Dinos Iliopoulos

Konstantinos Iliopoulos (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Ηλιόπουλος; 12 June 1913 – 4 June 2001) was a Greek actor, director, and playwright. He was one of the most prevalent actors in Greece.

He was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1913. A few years later his family moved to Marseille and there he finished high school. He permanently relocated to Greece in 1935 at the age of 22 started studying at the Berkshire High Commercial School in Athens and also studied acting at the Drama School of Giannoulis Sarantidis. In 1944, he made his stage debut at the Katerina Andreadi Theatre with the play of Leo Lenz's Lady I Love You, and in cinema he debuted in 1948 in the film 100,000 Pounds. In 1963, he became theatrical entrepreneur founded his own theatre Gloria (Γκλόρια) at Ippokratous Street in Athens.

He played in more than 70 films, usually as leading actor. In 1956 he starred in the film O Drakos (The Ogre of Athens) that is considered as one of the ten best Greek films of all times by Greek Film Critics Association. Other important roles of his were in the films Ζiteitai Pseftis, Thanasakis o Politevomenos, Makrykostaioi kai Kondogiorgides, O Atsidas, To Koroidaki tis Despoinidas, Kyries tis Avlis, Stournara 288, My Friend Lefterakis and others.

In 1970s, Ntinos Iliopoulos was relocated in USA and Canada for about two years due to his financial difficulties at where was playing various theatrical plays travelling in different states.

Iliopoulos was married twice. His first marriage lasted only a few months. He married his second wife, Austrian Hildegard Wintzer (1941–2008), in 1963. They had two daughters, Evita (b. 1964), and Hilda (b. 1972), who is an actress.

Iliopoulos suffered from ileus on 12 April 2001 and he was taken to Central Clinic of Athens, where he underwent surgery. He died in intensive care after 53 days of hospitalization, and a struggle with his respiratory system following many cardiac arrests, at 7:15 p.m. on 4 June 2001, at age 87.

He was buried at public expense on 6 June 2001 at the First Cemetery of Athens, and according to his wish, on his cemetery grave there is a plaque writes "Excuse me ladies that I can not stand up" (Greek: Με συγχωρείτε κυρίες μου, που δεν μπορώ να σηκωθώ).