Aleka Katseli

Aleka Katseli (1917-1994) was a Greek actress and writer.

Biography

Born on 19 October 1917 in Athens, Greece, she was married to Pellos Katselis. Among her well-known film appearances were in the films Zaira (1952), That's How My Life Ended (1952) and Electra (1962),

She died on 11 September 1994.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

In 1972 she was brought out to South Africa to appear in a production of the Afrikaans translation of Sophocles's Elektra in the Aula at the University of Pretoria. Directed by Neels Hansen, with Lerina Erasmus as "Elektra", Fred Steyn as "Orestes" and Katseli as "Klutaimnestra". The rest of the roles were played by drama students. Though the play was done in Afrikaans, Katseli herself performed her role in the original Greek. In addition she also wore the costume she had worn for the role in Michael Cacoyannis's famous film of Elektra in 1962)[1].