She was the most charming ugliness of the Greek theater and cinema. A strong personality, a wonderful actress, an innate talent, who managed to overshadow beauties and popular actors with one look, one conversation.
The reason for the lovable, in every sense of the word, Georgia Vassiliadou, who even today is adored for the roles of the old lady, the coffee shop owner, the aunt either from Chicago or from the slums of Athens. The actress who turned her ugliness into an asset and managed to convey the message that a person is not judged by their outward appearance, but by their inner charm, kindness, greatness of soul.
Completing in a few days 40 years since her death (12/2/1980), it is an opportunity to remember her great contribution to the admission that the generation of actresses of her time will never pass again in our country, but also in some stations of her personal life.
Hidden gem
Georgia Anastasiou, as her real name was, was born in Kypseli on January 1, 1897 and grew up in a family with 10 siblings. She was forced to leave school and work at an early age, following the sudden death of her father, who was a Cavalry officer. She made her first appearance as a member of the Olympia Theater chorus, in a work by Verdi. Three years later, in 1925, he entered the theater, working in big shows of the time with Kyveli, Marika Kotopoulis, Dimitris Myrat. Marika Kotopoulis, who discovered her first, told her "You are a diamond hidden in the coals. I'll take you out."
In 1930 she decided to give up theatre, after a failed marriage and her decision to devote herself to her daughter. Shortly after, however, Alekos Sakellarios was looking for a character actress for the role of a gossip, in his musical comedy "Girls for Marriage".
After a lot, he discovered her in the well-known cafe of Omonia "The Crown", a hangout for actors - mainly extras and supporting actors. At first he thought she was some kind of actor's mother, until he found out that she was an actress ready to give up. He approached her and despite her hesitations convinced her to act in his play. Her success is unique.
"Kafetzou"
In the same year he enters the cinema. But we will get to know her from the 1946 films "Shoe from Your Place" and of course the classic comedy of 1948 "The Germans Begin Again". Both are of Sakellarios. In 1952, in "Grousouzi" by Giorgos Tzavellas, next to Orestis Makris, she will again play the gossip of the neighborhood, while in 1954 she will make her first starring appearance in the unforgettable comedy "The Beauty of Athens" by Nikos Tsiforos, giving " resta" in the role of the old woman, causing delirium with her performance. In 1955, she will star in the famous "Cafetzou", again next to Mimi Fotopoulos, giving the mark of an actress who, when she wants to, can serve the drama admirably and easily switch to comedy and tumbling, within one scene.
At the Top
But 1957 is a milestone year for her career. He will play in one of the best Greek films of all time, "To Amaxaki" by Dinos Dimopoulos, but also in Sakellario's delightful comedies "The Aunt from Chicago" and "Our Lady the Mother", always next to the huge Orestis Makris . Her recognition reaches the top. And yet, as we will observe, she will stay a year away from the studios, saying no to jobs that do not suit her.
But he will come in 1959 to play in five films and among them the classic comedy "The Treasure of Makaritis", this time alongside Vassilis Avlonitis. Next year, she will star in Robiros Manthoulis' satire "Lady Mayor" and in the unforgettable comedy "Marina, Clearchos and Short", with Avlonitis and Rizo, i.e. with her two colleagues with whom they will form the theater troupe. Avlonitis, Vassiliadou, Rizou", with the third having the ability to utilize the source talent and command the... carefree character of the other two.
In 1962, she will make her last huge success, "The Grooms of Happiness", directed by Sokratis Kapsaskis and with the same cast of protagonists, while she will then act in several films, but not with the same success, as the so-called old Greek cinema is beginning to decline, while the same woman we met as a grown-up was beginning to enter her old age.