Titos Vandis

Titos Vandis (; 7 November 1917 – 23 February 2003) was a Greek actor.

Biography Vandis graduated from the drama school of the National Theatre in 1936. The first part of his career in Greece lasted up to 1965. Vandis left Greece when a dictatorship took power and lived in the United States for 18 years. He returned to Greece in 1983 and continued his career up to 1995. in the Tony-nominated musical On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965). He originated the role of Themistocles Kriakos, a Greek shipping magnate who believed in reincarnation and planned to leave his fortune to his future self. Boston Globe critic Kevin Kelly wrote that Vandis played the role with "marvellous finesse" and that the character was "rather like Zorba as a businessman with $4 million."

Vandis was in the original Broadway cast and led the title song in Illya Darling (1967), a musical based on the film Never on Sunday (1960). The title character Illya was a carefree Greek prostitute. Newsday critic George Oppenheimer wrote, "Major credit goes to Titos Vandis for his playing of Illya's oldest client, who sings and dances as rousingly as the youngsters..."

In 1970 Vandis joined the cast of Man of La Mancha as Sancho Panza at the Martin Beck Theater. He also played the title role in the musical Zorba at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ. Critic W. C. Flahault wrote, "His portrayal of the Greek vagabond with an eye for the girls has an earthiness which brings reality to the role."

In 1972 Vandis played an uneducated coal miner on Ironside who sought Ironside's help in discovering the murderer of his daughter. He admitted, "that drama was easier for him than the musical stage." Vandis said, "I suppose this part can be considered a change of pace for me, but as an actor, I find myself considering each role I play as a separate entity... During the days of my early training, I often played old men; in fact, I relished the opportunities. Today, of course, as I grow older, I wish the positions were reversed!"

In that same year, he appeared in the Woody Allen film Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) as Milos Stavros, an Armenian shepherd who was in love with a sheep. In The Exorcist (1973), he played the uncle of protagonist Father Damien Karras. Vandis wore a hat in one shot that obscured his face, as director William Friedkin felt that Vandis's face would be connected with his previous role as Milos.

Vandis had a recurring role in the detective series Baretta (1975-1978), having appeared in four episodes, he guest- starred alongside Hulk Hogan in The A-Team episode "Body Slam" (1985-1986 season). His other TV appearances have included The Flying Nun, Trapper John, M.D., M*A*S*H, The Odd Couple, Kojak, Barney Miller, Wonder Woman, Newhart, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

He taught in the Santa Monica College in the US and co- founded, with G.Theodosiadis, the Drama School of Athens in Greece.

Vandis married six times and had one daughter with his second wife. He was married to his sixth wife, from 1984 up to his death in 2003.

Selected filmography

To kleidi tis eftyhias (1953) - Nikolas Gynaikes dihos antres (1954) - Loukas To paidi tou dromou (1957) - Giorgis Oi paranomoi (1958) - Kosmas Miden pente (1958) Agnes psyhes (1959) Astero (1959) - Mitros Pithokoukouras Never on Sunday (1960) - Jorgo To potami (1960) Egklima sta paraskinia (1960) - Inspector Bekas Pothoi sta stahya (1960) - Giannis Tsakas To rantevou tis Kyriakis (1960) Poliorkia (1962) - Stelios I katara tis mannas (1962) - Vagias It Happened in Athens (1962) - Father Loues Island of Love (1963) - Father Anaxagoras Topkapi (1964) - Harback O teleftaios peirasmos (1964) - Dr. Kalomoiris I Kypros stis floges (1964) Apagogi (1964) - Lieutenant Stergiou Ohi... kyrie Johnson (1965) What's So Bad About Feeling Good? (1968) - Captain Narcopolis (uncredited) Stiletto (1969) - Tonio Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972) - Milos Genesis II (1973) - Yuloff The Exorcist (1973) - John, Karras's uncle Zandy's Bride (1974) - Demas (uncredited) Newman's Law (1974) - Grainie Harrad Summer (1974) - Mr. Kolasukas Black Samson (1974) - Giuseppe "Joe" Nappa Once Upon a Scoundrel (1974) - Dr. Fernandez Smile (1975) - Emile Satan's Triangle (1975) - Salao Gus (1976) - Papa Petrovic Alex & the Gypsy (1976) - Treska The Other Side of Midnight (1977) - President of the Council A Piece of the Action (1977) - Bruno Oh, God! (1977) - Greek Bishop Markos The Betsy (1978) - Angelo Luigi Perino The President's Mistress (1978) - Anatoly A Perfect Couple (1979) - Panos Theodopoulos The Miracle Worker (1979) - Anagnos O falakros mathitis (1979) - Vesuvius Karatampanos Hart to Hart (1981) - Xenophon Papadopoulos National Lampoon's Movie Madness (1982) -Nixos Naxos ("Success Wanters") Young Doctors in Love (1982) - Sal Bonafetti Prosohi, kindynos! (1983) - Sideris Ta hronia tis thyellas (1984) - Priest Fletch Lives (1989) - Uncle Kakakis To athoo soma (1997)