Andréas Voutsinas

Andreas Voutsinas (August 22, 1930 – June 8, 2010) was a prominent Greek actor and director, renowned particularly in the English-speaking cinema for his performances in three iconic Mel Brooks films: *The Producers* (1967), *The Twelve Chairs* (1970), and *History of the World, Part I* (1981).

Born in Khartoum to parents from Cephalonia, Greece, Voutsinas's early life was marked by his family's entrepreneurial spirit; they operated a pasta factory during the time of Greek settlers in Sudan. The family relocated to Athens during World War II after the business succumbed to the war's challenges. Voutsinas honed his craft at the prestigious Old Vic Theatre School and the Webber Douglas Academy in London before joining the Actors Studio in 1957.

His career spanned various countries and genres, directing over 130 theatrical productions and acting on Broadway, where he made his directorial debut with *The Fun Couple* in 1963, famously casting Jane Fonda. Voutsinas was also an influential acting coach, mentoring notable stars like Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, and establishing Le Theatre Des Cinquante in Paris, which attracted many aspiring French actors.

In the 1980s, he returned to Greece, directing diverse works ranging from Tennessee Williams to Euripides for the State Theatre of Northern Greece and participating in prestigious festivals like the Athens Festival and Epidaurus Festival. Voutsinas also contributed to acting education through his drama school in Thessaloniki, which he founded after suffering a stroke. He was married to Artemis Papastrati from 1953 to 1964 and had one son, Marios Voutsinas, who pursued a career in the arts.