Leo Leandros

Leo Leandros
Λεό Λέανδρος
Born
Leandros Papathanasiou

(1923-08-23) 23 August 1923 (age 101)
Astakos, Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece
NationalityGreek
Other namesMario Panas
Citizenship
  • Greece
  • Germany
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, singer, songwriter, lyricist, record producer
Years active1956–2012
Notable workHymn of Panathinaikos (1958)
Spouses
  • Mpoumpou Papathanasiou
  • Venetia Dimakarakou
    ​
    (m. 1985)​
Children4, including Vicky

Leo Leandros (Greek: Λεό Λέανδρος; born Leandros Papathanasiou; 23 August 1923) is a Greek musician, composer, singer, songwriter, lyricist and record producer.

Biography

Born on 23 August 1923 in Astakos, Leandros left in the 1950s for Germany to pursue a career in singing and composing. He had some success, but shifted his focus to his daughter, Vicky, who had been singing from a very early age. He became her manager, composer and producer when she was 13 and took charge of her training and career. Under his pseudonym Mario Panas (Greek: Μάριο Πάνας) he was the co-composer (together with Klaus Munro) of "Après toi", the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1972, which Vicky performed for Luxembourg.

Leandros has composed and produced for many other artists such as Julio Iglesias, Demis Roussos, Nana Mouskouri, Ulli Martin, Freddy Quinn and Jairo, among others. In 1983, he retired but returned exclusively to the studio in the early 1990s for three albums with Vicky Leandros. His albums have sold over 120 million worldwide. A low-profile personality, Leandros avoids public appearances. In October 2005 though, he appeared on German/Austrian TV as a surprise guest for his daughter who was celebrating her 30-year stage Jubilee. He was also the first singer of the Hymn of Panathinaikos.[1]

He turned 100 on 23 August 2023.[2][3]

Discography

# Year Side Α Side Β Disc
1 Leandros: Hali – Halima 78 rpms
2 Leo Leandros: Hali – Halima B-side: Mary Linda: Mirtia Columbia – CTZ 10165 (78 rpm)
Turkey
3 1957 Conchita Kleine Violetta Philips P 44 800 H (78 rpm)
Germany
4 1957 Das ist die Fiësta Schwarze Rosita Philips P 44 816 H (78 rpm)
Philips 344 816 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
5 1958 Bongo Billy Kongo Bongo Philips P 44 867 H (78 rpm)
Philips 344 867 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
6 1958 Cielito lindo (So ist die Liebe) In Bordeaux Philips P 44 894 H (78 rpm)
Philips 344 894 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
7 1957 Tigi-tigi-tio Marie, Stern von Napoli Philips P 44 956 H (78 rpm)
Philips 344 956 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
8 1957 Komm, Mister Tallimann
(Banana-boat Song) 		Pepino (Guaglione) Philips P 44 956 H (78 rpm)
Philips 344 971 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
9 1958 Come Prima Viva l'Amore Philips 345 000 PF
Germany
10 1958 Chella-Llà Kuli-Song Philips 345 014 PF (release #1)
Germany
11 1958 Chella-Llà Wenn dich ein Torero küßt Philips 345 030 PF (release #2)
Germany
12 1958 Hunderttausend Cruzieros Mucho Amore Philips 345 050 PF
Germany
13 1958 Bambina Eine Reise ins Glück Philips 345 055 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
14 1958 Chella-llà / Cielito lindo Komm, Mister Talliman /
Wenn Dich ein Torero küsst 		Philips 345 089 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
14 1958 Hey Käpt'n – Rolling Home Kari waits for me Philips 345 089 PF
Germany
15 1959 Carmen Ramona Alle Mädchen wollen küssen (Be mine) Philips 345 127 PF
Germany
16 1959 Ich Träume vom Süden Oft weint der Himmel Tränen Philips 345 146 PF
Germany
17 1959 Einsam sind alle Strassen Das Pfennig Lied (Penny Song) Philips 345 154 PF
Germany
18 1959 Ay ay ay Paraquay Mädchen von Napoli Philips 345 170 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
19 1959 Carina Marina Philips 345 197 PF (45 rpm)
Germany
20 1960 Blaue Nacht in Sansibar Sieben Jahre lang Philips 345 205 PF
Germany
21 1960 Im Hafen unsrer großen Liebe Anita Philips 345 223 PF
Germany
22 1960 Mustafa Mondschein und Meer Philips 345 228 PF
Germany
23 1960 Tum Bailalaika Fährt ein Boot nach Kalamo Philips 345 270 PF
Germany
24 1961 Bananas Schabada Philips 345 300 PF
Germany
25 1961 Treu wie ein Hund
(with Peter Beil [de]) 		Die Story vom alten Joe
(with Peter Beil) 		Philips 345 319 PF
Germany
26 1961 Eines Tages (Michael Row the Boat) Flieg in die Heimat Philips 345 326 PF
Germany
27 1961 Hasta La Vista Signorina Bella Philips 345 328 PF
Germany
28 1962 Die Liebe kam (Gitarren-Tango) Am Kai von Korsika Philips 345 364 PF
Germany
29 1962 Lebwohl, Jasmina Bambus-Bambina Philips 345 399 PF
Germany
30 1963 Man spricht Spanisch Madrielenia (Ding-Dong-Bossa-No) Germany
31 1963 Der Liebling von Allen (Uno per tutte) In der Cantina Mexicana Philips 345 575 PF
Germany
32 1963 Picolina Deine kirschenroten Lippen Philips 345 580 PF
Germany
33 1963 Picolina Deine kirschenroten Lippen Philips JF 329 004
Holland
34 1964 Irgendwo in Athen Manina (In Summer) Philips 345 635 PF
Germany
35 1964 Kara Ben Jusuf Jeder weint einmal Philips 345 677 PF
Germany
36 1964 Die Liebe ist so schön Dinah-Lu Philips 345 731 PF
Germany
37 1965 Glaub' daran Rag Doll Philips 345 786 PF
Germany
38 1965 Was einmal war So schön wie Du Philips 345 788 PF
Germany
39 1965 Warte auf das Glück Ich tu's für Dich Philips 345 818 PF
Germany
40 1965 Wenn die Bouzoukis klingen Sirtaki Time Philips 345 863 PF
Germany
41 1965 Frag doch nur dein Herz Bleib bei mir, geh' nicht fort Philips 345 863 PF
Germany
42 1965 Dein Herz ist kalt wie Eis Unsre Sonne Philips 345 897 PF
Germany
43 1966 Allein sein ist schwer Einmal wird er vor Dir stehen Philips 346 033 PF
Germany
44 1966 So viel Liebe (Quando Dico Che Ti Amo) Du fährst nicht gut dabei Philips 346 039 PF
Germany
45 1967 Heute ist heut (Let's live for today) Heimweh (Memories are made of this) Philips 346 068 PF
Germany
46 1967 Glaube an das Leben (Zai, Zai, Zai) Tausend hübsche Mädchen Philips 384 514 PF
Germany
47 1968 La Felicitad Nimm's nicht so schwer Philips 384 546 PF
Germany
48 1968 An jenem Tag (Those were the days) Maria Philips 384 564 PF
Germany
49 1968 Ma va la 40.000 Mark Philips 388 364 PF
Germany
50 1968 Χαμένα όνειρα
(Hamena Oneira – Those were the days) 		Το κορίτσι της γκιόνας
(To koritsi tis gionas) 		Philips 6299
Greece

References

  1. ^ "Σύλλογος μεγάλος... δεν υπάρχει άλλος (pics, vids)". Panathinaikos24.gr (in Greek). 3 February 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  2. ^ Ρουμελιώτου, Μαρία (24 August 2023). "Λεό Λέανδρος: Ο πατέρας της Βίκυς Λέανδρος έκλεισε τα 100 και το γιόρτασε". OK! Magazine (in Greek). Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Λέο Λέανδρος: Τα 100 έφτασε ο Έλληνας συνθέτης-φαινόμενο! – Βίντεο του συγγραφέα Γιάννη Βίτσα απο τα γενέθλιά του με τραγούδια φυσικά". www.eirinika.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 24 August 2023.