Rena Vlahopoulou

Irene "Rena" Vlahopoulou (Greek: Ειρήνη (Ρένα) Βλαχοπούλου; 28 July 1923 – 29 July 2004) was a Greek actress and singer. She starred in theatre, musical, and Greek cinema productions, including The Gambler and The Countess of Corfu.[1]

Rena Vlahopoulou
Ρένα Βλαχοπούλου
Born
Irene Vlahopoulou

28 July 1923
Corfu, Greece
Died29 July 2004 (age 81)
Athens, Greece
NationalityGreek
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Spouse(s)Kostas Vasiliou (1939–1943)
Giannis Kostopoulos (1943–1946)
Giorgos Lafazanis (1967–2004; her death)

Biography

Vlahopoulou was born on the island of Corfu, 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. 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 footballer, Kostas Vasiliou eloped to Athens and were married. She began singing at the Oasis varieté show in the Zappeion 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 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 The Countess of Corfu) ..... 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 died on Thursday 29th July 2004 at the Athens Medical Center.[2] She had entered the Medical Center on 16 July to undergo surgery as she suffered from a perforated stomach. Her medical report listed the cause of her death as cardiac arrest. on 30 July 2004, her body was showcased in a popular pilgrimage to the chapel of Agios Lazarus in the First Cemetery of Athens.[2] Her funeral was held at public expense on Saturday 31 July 2004. She was accompanied by the band of the Philharmonic Society that came from Corfu. Many of her colleagues and ordinary people from all over Greece came to mourn over a beloved Greek actress.[3] On the day of her funeral, all shops in Corfu remained closed as a sign of respect as well as mourning.[2]

In September 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.[4]

References
  1. "Ρένα Βλαχοπούλου (Ηθοποιός, Τραγούδι)". www.finosfilm.gr. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  2. ΙΝ, Σύνταξη (31 July 2004). "Κηδεύτηκε στο Α Νεκροταφείο Αθηνών η Ρένα Βλαχοπούλου". in.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  3. "ΠΑΤΡΙΣ - ΑΡΧΕΙΟ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΟΝΙΚΗΣ ΕΚΔΟΣΗΣ". archive.patris.gr. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  4. "Πουλήθηκε η βίλα της Ρένας Βλαχοπούλου στην Κέρκυρα". ProtoThema (in Greek). 22 September 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
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