Irene Papas

Irene Papas - born Eirini Lelékou in Chiliomodi, Corinthia, Greece on September 3, 1929 – was an internationally famous award-winning actress and singer best known for her roles in films such as The Guns of Navarone (1961), Zorba the Greek (1964) and Z (1969). She was also known for several musical collaborations with artists like Mikis Theodorakis, Aphrodite’s Child, and Vangelis. Although she had attended the Royal School of Dramatic Art in Athens, she was discovered by chance on the street by a film director. In 1948, she made her film debut in the motion picture Lost Angels. After attending the Cannes Film Festival in 1952, her acting roles picked up in her home country and Italy. Her international breakthrough came in 1961 when she starred in the film The Guns of Navarone alongside Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn. She became known for Greek tragedies such as Antigone (1961), Electra (1962), Les Troyennes (1971) and Iphigénie (1977). Irene Papas achieved more attention for her roles in Zorba the Greek (1964) and Z (1969). Bolstered by her fame in film, she began a singing career with the release of Songs Of Theodorakis (1969), an album of songs by Zorba the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. While recording vocals for Greek rock band Aphrodite’s Child’s 1972 album 666, she met keyboardist Vangelis. The next two Irene Papas albums – Odes (1979) and Rapsodies (1986) – were collaborations with Vangelis, who produced, played on, and wrote / co-wrote the material. However, she then decided to focus on acting and her recording career was over after three albums. She continued to act in films until the early 2000s. Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, Irene Papas died on September 14, 2022, at the age of 93.

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