Papatakis, Nikos

(July 19, 1918, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia-)

   Born to a Greek father and an Abyssinian mother, he fought against the Italian fascists in Ethopia. After living in Lebanon and Greece, he settled in Paris in 1939. In 1947, he created one of the most famous Pa­risian cabarets, La Rose Rouge, and ran it until 1954. He entered films, producing Jean Genet's short Un Chant d'Amour / USA: A Song of Love, in 1950. In 1957, he moved to New York, where he met John Cas­savetes and co-produced the American actor's first movie (1959 Shadows). Having returned to France, he directed his first feature film, an adaptation of Jean Genet's play Les Bonnes (Les Abysses). He co-wrote a TV movie (1980 Une Page d'Amour, Elie Chouraqui) and a motion picture (1981 Courts-Circuits, Patrick Grandperret), and appeared as himself in a documentary (1995 Nico Icon, documentary, Susan Ofteringer, Germany / USA). Other credits (as producer): 1953 Martin et Gaston (animated short, Henri Gruel); 1954 Gitanos et Papillons (animated short, Henri Gruel). From 1951 to 1954, he was married to French ac­tress Anouk Aimée (b. 1932). His second wife, Olga Karlatos, was also a performer. Autobiography: 2003 Tous les Desespoirs sont permis (Editions Fayard).

 Filmography

1963 ◘ Les Abysses

1968 ◘ Les Pâtres du Désordre / I voski / USA: Thanos and Despina (also screenwriter, dialogist, pro­duction manager; France / Greece)

1976 ◘ Gloria Mundi (also screenwriter, dialogist)

1987 ◘ I photographia / La Photographie (also screenwriter, dialogist; Greece / France)

1992 ◘ Les Equilibristes (also screenwriter, dialogist)