Kitty Arseni

Born

1935-02-08

Died

2013-09-14

Birthplace

Argostoli Kefallonia, Greece

Biography

Kitty (Aikaterini) Arseni (Greek: Κίττυ Αρσένη, Argostoli, 8 February 1935 - Athens, 14 September 2013) was a director and actress of theatre, cinema and television, writer and activist with significant action against the Dictatorship and in favour of human rights. She graduated from the Drama School of the Karolos Koun Art Theatre in 1958. She participated in several troupes ("Free Theatre", troupe Elsas Vergi, Vilmas Kyrou etc.). She also worked as a director. She took part in the anti-dictatorial struggle against the April 21 regime by joining the Patriotic Front, was arrested in the summer of 1967 and tortured at the Athens General Security Sub-Directorate, at 18 Bouboulinas Street. She recounted her adventure in a book titled Bouboulinas 18. She became involved in politics and ran as a candidate for the KKE domestic party in the first elections after the coup. Later, she was active in the ranks of the Greek Left (she was a member of the Central Committee), the Coalition and recently the Democratic Left. She was involved in union issues for actors and served as general secretary of the Greek Actors' Union. She also served as a member of the Artistic Committee of the National Theater. He died of cancer on September 14, 2013, at the age of 78. He was buried in a family grave in the Amaroussi cemetery.