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

Apostolos (Lakis) Lazopoulos, born on May 6, 1956, is a famous Greek actor, comedian, and writer. He is also a TV presenter and songwriter. Many people in Greece know him for his funny shows and plays. In 2010, Forbes magazine even called him one of the most powerful and important celebrities in Greece.

Early Life and Education

Lakis Lazopoulos was born in Larissa, 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 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. However, Lazopoulos decided not to work as a lawyer. Instead, he chose to follow his passion for acting and entertainment.

Starting His Career in Entertainment

In 1979, Lakis Lazopoulos wrote his very first play called Something's cooking in Gipsyland. It was a type of show called a "revue," which combines songs, dances, and comedy. His next play, Say Goodbye, It's All Over Now, was also very popular.

Lazopoulos then joined the Free Theatre of Athens. There, he performed in Why People are Happy. He also created another successful revue called Change and Craze.

Between 1982 and 1986, he wrote four more revues with Giannis Xanthoulis. These shows often made fun of the political situation in Greece at the time. Some of their titles were Haido’s Pasok and Andrea’s Taxing Tolls.

Major Works and Successes

Stage Performances and Legal Challenges

In 1986, Lakis Lazopoulos starred in the play Lysistrata. This play traveled all over Greece and was performed in many big theaters. It was very successful and well-liked. That same year, he started writing plays by himself. One of his first solo plays was I was Pasok and I grew old.

In 1987, he wrote What the Japanese saw. This play caused some trouble, and the President of Greece at the time, Christos Sartzetakis, sued him. Lazopoulos went to court but was found not guilty. This event was so big that it was even written about in Time Magazine.

In 1989, his play Greece after heart surgery became very popular. His next play, There was a Small Ship, was a huge hit and ran for two years. In 1991, Lazopoulos wrote and performed in I Have Something to Tell You. That summer, he toured Greece with a show called Alone at Last. This show featured his most popular acts and was a big commercial success. He even took this show to New York City two years later.

Venturing into Television and Film

In 1992, Lakis Lazopoulos started working in television. He wrote and played fifteen different characters in a TV series called Deka mikroi Mitsoi. This show became one of the most successful TV series in Greek history. Lazopoulos played everyday people and used humor to talk about social and political issues. People loved the show so much that a university even studied why Greeks enjoyed it and the phrases its characters used. The series also won an award in Italy.

In 1993, he narrated Prokofiev's famous story 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 movie, Girl with Suitcases. He also had a small role in the film "Kavafis."

In 1996, he wrote the play "The Sunday of Shoes." Around that time, Walt Disney Productions asked him to help with the Greek version of the animated movie Hercules. He adapted the script from English to Greek and even voiced two characters, Philoctetes (Phil) and Panic.

Continued Success and New Roles

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, My best friend. At the same time, his play "Ta Leme" was also a big hit.

In 2002, he presented 12 short plays (monologues) by important writers. He also performed a monologue called "Ages of Ridicule" for the Cultural Olympiad.

From 2003 to 2004, he wrote, directed, and starred in the play "Wind in our Sails." It was a commercial success. During this time, he also became the artistic director for two important theaters in Athens. In 2004, a film he co-directed, R20, was released. That summer, he played a main role in the ancient Greek comedy Ploutos by Aristophanes. This play toured Greece and was performed at the ancient theater of Epidaurus as part of the Athens Olympics.

From 2004 to 2005, Lazopoulos wrote, directed, and starred in another successful play, "Where is this Bus Going?" In November 2004, he started hosting his own weekly TV show called Al Tsantiri Newsel [el] ("Live from the Shack"). This show was a satirical news program and became very popular, getting high ratings.

Since 2004, he has also been in charge of entertainment programming for Alpha TV, a private television channel. He helped introduce new young actors and a director through a TV program called "504KM North of Athens." This show was about student life in Greece. A film based on this story, "Don't Go," was released in 2005.

In 2005, Lazopoulos performed in another Aristophanes play, The Acharnians, for The National Theatre of Greece. In November 2005, he directed and played the lead in the play "Hysteria." In 2006, he acted in the film El Greco, which set a record for ticket sales when it was released in 2007.

After a three-year break from theater, in November 2008, he wrote, directed, and starred in the play "Toiler on the roof." This play was also a big success.