| Τζένη Καρέζη | |
| Birth Name: | Evgenia Karpouzi |
| Birth Date: | 12 January 1932[1] |
| Birth Place: | Athens, Greece |
| Death Date: | 26 July 1992 (aged 60) |
| Death Place: | Athens, Greece |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 1955–1992 |
| Alias: | Jenny Karezi |
| Spouse: | Zahos Hadjifotiou (m. 1962 – d. 1965) Kostas Kazakos (1968–1992; her death); 1 child |
| Children: | Konstantinos Kazakos |
Tzeni Karezi (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Τζένη Καρέζη; 12 January 1932[1] – 26 July 1992); also known as Jenny Karezi, was a Greek film and stage actress.
Evgenia Karpouzi was born in Athens, Greece, to a mathematician father from Mesolonghi and high school teacher mother from Aigio. His father used to sell watermelons, called "Greek, Modern (1453-);: karpouzia" in Greek (stemming from Turkish: karpuz), in his spare time, which is the source of her last name, Karpouzi (neuter singular).[2] [3] [4] She studied under the direction of the Sisters of St Joseph at a private French school in Thessaloniki, and later by the same Order in Athens. She learned French fluently. When she was a teenager, her father left the family and she continued to live with her mother. Her father died in a car accident in 1971.
In 1951, she was accepted at the Greek National Theater (Εθνικό Θέατρο), where she studied in the Drama School. The playwright Angelos Terzakis and the director Dimitris Rontiris were among her teachers. Upon graduation, in 1954, she was immediately thrust into starring roles in the theatre, playing alongside such actors as Alexis Minotis and Katina Paxinou.
Her stage debut was in the Marika Kotopouli theatre in the French comedy, La belle Heléne, with Melina Mercouri and Vasilis Diamantopoulos. In 1955, Karezi made her cinema debut in the Alekos Sakellarios' comedy, Laterna, ftoheia kai filotimo in 1955, a massive success just like its sequel, Laterna, ftoheia kai garyfallo in 1957. For the soundtrack of the 1959 film To nisi ton genneon she recorded a song by future Academy Award-winner Manos Hadjidakis, "Min ton rotas ton ourano" ("Do not ask the sky").
Her career flourished in the 1960s, when she headed her own theater troupe in 1961 and starred in some of the most classic movies of the Greek cinema, like Lola (1964), Mia trelli... trelli oikogeneia (1965), Tzeni-Tzeni (1966), and Kontserto gia polyvola (1967). Her greatest film success was Ta kokkina fanaria (The Red Lanterns; 1963), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Her last film appearance was in Aristophanes' Lysistrata (1972). Over the following decade, she continued to produce and star in such stage classics as Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Medea and Electra. She appeared for the last time in theatre in 1990 in Loula Anagnostaki's play, Diamonds and the blues; suffering from terminal breast cancer, she was in great pain and had to leave the show.[5] [6]
In May 1962, Karezi wed a journalist, Zahos Hadjifotiou, but this marriage ended in divorce two years later. In 1967, during the filming of Kontserto gia polyvola, she met Kostas Kazakos, with whom she had her only child, Konstantinos Kazakos, who became also an actor. They formed a popular duo and her repertoire shifted to more sophisticated and intellectual plays. They were led to prison where they spent several nights due to the play To megalo mas tsirko (Our Big Circus) in 1973, which insulted the Greek junta.
Tzeni Karezi died on 26 July 1992 from cancer at her home and was buried at public expense. She was believed to be 60 years old (varying different years of birth had been ascribed over the years). Thousands attended her funeral.
A metastatic cancer victim, she asked those close to her to make palliative care better known and to assist in its development so others suffering painful diseases or ailments would be able to live their last days with dignity. The Jenny Karezi Foundation is a non-profit Cancer Pain Relief and Palliative Care organization, founded in 1992, in memory of the Greek actress. The Foundation's mission is to relieve patients with cancer and other chronic diseases, through medical and psychological support.[7]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Laterna, ftoheia kai filotimo | Kaiti | box office 126,530 |
| 1957 | Dellistavrou kai ios | Billy Mavrogianni | box office 106,356 |
| I theia ap'to Chicago | Katina Barda | box office 142,459 | |
| Laterna, ftoheia kai garyfallo | Kaiti | box office 113,641 | |
| 1958 | To trellokoritso | Jenny | |
| Mia laterna, mia zoi | Miranda/Nina | ||
| I limni ton pothon | Miranda | ||
| 1959 | To nisi ton genneon | Dona | |
| Taxidi me ton erota | Gianna | ||
| Navagia tis zois | Foula | ||
| 1960 | To koroidaki tis despoinidos | Julia | box office 115,029 |
| Randevou stin Kerkyra | Diana Laniti/Mirka | box office 95,664 | |
| Hristina | Hristina | ||
| I hionati kai ta 7 gerontopalikara | Alexia/Marina | box office 88,074 | |
| 1961 | Poia einai i Margarita | Margarita Kondostavrou | |
| 1962 | Prodomeni agapi | Anna | |
| I nyfi to skase | |||
| 1963 | Ta kokkina fanaria | Eleni | box office 473,686 |
| 1964 | Despoinis diefthyntis | Lila Vasileiou | box office 402,143 |
| Lola | Lola | ||
| Enas megalos erotas | Lena | box office 202,607 | |
| 1965 | Mia trelli...trelli oikogeneia | Mika | box office 521,134 |
| 1966 | Tzeni Tzeni | Tzeni Skoutari | box office 587,323 |
| Une balle au coeur | Carla | ||
| 1967 | Ekeinos ki ekeini | She | box office 198,551 |
| Kontserto gia polyvola | Niki | ||
| 1968 | Enas ippotis gia ti Vasoula | Vasoula Liontou | box office 347,441 |
| Agapi kai aima | Fani Geraka | ||
| 1970 | Mia gynaika stin Antistasi | Anna Kolleti | |
| 1971 | Manto Mavrogenous | Manto Mavrogenous | |
| 1972 | Erotiki symfonia | Eirini/Betty Stergiou | producer and writer |
| Lysistrati | Lysistrati | International Thessaloniki Film Festival win - Best Production |