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Irene "Rena" Vlachopoulou (Ειρήνη «Ρένα» Βλαχοπούλου) (1923 – July 29, 2004) was a famous Greek actress and singer. She starred in theatre, musical and Greek cinema productions, including The Gambler and The Countess of Corfu.

Vlahopoulou was born on the island of Corfu, the fifth of nine children. She first began playing the piano, taught by her father, Giannis Vlahopoulos. When she turned ten, she began singing at a local bakery; she was a talented dancer and actress and a qualified operetta mezzo soprano. Over the course of her fifty-five year career she appeared in 105 theatrical plays between 1939 and 1994, and twenty-six films between 1951 and 1985. She was a charismatic comedienne, with considerable singing and dancing talents, and remained hugely popular on stage and film throughout her long career.

In 1938, Vlahopoulou fell in love with an AEK footballer, Kostas Vasileiou. The couple eloped to Athens and were married in the summer of 1939. Rena began singing at the Oasis varieté show in the Zappeion gardens, where Mimis Traiforos presented his new work. In the winter of 1930–40, she sang at the World Theatre of Kostas Makedos at Panepistimiou Street. In the winter of 1940, the Italian Army bombed Corfu, and she lost two of her relatives. The marriage with Vasileiou ended, and in 1942 she married her second husband, a banker named Gianni Kostopoulos. She divorced Kostopoulos in 1946.

She married her third and final husband, Giorgos Lafazanis on September 18, 1967, but the couple remained childless. Vlahopoulou left Finos Film in 1966 and moved to Karagiannis-Karatzopoulos.

From 1972 the Greek cinema went through a period of decline because of the introduction of television, but Vlahopoulou continued to star in films for the next seven years.

During the 1980s she suffered from gastrorrhagias. In 1992 and 1993 she starred in the musical comedy Gia Tin Ellada Re Gamo To (Για την Ελλάδα ρε γαμώ το), after which she retired.

Rena Vlahopoulou died on July 29, 2004.

Filmography[link]

• 1951: Anatolitikes Nychtes (Ανατολίτικες νύχτες; Oriental Nights}

• 1956: Protevousianikes Peripeteies (Πρωτευουσιάνικες περιπέτειες; Capital adventures))

• 1962: Otan leipei i gata (Όταν λείπει η γάτα; When the cat's away)
• 1962: Merikoi to Protimoun Kryo (Μερικοί το προτιμούν κρύο; Some like it Cold)

• 1963: Ena Koritsi Gia Dyo (Ένα κορίτσι για δύο; One Girl for Two)
• 1963: Kati Na Kaiei (Κάτι να καίει; Something Is Burning)
• 1964: I Chartopaiktra (Η Χαρτοπαίκτρα; The Gambler)
• 1964: Koritsia Gia Filima (Κορίτσια για φίλημα; Girls Fit for Kissing)
• 1965: Fonazi o kleftis (Φωνάζει ο κλέφτης; The Thief Is Screaming)
• 1966: Vouleftina (Βουλευτίνα; Lady MP)
• 1967: Viva Rena (Βίβα Ρένα; Viva Rena)
• 1970: Mia Treli Sarantara (Μια τρελή σαραντάρα; A Crazy 40-year Old)
• 1968: Ziliara (Ζηλιάρα; Jealous)
• 1969: Pariziana (Παριζιάνα; Parisienne)
• 1970: I Theia Mou I Chipissa (Η θεία μου η χίπισσα; My hippie aunt )
• 1970: Mia Ellinida Sto Charemi (Ελληνίδα στο χαρέμι; A Greek woman in the harem)
• 1971: Ziteitai Epeigontos Gempros (Ζητείται επειγόντως γαμπρός; Bridegroom sought urgently)
• 1972: I Komissa tis Kerkyras (Η κόμησσα της Κέρκυρας The Countess of Corfu)
• 1972: I Rena Einai Ofsaid/Offside (Η Ρένα είναι οφσάιντ; Rena Is Offside)
• 1979: Fantarines (Φανταρίνες; Women soldiers)

• 1980: Rena Na I Efkairia (Ρένα να η ευκαιρία; Rena, this is your chance)
• 1981: Tis Politsmanas To Kagkelo (Της πολιτσμάνας το κάγκελο; Crazy policewoman)
• 1982: I Manoula, To Manouli Ki O Paidaros (Η μανούλα, το μανούλι κι ο παίδαρος, Momma, chick and hunk)
• 1983: I Sidira Kyria (Η σιδηρά κυρία; Iron Lady)
• 1985: Rena Ta Resta Sou (Ρένα τα ρέστα σου; Rena, your Change)

External links[link]

• Rena Vlahopoulou at the Internet Movie Database