''Ena koritsi gia dyo'' (''Ένα κορίτσι για δύο''; ''One Girl for Two'') ..... Polyxeni *1963: '' Kati na kaiei'' (''Κάτι να καίει''; ''Something Is Burning'') ..... Sofia Frantzi *1964: '' I hartopehtra'' (''Η Χαρτοπαίκτρα''; ''The Gambler'') ..... Aleka Oikonomidou *1964: '' Koritsia gia filima'' (''Κορίτσια για φίλημα''; ''Girls Fit for Kissing'') ..... Rena Eleftheriou *1965: '' Fonazi o kleftis'' (''Φωνάζει ο κλέφτης''; ''The Thief Is Screaming'') ..... Lia Karaleontos *1966: ''Randevou ston aera'' (''Ραντεβού στον αέρα''; ''Date in the air'') ..... Jenny Stathatos / Rena Vlahopoulou *1966: ''I vouleftina'' (''Βουλευτίνα''; ''Lady MP'') ..... Rena Varlamou *1967: ''Viva Rena'' (''Βίβα Ρένα''; ''Viva Rena'') ..... Rena Papaliou / Pepita di Corfu *1970: ''Mia treli sarantara'' (''Μια τρελή σαραντάρα''; ''A Crazy 40-year-old'') ..... Jenny Petromihali *1968: ''I ziliara'' (''Ζηλιάρα''; ''Jealous'') ..... Rena Pantelia *1969: ''I Pariziana'' (''Παριζιάνα''; ''Parisienne'') ..... Pelagia Karaboubouna *1970: ''I theia mou i hipissa'' (''Η θεία μου η χίπισσα''; ''My hippie aunt'' ) ..... Leni *1970: ''Mia Ellinida sto haremi'' (''Ελληνίδα στο χαρέμι''; ''A Greek woman in the harem'') ..... Rena *1971: ''Ziteitai epeigontos gambros'' (''Ζητείται επειγόντως γαμπρός''; ''Bridegroom sought urgently'') ..... Rena *1972: '' I komissa tis Kerkyras'' (''Η κόμησσα της Κέρκυρας'' ''

'') ..... Siora Antzolina *1972: ''I Rena einai offside'' (''Η Ρένα είναι οφσάιντ''; ''Rena Is Offside'') ..... Rena Kaplani *1979: ''Oi fantarines'' (''Φανταρίνες''; ''Women soldiers'') ..... Captain Evgenia Vrahou *1980: ''Rena na i efkairia'' (''Ρένα να η ευκαιρία''; ''Rena, this is your chance'') ..... Rena Apostolou *1981: ''Tis politsmanas to kangelo'' (''Της πολιτσμάνας το κάγκελο''; ''Crazy policewoman'') ..... Rena *1982: ''I manoula, to manouli ki o paidaros'' (''Η μανούλα, το μανούλι κι ο παίδαρος'', ''Momma, chick and hunk'') ..... Rena *1983: ''I sidira kyria'' (''Η σιδηρά κυρία''; ''Iron Lady'') ..... Rena Remoundou *1985: ''Rena ta resta sou'' (''Ρένα τα ρέστα σου''; ''Rena, your Change'') ..... Rena Verygiou

Death

Vlahopoulou passed away at 7pm on Thursday 29^th July 2004 at the Athens Medical Center. She had entered the Medical Center on 16^th July to undergo surgery as she suffered from a perforated stomach. Her medical report listed the cause of her death as

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...

. on 30^th July 2004, her body was showcased in a popular

pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...

to the chapel of Agios Lazarus in the

First Cemetery of Athens The First Cemetery of Athens ( el, Πρώτο Νεκροταφείο Αθηνών, ''Próto Nekrotafeío Athinón'') is the official cemetery of the City of Athens and the first to be built. It opened in 1837 and soon became a prestigious ceme ...

. Her funeral was held at public expense on Saturday 31^st July 2004. She was accompanied by the band of the

Philharmonic Society The Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) is a British music society, formed in 1813. Its original purpose was to promote performances of instrumental music in London. Many composers and performers have taken part in its concerts. It is now a membe ...

that came from

. Many of her colleagues and ordinary people from all over

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

came to mourn over a beloved greek actress. On the day of her funeral, all shops in Corfu remained closed as a sign of respect as well as mourning. In September of 2016, Rena Vlahopoulou's luxury home in the Dasia area of Corfu was sold to a greek construction company to be renovated and rented out.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vlahopoulou, Rena 1917 births 2004 deaths 20th-century Greek actresses 20th-century Greek women singers Actors from Corfu Greek film actresses Greek actresses Greek stage actresses Greek laïko singers Musicians from Corfu Gold Crosses of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece)