Tzeni Karezi

• Name — Τζένη Καρέζη • Birth Name — Evgenia Karpouzi • Born — 12 January 1932 • Birthplace — Athens, Greece • Died — 26 July 1992 (aged 60) • Place of death — Athens, Greece • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1955–1990 • Other Names — Jenny Karezi • Spouse — Zahos Hadjifotiou (m. 1962 – d. 1965) Kostas Kazakos (1968–1992; her death); 1 child • Children — Konstantinos Kazakos

Evgenia Karpouzi was born in Athens, Greece, to a mathematician father from Mesolonghi and a high school teacher mother from Aigio. Her grandfather used to sell watermelons, called "karpouzia" in Greek (stemming from karpuz), in his spare time, which is the source of her last name, Karpouzi (neuter singular). She studied at the French convent school Kalamari in Thessaloniki and then at the French St.Joseph convent school, 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 Theatre Drama School(Εθνικό Θέατρο). The playwright Angelos Terzakis and the director Dimitris Rontiris were among her teachers. Upon graduating in 1954, she was immediately thrust into starring roles in the theatre and the cinema playing alongside such actors as Alexis Minotis and Katina Paxinou.

Her stage debut was at 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’s 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 the 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 theatre 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's 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 cervical cancer, she was in great pain and had to leave the theatre.

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.

• 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 Academy Award nomination - Best Foreign Language Film Cannes Film Festival nomination - Grand Prix du Festival International du Film • 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

Tzeni Karezi was recorded at birth as Ευγενία Καρπούζη. The authorities additionally record the heading Jenny Karezi. Her recorded languages were English, French and Modern Greek. She married Kostas Kazakos and Zahos Hadjifotiou. One child is recorded: Konstantinos Kazakos. Other recorded relations include Jenny Kazakou.

Tzeni Karezi is recorded with the occupation television actor. Recorded as actress and translator.