Thanasis Tzeneralis(1910-1989)

Thanos Generalis was born in Athens. He graduated from from the Drama School of the Athens Conservatory. In the first decade of his career, 1940-1950, he was a permanent member of the Lyric Stage, justifying the nickname 'Voice' that he would later be called in the theater and cinema. As a melodrama baritone, he played characteristic operetta roles and was widely recognized by musical theater audiences. When he moved to prose, the Greek stage had found one of its 'masters', the role of the serious and strict in the performances. His acting talent would not keep him away from the theater for long, when he would begin his long and great collaboration with the State Theater of Northern Greece, of which he was also a founding member as well as a key executive for many years, that is from 1961 to 1981. He was even forced to leave his home in Athens and his wife to move to Thessaloniki and thrive as a star of the biggest scene of the city and he did it without ever complaining. It is there that he will become more widely known for his acting prowess, taking part in all the performances of the State Theater, from ancient tragedy and classical repertoire to modern Greek and foreign theater. As a theater actor par excellence, everyone admits that he was devoted on the stage. So much so that when he suffered a serious accident on stage, he did not stop performing, spending the next eight theatrical months in an iron corset without losing a moment's breath. The show had to go on at all costs and Tzeneralis firmly believed that. Diligent and particularly orderly, he always arrived at the theater first and left last, taking care of the make-up and costumes himself. He even had a weakness for the uniform, especially that of the gendarme, having his own wardrobe of police and military uniforms. It was not at all unusual for him to finish the show and then go out into the street dressed as a general, leaving the soldiers to greet him wherever they met him. He lived in Vouliagmeni and had a daughter. Thanos Generalis passed away on March 5, 1989 and was buried in the First Cemetery of Athens in the way he had chosen in life modestly, discreetly and away from the cameras.