Biography

Kostas Hatzichristos or Costas Hajihristos (Greek: Κώστας Χατζηχρήστος; 1921 – October 3, 2001) was a Greek actor. He was born in Thessaloniki, Greece, to a large family of thirteen members, he was the eleventh child of the family. His parents were from Constantinople (today Istanbul), and they were initially relocated to Kavala, moved to Thessaloniki thereafter, and later moved to the northern Athens suburb of Pagkrati. The young Kostas studied initially at the Sergeants Major Military School of Syros and finished his studies in the Kavala. He worked in the variety theatre Missouri in Piraeus and with the Nitsa Gaitanaki company where he played in The Grouch (Το Στραβόξυλο) by Dimitris Psathas. From 1945 until 1948, he worked in an operetta company owned by Paraskevas Oikonomou and appeared in the Pefka variety with Oikonomidis and Oasia with Mimis Traiforos. In 1949‒50, he participated in Koula Nikolaidou's musical company at the Verdun theatre (Θέατρο Βερντέν) at Alexandras Avenue. At the Verdun theatre, Hatzichristos acted for his first time in his successful run in the role of a villager character called Thymios, a role inspired by Kostas Nikolaidis, brother of his wife Mary Nikolaidou. Hatzichristos first screen appearance was in the movie The Knights' Castle in 1952 with Giorgos Asimakopoulos and Nikos Tsiforos. At the same time, he was successful at the theatre founded in 1952 by his own theatrical troupe. In 1960, he became a theatrical entrepreneur and founded his own theatre: Hatzichristos Theatre (Θέατρο Χατζηχρήστου). The theatre premiered on 18 February 1960, and was later renamed as the Treatre Orfeas. It was located at Panepistimiou Avenue in the Athens neighborhood of Akadimia. Among the greatest successes in his career were the films What a Mess (Της Κακομοίρας) in 1963 and Τhe Man Who Returned from the Plates (Ο Άνθρωπος που Γύρισε από τα Πιάτα!) in 1969 with Anna Fonsou and Dionysis Papagiannopoulos. He also produced three films and directed eight. His theatrical work continued until 1983. After a long period of absence, he returned into the theatre in 1994‒95 era and played in the local Hatzichristos Theatre. His difficult years begun when his third wife, Eleni Pantazi died at the age of 42. Kostas Hatzichristos died by cancer on 3 October 2001, suffering from economic problems.[20] He was interred at public expense at First Cemetery of Athens on 5 October 2001.

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