Zannino

Actor · Director · Writer

Constantinople, Turkey

August 21, 1923

Biography

Zannino (Greek: Ζαννίνο), born Giannis Papadopoulos (Γιάννης Παπαδόπουλος) of Theophilos, (Galata, Constantinople, 21 August 1923 - Athens, 27 May 1995) was a Greek theater and film actor, distinguished in supporting roles. He was the son of Theophilos Papadopoulos and Sofia and during the years of uprooting he came with his parents to Greece and settled in Drapetsona in Piraeus. Since 1937, when his father died, the small but strong Giannis has been trying to find work and take care of his mother. At that time, he was hired as a dancer in the Ramasov ballets that gave performances in various "cafe-sandan" centers of the time. In one of those performances at the "Attic Mantra", in the early 1940s, when Attic himself asked him what his name was, he answered Yannis, but the ballet director Sofia Ramazov called him Nino and then Attic said "What Yannis and nonsense. Yannis is Jean, Jean and Nino are Zannino. That's how I'll introduce you". Since then, this artistic pseudonym has remained for both himself and his later wife and daughter. Zannino's artistic career has been brilliant both in Greek cinema, and even in American, having participated in the film Midnight Express, as well as in theater, and even on television. Zannino was the one who brought Harry Klynn (real name Vassilis Triantafyllidis) to the theater. (Source: Wikipedia)