Alexis Minotis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexis Minotis
Alexis Minotis in The Chase
Born	Alexandros Minotakis (1900-08-08)8 August 1900 Chania, Cretan State
Died	11 November 1990(1990-11-11) (aged 90) Athens, Greece
Resting place	First Cemetery of Athens
Other names	Alexis Minotis
Occupation	Actor and stage director
Spouse(s)	Katina Paxinou ​ ​ (m. 1940; died 1973)​

Alexis Minotis was a famous Greek actor and director. He was born on August 8, 1900, as Alexandros Minotakis. He passed away on November 11, 1990. Minotis became well-known for his amazing acting skills and for directing many plays, especially ancient Greek tragedies.

Early Life and Stage Career

Alexis Minotis started his acting journey in his home, Crete. His first roles were in ancient Greek plays. He played the Chorus Leader and a Messenger in Oedipus Tyrannus by Sophocles.

From 1925 to 1930, he worked closely with Marika Kotopouli, another famous Greek actress. During this time, he took on big roles in plays by William Shakespeare. He starred in The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, and Macbeth. He also played the main character in Hamlet, which was the first time this play was performed in Greece.

Minotis also acted in other classic plays. These included Ghosts and Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen. He also started directing plays. He directed ancient Greek tragedies like Hecuba and Antigone. He also directed modern plays such as Juno and the Paycock and Mother Courage.

Working with Katina Paxinou

In 1940, Alexis Minotis married the talented actress Katina Paxinou. They worked together on many plays. They performed at the National Theatre of Greece in Athens. This theatre was started in 1930 by the Minister of Education, Georgios Papandreou.

Hollywood Films

In 1946, Minotis traveled to Hollywood in the United States. He appeared in the movie Notorious, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. He acted alongside famous stars like Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman.

In the same year, he was also in the film The Chase. He later appeared in other movies:

• Siren of Atlantis (1949)
• Land of the Pharaohs (1955) with Joan Collins
• Boy on a Dolphin (1957) with Sophia Loren

Directing and International Tours

In 1955, Minotis directed Katina Paxinou in Hecuba at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. He also starred in and directed Oedipus Rex. In 1956, he performed in Oedipus at Colonus. This play was very successful. Minotis and his theatre company went on a long tour around the world.

He also performed on Broadway in New York City. He was in Electra in 1930-31. Later, in 1952, he performed in Oedipus Tyrannus with the National Theatre of Greece.

In 1958, Minotis directed the famous opera singer Maria Callas. He directed her in an opera called Medea in Dallas. This production was also shown in London, Milan, and Epidaurus. He also directed Callas in the opera Norma in Epidaurus in 1960.

Filmography

Alexis Minotis acted in several films throughout his career. Here are some of them:

See Also

In Spanish: Alexis Minotís para niños