Legendary acclaimed actress Maro Kontou died on Wednesday July 15 at the age of 92, following a battle with lung cancer. The star had been admitted to Attikon Hospital in Athens on Monday June 15 with pulmonary problems, and had been treated in the cardiology clinic. In recent days, she had been moved to Agios Savvas Hospital.
The star began her career with the National Theatre of Greece before making her film debut at the age of 20 in The Happy Beginning in 1954. Throughout her decades-long career, she appeared in more than 60 films starring alongside some of Greek cinema’s biggest names, including Lambros Konstantaras and Giorgos Konstantinou. Some of her classic films include The Yellow Gloves, Woe to the Young, The Lady Driver and And the Wife Shall Revere Her Husband. She also starred in around 90 stage productions and was one of Greece's most recognisable actresses. Her final role came on television, playing Maria Anagnostou in 280 episodes of the drama The Land of the Olive Tree.
Away from acting, she also had a career in politics, serving first as a member of the Athens City Council and later advancing to national politics, serving as a Member of the Hellenic Parliament representing the Athens A constituency with the New Democracy party across multiple terms between 1999 and 2007.
The star was married twice: first to the well-known Finos Film director of photography, Aristeidis Karydis-Fuchs from 1960-1962, and later to the publicist Giorgos Doxas from 1975 until 1980.
Tributes flooded in for the star as the news of her death became public. Finos Film described her as an "actress-symbol of Greek cinema" whose talent, charisma and enduring charm secured her a permanent place in the hearts of audiences.
A fan penned: "A wonderful artist... safe journey, our dear Maro... thank you for all the beautiful films that will always keep your memory alive..."
A third person chimed in: "Maro Kontou. A woman who filled the screen with one glance. Who could be a primess without pretension, a joke without caricature and touching, just with that curve in her voice. Today we bid farewell to a great actress and a piece of our black and white Sundays, of the repetitions that we never got tired of and never will get tired of. Mrs. 'Kokovikou', our respects."
A fourth shared: "The news of Maro Kontou’s death truly saddened me. She was a magnificent actress who dedicated herself to theater, cinema, and television right to the very end, displaying admirable vitality and a deep love for her craft. How many beloved films have we watched featuring her distinctive presence...
"Even recently, in *I Gi tis Elias* (The Land of the Olive), she demonstrated that talent and naturalness know no age. She performed with such spontaneity, as if she were simply being herself. That was one of her greatest gifts. May she rest in peace; we are grateful for all she gave us."
Meanwhile, a fifth commented: "A great actress left us. Maro Kontou. Bon Voyage to the Angels neighborhood. She marked an entire generation with style, charisma and talent. He has acted in movies that will be played forever. She was always a lady, but she also remained a bold woman. Bon Voyage to Maro Kontou, which ends with its departure a circle, that is now constantly shrinking."
