Lakis Lazopoulos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lakis Lazopoulos
Λάκης Λαζόπουλος
Lakis Lazopoulos in August 2022
Born	Apostolos Lazopoulos (1956-05-06) 6 May 1956 (age 69) Larissa, Greece
Occupation	Actor, comedian, script writer, columnist, tv presenter, song writer, performer (song) and lawyer
Years active	1979–present
Spouse(s)	Tasoula Lazopoulou

Lakis Lazopoulos, born Apostolos Lazopoulos on May 6, 1956, is a famous Greek artist. He is known for many things, like being an actor, a comedian, and a writer. He also writes plays, creates TV shows, and hosts them.

People in Greece think he is very important. In 2009, he was voted among the "Great Greeks" by the public. In 2010, Forbes magazine said he was one of the most powerful and important celebrities in Greece.

Early Life and Education

Lakis Lazopoulos was born in Larissa, a city in Greece. He went to school there for his early education. Later, he studied law at the Democritus University of Thrace. In 1984, he earned a higher degree from the University of Thessaloniki.

Even though he studied law, Lakis Lazopoulos decided to follow his passion. He chose to work in art and entertainment instead of becoming a lawyer.

Starting His Career in Theater

Lakis Lazopoulos began his career in 1979. He wrote his first play, a type of show called a revue, named Something's cooking in Gipsyland. Another play, Say Goodbye, It's All Over Now, quickly became popular.

He joined a theater group in Athens called the Free Theatre. There, he performed in a play called Why People are Happy. After that, he had another successful show called Change and Craze.

Between 1982 and 1986, Lakis Lazopoulos wrote four more revues. These shows were special because they used humor to talk about politics. They made people laugh while also making them think about what was happening in the country.

Major Works and Successes

Theater Performances and Tours

In 1986, Lakis Lazopoulos starred in a famous play called Lysistrata. This play traveled all over Greece and was performed in many big theaters. It was very popular and received great reviews. That same year, he started writing his own plays and put on I was Pasok and I grew old.

In 1987, he wrote What the Japanese saw. This play caused some discussion, and he even went to court over it. However, he was found not guilty. This event was reported by news all over the world, including in Time Magazine.

In 1989, he staged "Greece after heart surgery," which was a huge hit. His next play, "There was a Small Ship," was also very successful and ran for two years. In 1991, Lakis Lazopoulos wrote and performed in "I Have Something to Tell You." Later that year, he toured Greece with "Alone at Last," which included his most popular acts. This show was so successful that he toured again two years later, even performing in New York City.

Television and Film Projects

In 1992, Lakis Lazopoulos started working in television. He wrote and played fifteen different characters in a very popular Greek TV series called Deka mikroi Mitsoi. In this show, he played everyday people and used humor to talk about social and political topics. Many people loved the show because they could relate to the characters.

The show was so popular that a university even studied why Greeks enjoyed it so much. Deka mikroi Mitsoi also received an award at a festival in Italy.

In 1993, Lakis Lazopoulos presented the well-known story of Peter and the Wolf at the Greek National Opera. He also acted in a play called "Three Penny Opera." In 1994, he played the main male role in a TV film called Girl with Suitcases. He also made a special appearance in the film "Kavafis."

In 1996, he wrote the play "The Sunday of Shoes." This play was performed in Thessaloniki and Athens. In 1998, Walt Disney Productions asked him to help with the animated movie Hercules. He helped change the script from English to Greek and chose the actors for the Greek version. He even used his own voice for two characters, Philoctetes and Panic.

Later Career Highlights

In 1999, Lakis Lazopoulos played the main role in the film Beware of Greeks Bearing Guns. This movie was very popular when it came out in Greece in 2000. In 2001, he wrote, directed, and starred in his own film called My best friend. At the same time, he wrote a play called "Ta Leme," which was also very successful.

In 2002, he presented 12 theater monologues from famous writers. That summer, he performed a special monologue called "Ages of Ridicule."

Between 2003 and 2004, he wrote, directed, and starred in a show called "Wind in our Sails." This show was a big success in Athens. He also became the artistic director for two important theaters in Athens. In 2004, a film he co-directed, R20, was released. During the summer of 2004, he played the main role in the ancient Greek comedy Ploutos. This play toured Greece and had a special performance at the ancient theater of Epidaurus during the Athens Olympics.

From 2004 to 2005, Lakis Lazopoulos wrote, directed, and starred in another successful show called "Where is this Bus Going?" This show received great reviews. In November 2004, he started hosting his own weekly TV show called Al Tsantiri Newsel [el] ("Live from the Shack"). This show, which uses humor to talk about the news, is still very popular today.

Since 2004, he has also been in charge of entertainment programs for the TV channel Alpha TV. He helped create a TV show called "504KM North of Athens," which was about student life. This show helped introduce new young actors and a talented director to Greek audiences. A film based on this story, "Don't Go," was released in 2005.

In 2005, Lakis Lazopoulos performed in another play by Aristophanes, The Acharnians, for The National Theatre of Greece. In November 2005, he directed and starred in the play "Hysteria." In 2006, he played Nicolo in the film El Greco. This movie, released in 2007, sold a record number of tickets.

In November 2008, after three years away from the theater, he wrote, directed, and starred in the play "Toiler on the roof." This play was also a big success.