Nikos Papatakis
Nikos Papatakis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 5 July 1918 |
| Died | 17 December 2010 (aged 92) Paris, France |
| Nationality | Greek |
| Other names | Nico Papatakis |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, film producer, screenwriter, actor |
| Years active | 1950–2004 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
Nico Papatakis (Greek: Νίκος Παπατάκης; 5 July 1918 – 17 December 2010)[1][2][3] was an Ethiopian-born Greek filmmaker, who lived in France.
Early life and career
[edit]Papatakis was born to a Greek father and Ethiopian mother in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and spent his early years between Ethiopia and Greece. In 1939, he established himself in Paris and worked as an extra in films. Eventually, he owned the famous Parisian club 'La Rose Rouge' where performers included singer Juliette Gréco.
In 1957, Papatakis moved to New York City, where he met John Cassavetes, and became co-producer of Cassavetes' Shadows (1959). In New York he also met German singer Nico, who had adopted his first name as her stage name several years earlier while modelling for photographer Herbert Tobias. Tobias was in love with Papatakis at the time and had given her the stage name Nico in honor of him. Papatakis and Nico ended up living together between 1959 and 1961.[4] It was Papatakis who suggested Nico pursue a career in music and enrolled her in her first singing lessons.[5]
In 1963, his first film, Les Abysses, enjoyed a "Succès de scandale" and was entered into the 1963 Cannes Film Festival which refused to show it.[6] In 1967, he directed another film, Oi Voskoi (The Shepherds in Greek), which starred his wife at the time, Olga Karlatos. During the Algerian War, he was active in the Front de Liberation National. He returned to filmmaking in 1987 with a film in Greek, I Photografia (The Photograph). His last movie was Walking a Tightrope (1992).
Personal life
[edit]Papatakis was married to actress Anouk Aimée from 1951 to 1954 and with her he had a daughter, Manuela Papatakis, born in 1951. He lived with Nico between 1959 and 1961. He was then married to actress Olga Karlatos from 1967 to 1982, with whom he had a son, Serge Papatakis, born in 1967.
Papatakis died in Paris on 17 December 2010.
Films
[edit]- Gloria mundi (version 2004)
- Les Équilibristes (1992), Walking a Tightrope (English title)
- I Photographia (1987), La Photo, The Photograph (Australia: festival title)
- Gloria mundi (1976)
- Oi Voskoi (1967), Les Pâtres du désordre (France), Thanos and Despina (USA), The Shepherds of Calamity (Europe).
- Les Abysses (1963) (as Nico Papatakis)
As actor
- The Red Rose (1951)
References
[edit]- ^ Death certificate registered by the Paris's City Hall (France)
- ^ (in French) Fin de l’aventure pour Nikos Papatakis (End of the adventure for Nikos Papatakis), on telerama.fr 23 December 2010.
- ^ David Hudson (27 December 2010). "Nikos Papatakis, 1918 – 2010". mubi.com. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
- ^ "Niko on Nico: Papatakis recalls Velvet Underground singer". YouTube. 16 April 2011.
- ^ "'The Solitary Anarchist' | Commonweal Magazine". 18 December 2021.
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Les Abysses". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
External links
[edit]- Nikos Papatakis at IMDb
- Nikos Papatakis' obituary (in Italian); Nico's Bio résumé[permanent dead link] (in French)
