Ο Vassilis Logothetidis was born in Myriofyto in Eastern Thrace and in 1915 he graduated from the famous Zographio high school of Istanbul, while, shortly afterwards, he began his first amateur performances on stage.
Originally from Pontus, his real name was Vassilis Taularidis.Logothetidis was later established with his debut in the theatre. He gave priority to staging the works of Greek writers and created dozens of roles of typical types of Greek urban life. In 1918, having already made his second marriage, he came to Athens and the following year joined the company of the Marika Kotopouli. He stayed there for 27 years, performing dozens of roles, dramatic and comic, of the classical and contemporary repertoire and established himself as one of the most important comic protagonists of the theatre.
His two brothers lived far away. His sister in America and his brother in Istanbul, where he spent his childhood and his childhood. Those who lived with him describe a a lonely man who avoided social appearances and had dedicated his life to the theatre.
The professional career of Vassilis Logothetidis
The great actor had already had a brilliant career in the theatre, especially in comedy which was his great love. He adapted easily to the cinematographic demands and with his abundant talent, he sealed the first years of Greek comedy in cinema, contributing greatly to its development.
He got into the theatre by chance. In particular, he had left Istanbul with his girlfriend, since their parents were putting obstacles in their relationship. Homeless and without money, they found refuge in the Kotopouli troupe, which at the time was looking for actors to operate. He stayed there for about thirty years...
In 1918 he came to Athens and the next year he joined the company of Marika Kotopouli. During his career, appeared in only 12 movies, but he made his mark with his theatrical performances.
He has participated in more than 110 Greek comedies and over 200 foreign plays.
The medals of Logothetidis
For his great services to the theatre, King Paul awarded Logothetidis the Golden Cross of the Phoenix. He was jumping for joy and at one point jokingly tells the king: ’Your Majesty, will this decoration play a part in my pension? Will it increase it? « And on a triumphant tour of the United States, the mayor of Pittsburgh presented him with the city's »golden key“ and a medal. And Basil, with his trademark humour, bit into them, jokingly saying, ”Let me see if it's made of gold, because allies sometimes make mistakes...« .
The stormy love affair with Ilia Lybiko
On most occasions, his partner was Ilia Livykou, with whom they were a couple in life, but never married.. The two actors had a great love affair, but Vassilis Logothetidis was, at heart, a lonely man.
The last years and the end of Vassilis Logothetidis
His neighbors remember him eating alone every day at a neighborhood restaurant. In another text, I.M. Panagiotopoulos had written about Logothetidis: «The hour of bitter loneliness makes the other hour, that of laughter, more human». The only presence in his home was his wife, who did the household chores. She found him dead in the bathroom on February 20, 1960.
The sudden death of the actor and his «universal» funeral
On the afternoon of 20 February, Logothetidis was preparing to go to the theatre, where he was starring in the play «The Last Honest Man».
While he was shaving, he had a heart attack. The housekeeper heard an unusual noise and ran to the bathroom, where she found him dead. The actor had been suffering from heart problems for the last few years.
Despite his heart problems, he continued his theatrical performances as usual. In 1957 he had a heart attack and despite doctors' recommendations not to tire himself out and to be very careful, he continued his professional activities as if nothing had happened. All he did was to cut down on drinking and smoking. In the last months of his life, his colleagues noticed that he had lost his vitality and was easily tired, but he did not give up. The theatre was his second home. Shortly before the fatality, he had confessed to his friends that he would have liked to die in the theatre.
He left just before he got there. The news of his death plunged not only the people of the theatre into mourning, but also thousands of people who loved and admired the actor. By order of the then Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis, his body was placed on a popular pilgrimage and his funeral was held at public expense. The actor was accompanied on his «last journey» by 50,000 people.
The ... fan and the «royalists»
One evening, in an Athenian tavern, Vassilis Logothetidis, Vassilis Argyropoulos, Vassilis Avlonitis and the theatrical entrepreneur Vassilis Burnelis met by coincidence. Karre of the Clauses ! At some point, Emilios Veakis, known for his left-wing views, enters with his company. He sees them and says to his people, loudly and teasingly, so that he can be heard: Guys, let's go. Here tonight the Vassilophones are having a meeting! And the laughter went up in a cloud...
His funeral turned into a popular pilgrimage
Of the hundreds of wreaths laid in his memory by politicians, colleagues and friends, one stood out, which read: «Anonymous spectator from the square’.
The crowd, who had known the actor through his roles, applauded tearfully and the newspapers called it an «irreplaceable loss». His colleagues spoke movingly of him.
Dinos Iliopoulos«Logothetidis was an example of a brave artist, who did not want to submit without a fight».
Dimitris Horn«If it were not for the language barrier, he would have been recognised by the whole world as one of the greatest actors of our time.».
Karolos Kun: «I mourn the death of Logothetidis and feel that something precious has gone».
Mary Aroni: «I know that in my younger generation we will never see Logothetidis again. Great ones are not often born.».
The next day, his funeral was a public one from the First Cemetery. The late, sweet Illia Livyku, who stood next to him as a co-star in many films, at the house of the painter Botis Thalassinos in Patision, had revealed:
«Because the protocol did not allow members of the royal family to attend funerals, the young heir Constantine, moved by his loss, went with his friend Michalis Arnaoutis without being noticed. He watched the burial ceremony from the small hilltop and when the people left, he went down to the grave and lit a candle. She admired him, appreciated him, I would say she admired Logothetides, as of course he did.».
Vassilis Logothetidis died alone, but his last journey was as he deserved. With the applause of the audience....
