Michalis Mosios, the legendary “Tamtakos”, has passed away

Michalis Mosios has passed away at the age of 79, the actor who became widely known for the role of “Tamtakos”.

The news of his death was made public by his son, in a Facebook post in which he said farewell to his father, writing:

“I can’t believe I am writing this text… but with immense pain I must announce that my dad, Michalis Mosios, has sadly passed away… My biggest nightmare has become reality.

You were the most honest person I have ever met, and I thank you for giving me your sensitivity, your ethos, and for teaching me to be honest and dignified. You went to find your brother Stathis, with whom you shared so many things, before you even began your career. The only time I saw you cry like a baby was when he passed away.

Now we, in turn, are crying for you. The only thing that comforts me (as much as possible) is that you left full, fulfilled. An orphan poor child, who managed to share laughter and be loved by the world.

I will close with a verse from a song I wrote, about the fear of losing my father

I don’t know how I will bear it
If I lose you dad
I will leave my keys outside
So that maybe you come back again.

Farewell my father.”

The life and career of Michalis Mosios

He began his early steps in Greek theatre in Thessaloniki and at the National Theatre of Northern Greece. During the period 1969–1972 he participated in performances of ancient Greek and foreign playwrights, such as “Ploutos” by Aristophanes, “Agamemnon” by Aeschylus, “Frogs” by Aristophanes, “Antigone” by Sophocles, “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare, “Faust” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “A Dream Play” by August Strindberg, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare, “Erotokritos” by Vitsentzos Kornaros, “The Basil Plant” by Antonios Matesis, “The Mating” by Grigorios Xenopoulos, “The Monkeys” by Grigoris Vafias, and “Georgakis Olympios – Emmanouil Pappas – The Roots” by Giorgos Kitsopoulos and Thanos Kotsopoulos.

He later moved to Athens, where he took part in various productions. In 1972 he appeared in the film “If I Were Rich” directed by Stelios Tatasopoulos[2] and in the theatre production “Richard III” with Dimitris Horn at the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus. During the winter season 1972–1973 he performed at the Modern Theatre in the play “The Chips” by Arnold Wesker, in 1973 at the Minoa Theatre in the production “I Want Love Not War”, and in 1973–1974 he took part in the touring production “The Sheikh of Kavala” with Rena Vlahopoulou, a collaboration that continued in the following years of post-dictatorship Greece, when he returned to the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus and participated in the 1974–1975 production “Papadopoulos and Co.” and in 1975 in the same theatre in “The Card Player”.

In the same production also performed Themis Mánesis in a classic “mangas” role, that of the “papatzis”. Themis Mánesis, according to legend, left the production and Mosios was called to replace him. He took an old cap, clothes and a wig from the wardrobe so that the audience would not realize he was performing a double role, and played the “kleftokotas”. When he appeared on stage, the audience began to laugh, and then Vlahopoulou told him that he was also suitable for revue theatre.

This is how the character of Tamtakos was created, who starred in many video films of the 1980s.