Actress Betty Valasi has died at the age of 89. In recent years, she had been staying at the Fighters’ House.
She was born in Thessaloniki in 1937 to parents who were refugees from Asia Minor. In 1984, she married actor Tito Vandi, and they remained together until his death in 2003.
Her starring role in the successful television series “Loxandra” made her widely known and popular with audiences. The series was broadcast by ERT in 1980 and was based on the book of the same name by Maria Iordanidou, with the Greek community of Constantinople at its heart. Valasi played the title role, which critics considered the best of her career.
During her long career, she enjoyed many theatre successes alongside acclaimed actors. She studied theatre under distinguished teachers, including Emilios Chourmouzios, Katina Paxinou, Angelos Terzakis and Sokratis Karantinos.
She gave her first performance in 1961 at the Kalouta Theatre, alongside Karolos Koun and Mary Aroni. She played Pallas Athena in the satirical trilogy “Odyssey” by playwright Manolis Skouloudis. From 1960 to 2004, she appeared in Greek feature films by acclaimed directors.
“She stayed with us for 4.5 years,” Stella Valavani, chair of the board of the Fighters’ House, told APE-MPE, speaking about Betty Valasi’s death.
Source: CNA
