Irene Papas

Acting

Irene Papas

Born September 3, 1929 · Chiliomodi, Corinth, Greece

Died September 14, 2022 · aged 93

Irene Papas (Greek: Ειρήνη Παππά, born Eirini Lelekou (Greek: Ειρήνη Λελέκου), 3 September 1929 – 14 September 2022) was a Greek actress and singer who starred in over 70 films in a career spanning more than 50 years. She gained international recognition through such popular award-winning films as The Guns of Navarone (1961), Zorba the Greek (1964) and Z (1969). She was a powerful protagonist in f…

Known For

The Guns of NavaroneThe Guns of Navarone · 1961
The Guns of Navarone
7.31961
MovieActionAdventure
A team of allied saboteurs are assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers.
Zorba the GreekZorba the Greek · 1964
Zorba the Greek
7.51964
MovieDrama
An uptight English writer traveling to Crete on a matter of business finds his life changed forever when he meets the gregarious Alexis Zorba.
BambinaBambina · 1974
Bambina
5.01974
MovieComedyDrama
In order to convince Raimonda, a wealthy noble woman, to finance his project for a holiday resort, Saverio gets engaged to Clotilde, her mentally-disturbed and sex-obsessed adolescent daughter. He plans to have her kidnapped and raped by an accomplice so she won't be a virgin anymore and he'll have an excuse to get out of the impending marriage. But what he doesn't plan is to fall in love with the girl...
Captain Corelli's MandolinCaptain Corelli's Mandolin · 2001
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
6.02001
MovieDramaRomance
When a fisherman leaves to fight with the Greek army during World War II, his fiancée falls in love with the local Italian commander.
The MessageThe Message · 1976
The Message
7.21976
MovieAdventureDrama
In sixth-century Mecca, Prophet Muhammad receives his first revelation from God as a messenger. Three years later, he's not alone in his quest and publicly declares his prophecy. Muhammad is fought by Abu Sufian and his wife Hind, rulers of Mecca. Muhammad's followers are hunted and tortured but he continues his calling.
Into the NightInto the Night · 1985
Into the Night
6.51985
MovieThrillerComedy
Ed Okin used to have a boring life. He used to have trouble getting to sleep. Then one night, he met Diana. Now, Ed's having trouble staying alive.
Morceaux de CannesMorceaux de Cannes · 2021
Morceaux de Cannes
2.02021
MovieDocumentary
We thought we'd seen, read, and heard everything there was to see about the Cannes Film Festival, from the glitz and gossip to the scandals and censorship. And yet, Emmanuel Barnault's "Morceaux de Cannes" (Pieces of Cannes), by this leading expert on Italian and French cinema, convinces us otherwise. The third largest event in the world (after the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup) reveals its secrets only sparingly, as this film attests. The result of passionate research in the INA archives, these 52 minutes, without interviews or voice-over narration, string together rare and sometimes previously unseen footage. Taken together, they tell a surprising, original, and heartwarming story of the Festival. On the beach, on a street corner, in a restaurant, or in the privacy of a hotel room, these forgotten archives summon the greatest filmmakers, actors, and actresses of the last seventy years, from Jean Cocteau to David Lynch, for an anthology of the Festival's history.
Lion of the DesertLion of the Desert · 1981
Lion of the Desert
7.31981
MovieHistoryWar
Resistance leader Omar Mukhtar opposes Italian colonization before World War II. The brutal guerrilla war against Italian General Rodolfo Graziani and the Fascist forces of Benito Mussolini highlights the struggle for Libyan independence and the harsh tactics utilised by the colonisers.

Movies

The Guns of NavaroneThe Guns of Navarone · 1961
The Guns of Navarone
7.31961
MovieActionAdventure
A team of allied saboteurs are assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers.
Zorba the GreekZorba the Greek · 1964
Zorba the Greek
7.51964
MovieDrama
An uptight English writer traveling to Crete on a matter of business finds his life changed forever when he meets the gregarious Alexis Zorba.
BambinaBambina · 1974
Bambina
5.01974
MovieComedyDrama
In order to convince Raimonda, a wealthy noble woman, to finance his project for a holiday resort, Saverio gets engaged to Clotilde, her mentally-disturbed and sex-obsessed adolescent daughter. He plans to have her kidnapped and raped by an accomplice so she won't be a virgin anymore and he'll have an excuse to get out of the impending marriage. But what he doesn't plan is to fall in love with the girl...
Captain Corelli's MandolinCaptain Corelli's Mandolin · 2001
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
6.02001
MovieDramaRomance
When a fisherman leaves to fight with the Greek army during World War II, his fiancée falls in love with the local Italian commander.
The MessageThe Message · 1976
The Message
7.21976
MovieAdventureDrama
In sixth-century Mecca, Prophet Muhammad receives his first revelation from God as a messenger. Three years later, he's not alone in his quest and publicly declares his prophecy. Muhammad is fought by Abu Sufian and his wife Hind, rulers of Mecca. Muhammad's followers are hunted and tortured but he continues his calling.
Into the NightInto the Night · 1985
Into the Night
6.51985
MovieThrillerComedy
Ed Okin used to have a boring life. He used to have trouble getting to sleep. Then one night, he met Diana. Now, Ed's having trouble staying alive.
Morceaux de CannesMorceaux de Cannes · 2021
Morceaux de Cannes
2.02021
MovieDocumentary
We thought we'd seen, read, and heard everything there was to see about the Cannes Film Festival, from the glitz and gossip to the scandals and censorship. And yet, Emmanuel Barnault's "Morceaux de Cannes" (Pieces of Cannes), by this leading expert on Italian and French cinema, convinces us otherwise. The third largest event in the world (after the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup) reveals its secrets only sparingly, as this film attests. The result of passionate research in the INA archives, these 52 minutes, without interviews or voice-over narration, string together rare and sometimes previously unseen footage. Taken together, they tell a surprising, original, and heartwarming story of the Festival. On the beach, on a street corner, in a restaurant, or in the privacy of a hotel room, these forgotten archives summon the greatest filmmakers, actors, and actresses of the last seventy years, from Jean Cocteau to David Lynch, for an anthology of the Festival's history.
Lion of the DesertLion of the Desert · 1981
Lion of the Desert
7.31981
MovieHistoryWar
Resistance leader Omar Mukhtar opposes Italian colonization before World War II. The brutal guerrilla war against Italian General Rodolfo Graziani and the Fascist forces of Benito Mussolini highlights the struggle for Libyan independence and the harsh tactics utilised by the colonisers.
ErendiraErendira · 1983
Erendira
6.11983
MovieDrama
While Erendira, a beautiful teenage girl, has a surreal mystical vision, her grandmother's house catches on fire and burns to the ground. Her grandmother holds Erendira responsible and, in order to extract restitution from the girl, forces her into prostitution. Erendira's surreal mystical experiences continue while her grandmother grows rich from exploiting her.
ZZ · 1969
Z
7.81969
MovieThrillerCrime
A prominent politician is murdered during a demonstration. The government and army are trying to suppress the truth, but a tenacious magistrate is determined to not to let them get away with it.
Anne of the Thousand DaysAnne of the Thousand Days · 1969
Anne of the Thousand Days
7.11969
MovieDramaHistory
Henry VIII of England discards his wife, Katharine of Aragon, who has failed to produce a male heir, in favor of the young and beautiful Anne Boleyn.
IphigeniaIphigenia · 1977
Iphigenia
7.01977
MovieActionDrama
The Greek army is about to set sail to a great battle, but the winds refuse to blow. Their leader, King Agamemnon, seeks to provide better food, but accidentally slays a sacred deer. His punishment from the gods, the sacrifice of his daughter Iphigenia.
PartyParty · 1996
Party
6.51996
MovieDramaComedy
The battle of the sexes? The forces of despair and seduction? On S. Miguel in the Azores, Rogério, a young man with old money, and his enigmatic wife Leonor host a garden party at their villa. The intriguing guests are an older unmarried couple, the philosophical and observant Irene, and Michel, a roué. While Rogério and Irene talk, Michel and Leonor go down to the sea. The conversations upset Rogério and capture Leonor's imagination. Five years later, the four dine at the villa. Michel and Leonor again leave the other two. Intentions and undercurrents are subtle. One of the four proves strong, one weak, and two must choose. Wind and rain bring down the curtain on both acts.
JacobJacob · 1994
Jacob
6.81994
MovieAdventureDrama
Isaac's son Jacob deprives his brother Esau of his birthright and has to flee for his life. He finds shelter with his uncle Laban, but is himself deceived. Finally, Jacob has to face both his uncle and brother.
The DeserterThe Deserter · 1983
The Deserter
8.01983
MovieWarDrama
In this tragic story that has an unrealized potential to tug at the emotions, a woman in mourning for her two sons lost in World War I is the only one in her village determined to financially support a war memorial. The village poor have too little money, and the richer are tight-fisted. She has given a whole 15 years of savings -- yet the good priest, for whom she works as a maid, is not enthusiastic about her action because he is worried that the memorial will not remind the villagers of past horrors and suffering but disguise the human cost of war in rhetoric. As the memorial's advocates begin to sustain the day, flashbacks show how the woman's youngest son shot his captain, deserted the army, and came to die of fever while in his mother's care. The priest helped her as much as possible, yet he feels compelled to tell the authorities that her son was a deserter.
BouboulinaBouboulina · 1959
Bouboulina
7.31959
MovieHistoryAdventure
The life and action of Laskarina Bouboulina. Captain Lascarina decides to organize the revolution in Spetses and to participate herself, despite her double widowhood. In the struggle for the liberation of Greece, she gives all her property and fighting along with her lads.
The Trojan WomenThe Trojan Women · 1971
The Trojan Women
6.21971
MovieDrama
In the aftermath of the Trojan Wars, Queen Hecuba takes stock of the defeated kingdom. Her son has been killed, and his widow, Andromache, is left to raise their son, Astyanax, alone. Hecuba's daughter, Cassandra, fears being enslaved by her Greek masters, while Helen of Troy risks being executed. Astyanax also becomes the focus of the Greeks' attention as the last male heir of the Trojan royal family.
Don't Torture a DucklingDon't Torture a Duckling · 1972
Don't Torture a Duckling
7.31972
MovieHorror
A reporter and a promiscuous young woman try to solve a series of child killings in a remote southern Italian town rife with superstition and a distrust of outsiders.
The BrotherhoodThe Brotherhood · 1968
The Brotherhood
6.11968
MovieCrimeDrama
The son of a powerful Mafia don comes home from his army service in Vietnam and wants to lead his own life, but family tradition, intrigues and powerplays involving his older brother dictate otherwise, and he finds himself being slowly drawn back into that world.
IslandIsland · 1989
Island
5.61989
MovieDrama
Island is Paul Cox's serene and beautiful film which explores a spectrum of emotions - ranging from extreme passion to fear, leading to murder - from loneliness to sensuality. Three women from Australia, Sri Lanka, and Greece meet on a Greek island. All are exiles escaping from their own personal tragedies. Ultimately, it is the island itself, with the generosity and warmth of the islanders, which leads all three women to revelations about themselves and their place in the world.
The Moon-SpinnersThe Moon-Spinners · 1964
The Moon-Spinners
5.81964
MovieMysteryFamily
Young English girl Nikky and her aunt arrive at the Moon-Spinners, a hotel on Crete, to a less than enthusiastic welcome. The coolness of the owner is only out-done by the surliness of her brother Stratos, recently back from London. But then there is nice English lad Mark to make friends with, at least until Stratos and his pal take a shot at him one night. When Nikky helps him hide she finds the Greeks are after her too.
A Talking PictureA Talking Picture · 2003
A Talking Picture
6.72003
MovieDramaHistory
A meditation on civilization. July, 2001: friends wave as a cruise ship departs Lisbon for Mediterranean ports and the Indian Ocean. On board and on day trips in Marseilles, Pompeii, Athens, Istanbul, and Cairo, a professor tells her young daughter about myth, history, religion, and wars. Men approach her; she's cool, on her way to her husband in Bombay. After Cairo, for two evenings divided by a stop in Aden, the captain charms three successful, famous (and childless) women, who talk with wit and intellect, each understanding the others' native tongue, a European union. The captain asks mother and child to join them. He gives the girl a gift. Helena sings. Life can be sweet.
Trap for the AssassinTrap for the Assassin · 1966
Trap for the Assassin
5.91966
MovieDramaThriller
An industrialist is falsely accused of murdering one of his creditors and, because he cannot reveal that it was his mistress who gave him the money needed to pay the debt, he is sentenced to life in prison. He escapes, makes a fortune, and, years later, discovers the real culprit.
Moses the LawgiverMoses the Lawgiver · 1976
Moses the Lawgiver
6.11976
MovieHistory
The epic story of Moses, who led the Israelites out of slavery, parted the Red Sea and received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. This is the edited-down version for theatrical release.

TV Shows

Sacrée soiréeSacrée soirée · 1987
Sacrée soirée
5.71987
Series
Champs-ElyséesChamps-Elysées · 1982
Champs-Elysées
6.81982
Series
Climax!Climax! · 1954
Climax!
3.81954
SeriesDramaMystery
Climax! is an American anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS programs of that era to be broadcast in color. Many of the episodes were performed and broadcast live.
Les Rendez-vous du dimancheLes Rendez-vous du dimanche · 1975
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
6.01975
Series
A talk show presented by Michel Drucker
The OdysseyThe Odyssey · 1997
The Odyssey
7.21997
SeriesDrama
Warrior Odysseus leaves his idyllic life in the kingdom of Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War. Following victory, he now must endure a lengthy, decade-long return journey, and with all his wits, overcome deadly monsters, powerful forces of nature, seductive enchantresses, and even journey into the bowels of the Underworld.
MGM ParadeMGM Parade · 1955
MGM Parade
7.51955
Series
The original concept of the show was to allow the viewer to see the inner workings of a movie studio and featured interviews with MGM stars and explanations of how movies were made. Later, the format changed to show edited versions of MGM films.
The OdysseyThe Odyssey · 1968
The Odyssey
8.91968
SeriesDrama
Odysseus' journey, told in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. After fighting in the Trojan War, Odysseus spends years trying to return home to Itaka.
Reflets de CannesReflets de Cannes · 1954
Reflets de Cannes
5.01954
SeriesDocumentary
Moses the LawgiverMoses the Lawgiver · 1974
Moses the Lawgiver
1974
SeriesDrama
Moses the Lawgiver (Italian: Mosè) is a six-part 1975 television miniseries directed by Gianfranco De Bosio and starring Burt Lancaster as Moses. Produced by ITC and RAI, the Italian-British co-production was filmed in Rome and on location in Israel and Morocco. Inspired by the Ten Commandments, Moses embarks on an arduous journey to freedom, determined to escape slavery and spread the Word of the Lord.
OceanoOceano · 1989
Oceano
7.01989
SeriesDrama
La Valise en cartonLa Valise en carton · 1988
La Valise en carton
3.71988
SeriesDrama
From her childhood in Alentejo to her career as a singer, Linda de Suza recounts her life, in a Portugal marked by the Salazar dictatorship, with her family and in particular her mother, before fleeing to France as an adult.
Ein Kind mit Namen JesusEin Kind mit Namen Jesus · 1987
Ein Kind mit Namen Jesus
8.51987
SeriesDrama