Vasilis Logothetidis (

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 ...

: Βασίλης Λογοθετίδης; 1897 – 20 February 1960) was a

comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing Amusement is the state of experiencing humorous and entertaining events or situations while the person or a ...

. He is considered one of the most significant modern Greek actors. Logothetidis was born as Vasilis Tavlaridis (Βασίλης Ταυλαρίδης) in 1897 in Myriophyton, a village in

Eastern Thrace Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways * Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air ...

close to

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

. One year after graduating from high school, in 1916, he started to participate as an amateur actor in local shows. In 1918, he moved 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 ...

where, one year later, he joined the

Marika Kotopouli Marika Kotopouli ( el, Μαρίκα Κοτοπούλη; 3 May 1887 – 11 September 1954) was a Greek stage actress during the first half of the 20th century. Biography Kotopouli was born on 3 May 1887 in Athens to actor parents, Dimitrios Kot ...

theater company, with which he remained until 1946, with a brief pause in 1935. From 1947, he performed with his own theater company. During his very successful career, he starred in more than 110 Greek comedies and in more than 200 international plays, including '' Arsenic and Old Lace'' by

Joseph Kesselring Joseph Otto Kesselring (July 21, 1902 – November 5, 1967) was an American playwright who was best known for writing '' Arsenic and Old Lace'', a hit on Broadway from 1939 to 1944 and in other countries as well. Biography He was born in ...

, ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

'' by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, ''

Volpone ''Volpone'' (, Italian for "sly fox") is a comedy play by English playwright Ben Jonson first produced in 1605–1606, drawing on elements of city comedy and beast fable. A merciless satire of greed and lust, it remains Jonson's most-perform ...

'' 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 ...

and ''Knock'' by

Jules Romains Jules Romains (born Louis Henri Jean Farigoule; 26 August 1885 – 14 August 1972) was a French poet and writer and the founder of the Unanimism literary movement. His works include the play '' Knock ou le Triomphe de la médecine'', and a cycle ...

. Logothetidis was among the first Greek actors to appear in film, mostly as a protagonist. His memorable roles include: *Panagiotakis in ''Madam Sousou'' (1948) *Thodoros Ginopoulos in ''Oi Germanoi xanarhontai'' (1948) *Manolis Skoudris in ''

Ena votsalo sti limni ''Ena votsalo sti limni'' ( el, Ένα βότσαλο στη λίμνη) is a 1955 in film, 1955 Greece, Greek comedy film directed by Giorgos Tzavelas and stars Vassilis Logothetidis and Ilya Livykou Plot A miserly man cheats his wife one ni ...

'' (1952) *Fotis Fagris in ''Santa Chiquita'' (1953) *Tilemahos in ''

Despoinis eton 39 ''Despinis eton 39'' or ''Despinis eton 39'' ( el, Δεσποινίς ετών 39 ''A 39-year-old Lady'') is a 1954 Greek drama-comedy film directed by Alekos Sakellarios and starring Vassilis Logothetidis, Smaro Stefanidou and Ilya Livykou. P ...

'' (1954) *Lalakis Makrykostas in ''Oute gata, oute zimia'' (1955) *Anargyros Loubardopoulos in '' Istoria mias kalpikis liras'' (1955) *Potis Antonopoulos in ''

O Ziliarogatos ''The Lovers Arrive'' ( el, Ο Ζηλιαρόγατος) is a 1956 Greek black and white comedy film made by Anzervos and based on a theatrical play '' O erastis erhete'' (''Ο εραστής έρχεται'') by Georgios Roussos. It was direc ...

'' (1956) *Antonis Dellistavrou in ''Dellistavrou kai ios'' (1957) *General Labros Dekavallas in ''Enas iros me padoufles'' (1958) In 1957, he toured the United States with successful appearances in eight different cities. Logothetidis died in Athens on 20 February 1960, by

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Logothetidis, Vasilis 1897 births 1960 deaths People from Mürefte Greek male film actors Greek comedians Greek male stage actors Greeks from the Ottoman Empire Gold Crosses of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) Burials at the First Cemetery of Athens Deaths from cancer in Greece Constantinopolitan Greeks 20th-century comedians Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire to Greece Male actors from Istanbul