Aliki Vougiouklaki

Aliki Vougiouklaki was one of the most popular and successful actresses in Greece, known for her films and theatrical plays. She was born in Marousi, Athens, to a political family. Her father was a provincial governor who was executed by the resistance during the war. She had two brothers, Takis and Antonis, who became a film director and an architect, respectively. She studied at the National Theatre of Greece and made her stage debut in 1953 in Molière's The Imaginary Invalid. She also made her film debut in 1954 in The Little Mouse. She appeared in over 40 films, mostly musicals and comedies, and co-starred with Dimitris Papamichail, who was her husband from 1965 to 1975 and the father of her only son, Giannis. She won the award for Best Actress at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival in 1960 for her role in Madalena. Her film Ipolochagos Natassa (1970) was the biggest box office hit in Greek cinema history. She also starred in many theatrical productions, including adaptations of Broadway musicals such as My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, and Evita. She was praised by Laurence Olivier for her portrayal of Eva Perón. She was also involved in the production and direction of some of her plays. She was widely loved by the Greek public and was given the title of the National Star of Greece. She died in 1996, three days after her birthday, from pancreatic cancer. She was buried in the First Cemetery of Athens.