Actor Petros Fyssoun dies

The actor Petros Fyssoun, 83, died on December 5 at Sotiria Hospital from a respiratory infection.
The much loved actor, born in Agrinio, Greece, on October 5, 1933, was the son of a Russian émigré who had settled in Greece after the Russian Revolution.
Mr. Fyssoun made his stage debut in a 1953 production of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.” He graduated from the Dramatic School of Art Theatre in 1954, collaborating with the Art Theatre of Karolos Koun until 1956. From 1961 to 1965, he played lead roles at the National Theatre of Greece, at the State Theatre of Northern Greece from 1976 to 1978 and at the Royal National Theatre between 1992 and 2000. His repertoire has included all kinds of theatre, from drama, comedy and tragedy to burlesque.

He took part in the 1965 Cannes Film Festival and the 1966 Moscow and Leningrad festivals, as well as in several festivals in Greece, including that of Epidaurus.
Fyssoun was one of the top actors of his generation and had an extremely rich theatrical career: Sophocles’ “Electra” (as Orestis), Lillian Hellmann’s “Watch on the Rhine” (as Kurt Muller), Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull” (as Dorn), Eugene O’ Neill’s “Desire Under the Elms” (as Ephriam Cabot), etc. He collaborated with the National Theater of Greece and often created personal stage groups. Equally interesting was his film career: he made his screen debut in 1958 and starred in many important dramas, like Oi paranomoi (1958) and Prodosia (1964).
Off-stage, Petros Fyssoun played many other roles as well, including that of impresario and entrepreneur.
As one of Greece’s foremost actors, Fyssoun garnered many awards and distinctions, including Leading Male Role in the 1963 Greek Film Festival as well as First Prize for Leading Male Role at the 1975 Ithaka Theater Festival.
He is survived by a daughter, Ania, from his marriage to Teta Nicolaidou

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