Biographie
Lykourgos Kallergis was a multifaceted Greek artist and politician, known for his work as an actor, director, drama teacher, writer, and translator. His father, Stavros Kallergis, was a pioneering socialist leader who organized Greece's first Labor Day. At age 10, Kallergis moved to Athens, where, after completing high school and military service, he enrolled in Karolos Koun's Laiki Skini drama school. He made his stage debut in 1934, starring in Georgios Hortatsis's Erofili with the same troupe.
A founding member and leading actor of the Art Theater from 1942 to 1950, Kallergis dedicated over six decades to Greek theater, performing in numerous plays spanning dramas and comedies. He was a prominent figure in various independent theater groups and spent 18 years as a leading actor at the National Theater, where he also taught at the drama school. His career included performances across Athens, the provinces, and internationally, featuring major roles in Greek and global classics, including ancient tragedies, Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov, Strindberg, Pirandello, Gogol, and Gorky. Throughout his career, he collaborated with notable artists such as Marika Kotopouli, Katerina Andreadi, Aimilios Veakis, Katina Paxinou, Kyveli, and Alexis Minotis.
Following the Metapolitefsi, Kallergis entered politics and was elected in 1977 as a member of the Communist Party of Greece representing Athens' 1st District. He was actively involved in the Union of Greek Actors, serving as General Secretary from 1956 to 1957 and briefly as President. Additionally, he led the Panhellenic Federation of Spectators and Audiences and was Vice-President of the Actors Pension Fund. Internationally, he participated in the Peace Conferences held in Frankfurt (1976) and Sofia (1977).
Kallergis was also a member of several professional associations, including the Society of Greek Playwrights, the Society of Greek Directors, and was an honorary member of both the Society of Greek Writers of Piraeus and the Parnassos Philological Association. He remains the only Greek actor to receive the Pirandello Award and was honored with the Veaki Award, along with numerous accolades from the Municipality of Athens, various municipalities nationwide, cultural organizations, and institutions. On May 14, 2007, he was bestowed an Honorary Doctorate from the Department of Theater Studies at the University of Athens. Lykourgos Kallergis passed away in 2011.
