Thanasis Spyropoulos, one of the Old Guard Karagiosopaichs and a true representative of folk culture and traditions, passed away today at the age of 92.

Spyropoulos was born in the village of Kopanaki in Messinia and saw the first shadow actors in his father’s coffee shop and was apprenticed to a local puppeteer from a young age before starting his own career.

As a professional Karagiozo, he collaborated with ERT, made the show “Years of Friendship with Karagiozis”.

In 1955 he founded the Thanasis and Kostas Spyropoulos Shadow Theater in Agia Anargyrou where he performed shadow theater performances with his son Kostas.

In his statements, Minister of Culture Giorgos Kumentakis noted that Spyropoulos’ contribution to shadow theater, which is registered in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Index, is valuable. “Thanasis Spyropoulos loved and served the Shadow Theatre, he preserved the traditions of this unique theatrical genre and enriched it with his characters, works, figures and the theaters he created,” he stressed.