Tzeni Karezi facts for kids

Tzeni Karezi (born Evgenia Karpouzi; January 12, 1932 – July 26, 1992), also known as Jenny Karezi, was a very famous Greek actress. She starred in many movies and plays, becoming one of Greece's most beloved stars.

About Tzeni Karezi

Her Early Life

Evgenia Karpouzi was born in Athens, Greece. Her father was a mathematician, and her mother was a high school teacher. Her last name, Karpouzi, comes from the Greek word for "watermelon." This is because her father used to sell watermelons in his free time.

Tzeni went to a private French school in Thessaloniki and later in Athens. She learned to speak French very well. When she was a teenager, her father left the family. She continued to live with her mother.

In 1951, Tzeni was accepted into the Greek National Theater's Drama School. Here, she studied acting. Her teachers included famous people like Angelos Terzakis and Dimitris Rontiris. After she graduated in 1954, she quickly started getting main roles in plays. She acted alongside well-known actors such as Alexis Minotis and Katina Paxinou.

Her Acting Career

Tzeni Karezi first appeared on stage in a French comedy called La belle Heléne. She acted with other stars like Melina Mercouri. In 1955, she made her first movie, Laterna, ftoheia kai filotimo. This movie was a huge hit, just like its sequel, Laterna, ftoheia kai garyfallo, in 1957. She even sang a song for a movie soundtrack in 1959, called "Min ton rotas ton ourano." The song was by Manos Hadjidakis, who later won an Academy Award.

The 1960s were a very successful time for Tzeni. In 1961, she started her own theater group. She also starred in some of the most famous Greek movies. These included Lola (1964), Mia trelli... trelli oikogeneia (1965), Tzeni-Tzeni (1966), and Kontserto gia polyvola (1967). Her biggest movie success was Ta kokkina fanaria (The Red Lanterns) in 1963. This film was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Her last movie was Lysistrata in 1972. After that, she continued to act and produce plays on stage for another decade. She performed in famous plays like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Medea, and Electra. Her very last stage appearance was in 1990 in a play called Diamonds and the blues. She was very ill with breast cancer and had to leave the show because of the pain.

Her Personal Life

In May 1962, Tzeni Karezi married a journalist named Zahos Hadjifotiou. However, they divorced two years later. In 1967, while filming Kontserto gia polyvola, she met Kostas Kazakos. They fell in love and had a son together, Konstantinos Kazakos, who also became an actor.

Tzeni and Kostas became a popular acting team. Their plays often had deeper meanings. In 1973, they were even sent to prison for a few nights because of their play To megalo mas tsirko (Our Big Circus). This play criticized the military government that was ruling Greece at the time.

Her Legacy

Tzeni Karezi passed away on July 26, 1992, from cancer at her home. She was believed to be 60 years old. Thousands of people attended her funeral.

Before she died, Tzeni asked her friends to help make palliative care more widely known. Palliative care is special medical care that helps people with serious illnesses feel better and live with dignity, even when they are in pain.

In her memory, the Jenny Karezi Foundation was started in 1992. This organization helps patients with cancer and other serious illnesses. They provide medical and emotional support to help people manage their pain and live as comfortably as possible.

Filmography