Acting
Feb 12, 1924
Mavrolithari, Folkida
George Foundas
Acting
Biography
George Fountas (Greek: Γιώργος Φούντας, Mavrolithari, Fokida, 13 February 1924 – Athens, 28 November 2010) was a Greek actor, one of the most important in cinema, theatre and television, known, among other things, for his role in the film Stella (1955), by Michael Cacoyannis. He participated in many other distinguished films of the 1950s and 1960s, including Magic City (1954), The Girl in Black (1956), Never on Sunday (1960) and The Red Lanterns (1963), while he also appeared in the foreign productions America, America (1963) and Zorbas (1964). His most important moment in television is his role in the series Christ is Crucified Again (1975-1976). George Fountas was born on February 13, 1924, in Mavrolithari, Fokida. In 1944, Fountas appeared in the film Applause by Giorgos Tzavellas, which is considered the most important film made during the Occupation. He then studied acting at the Drama School of the Athens Conservatory, where he studied with Emilio Veakis, Dimitris Rontiris and Kostas Mousouris, while also playing football, as a player for the AEK reserve team. At a young age, he also played (amateur) shot put, discus and boxing. He made his first theatrical appearance in the play Nyfiatiko ngai (Wedding Song) by Notis Pergialis. Gradually, he began to appear more and more in films, such as Aegean Raid (1946) by M. Karagatsis and Dead City (1951) by Frixos Eliades. In 1954, he starred in Nikos Koundouros' first film, Magic City, through which he became more widely known. In 1955, Fountas appeared in Stella, directed by Michalis Cacoyannis. This film contains one of the most emblematic scenes in Greek cinema, during which the line "Go away Stella, I'm holding a knife!" is heard. Stella caused a sensation internationally, especially for the performance of Melina Mercouri, and was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes International Film Festival and won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Fountas collaborated with Cacoyannis again shortly afterwards, for The Girl in Black (1956). Between 1960 and 1964, Fountas appeared in many films that received international attention. In 1960, he participated in Jules Dassin's Never on Sunday, again alongside Mercouri. The foreign-language film "Never on Sunday" opened the way for his international career and made him known abroad. In 1963, he appeared in two films that were nominated for the 36th Academy Awards. One was Red Light District (1963), directed by Vasilis Georgiadis, which is considered one of Fundas' most characteristic performances, and the other was America, America by Elia Kazan. In 1964, Fundas collaborated again with Cacoyannis, for the award-winning Zorba the Explorer. Fundas' next major moments were With the Flash in Your Eyes (1966) and Asphalt Fever (1967), directed by Panos Glykofrydis and Dinos Dimopoulos respectively. For his performances in these films, he was awarded Best Actor Awards at the seventh and eighth Thessaloniki Film Festivals. From 1970 onwards, Giorgos Fountas' presence in cinema began to decline. In 1973, he made his first appearance on television, in the series Occupation, which was broadcast on YENED. Two years later, he received a leading role in the series Christ is Recrucified. His last film was Vicky Peziri's dramatized documentary, Tales of the Sea (1997). (Source: Wikipedia)
Feature Films (50)
An uptight English writer traveling to Crete on a matter of business finds his life changed forever when he meets the gregarious Alexis Zorba.
Zorba the Greek
A successful businessman suspects that his wife is having an affair with his best friend. Sadly, it will take more than a decade to unearth the truth, as his daughter thirsts for answers and closure. But, were they, indeed, lovers?
Jealousy
An American scholar in Greece sets about improving the local prostitute with whom he is infatuated.
Never on Sunday
The story of a young, wild woman who doesn't want to compromise and settle down. Stella is a restless, rebellious Greek woman who plays with men and enjoys her life as much as she can. But when she meets a young footballer, things get mixed up. She loves him but she loves her freedom too. So it's about time she made an important choice.
Stella
The inextricably intertwined stories of five sex workers who live in a brothel at Pireas harbor.
The Red Lanterns
Against the backdrop of a cloudless summer, love's unforeseen complications will entwine an Athenian writer, a morosely beautiful daughter, and a scorned local suitor. And then, calamity strikes. Can love redeem the sad girl in black?
A Girl in Black
Television & Series (4)
A poisonous woman, Eva, approaches George with the intention of destroying him for some evil he had caused in the past. Along the way, she falls in love with him, but he has already discovered the deception she had initially set up for him and in turn tries to take revenge on her. A powerful game of revenge and hatred between the two heroes that in the end turns into a powerful passion and love.
