The beloved Greek actor, who passed away at 80 after battling cancer, kept his personal life private despite his fame. His story includes two marriages—one brief and one more enduring—an engagement that never led to marriage, and a deep love with Betty Livanou. He was known as one of the most loved actors of Greek cinema, with a career that started in 1970 alongside Aliki Vougiouklaki.

Nikos Galanos’s career began with his debut alongside Aliki Vougiouklaki in the film “One Funny Girl” in 1970. The dark-haired young man with dark eyes quickly made an impression and was soon dubbed “the handsome man of Greek cinema.” Despite his striking appearance and the curiosity about his personal life—especially from the female audience—Galanos always took care to protect his privacy and keep his personal affairs away from the spotlight.

His two marriages

Galanos publicly shared some details about his personal life through interviews. He was married twice, with the first marriage taking place at a very young age and lasting just five months. He famously said, “I got married when I was 18. I belong to a generation where marriage was a tradition. We wanted it, we were together for 1.5 years, and after five months of marriage, we split.”

His second marriage, however, was born out of a passionate love affair and lasted longer. He married Katerina Maragou, also an actress and a prominent figure of her time. The couple met in 1975 during the filming of the series “Meneexedinia Politia” and quickly became a couple. Despite their intense love, the relationship did not last long, and they parted ways shortly afterward.

Despite having married twice at a young age, Galanos expressed that he never felt the desire to have children. In an interview, he stated, “Marriage doesn’t suit me at all. I’ve never felt the need to have a child. I never found myself thinking, ‘I wish I had a family and was raising a child.’ I’ve always liked being free and acting as I see fit, without obligations.”

In another interview, he elaborated on this view: “I don’t know if I wanted children. My daily life has always been simple; I don’t take it too seriously. I treat my work seriously, like I do with a close friend or a relationship. But I don’t want to deal with the clichés of society or the daily musts.”

The Love with Betty Livanu

On December 11, 1972, the film “Sin of Beauty” premiered, starring Nikos Galanos and Betty Livanou. This was Livanou’s first appearance in cinema, and her role was a result of director Yiannis Dalianidis’s decision. He discovered her and believed she should join the Fonos Film family, which Galanos was already part of.

This led to her first major role alongside Galanos and Tasso Kavvadia. The film was a huge success at the time, selling 126,930 tickets in its first screening. Naturally, both the film and its stars became widely discussed in the media.

There were many reports suggesting that Galanos and Livanu had a romantic relationship during filming, although neither ever publicly confirmed it. Livanu once said in an interview, “These are very personal matters, and we don’t discuss them publicly. The reports are often more sensational than what actually happens.” She added, “We have a very sweet relationship. He’s a very dear person. Our connection is rooted in the past, especially from that film, ‘Sin of Beauty,’ which is one of the most beautiful movies I’ve done.”

The Engagement with Katia Dandoulaki

Another recent revelation was Galanos’s engagement to Katia Dandoulaki, which, however, never resulted in marriage. Dandoulaki herself disclosed this in an interview, saying, “Nikos is a wonderful guy, and I have very sweet memories of that relationship. He had already made some films, and I was just starting out. We stayed together for two years. Our relationship didn’t last longer because we didn’t match that well. Still, we had a wonderful collaboration, and we remain very good friends. I keep good relations with all my past partners. I don’t like to speak badly about those I once loved.”

When asked in an interview about the engagement, Galanos said that if Dandoulaki hadn’t revealed it, he wouldn’t have spoken publicly about it. “If Katia hadn’t spoken, I would never have said we were engaged. We were engaged with a ring and were planning to marry. It was official—two and a half years together. Back then, it was all over magazines and covers. I don’t like to talk about my personal life or that of others, and I never did. I also didn’t like when people talked about me or others behind our backs,” he explained.

His Relationship with Elena Saganaki

Just before his death, Galanos was in a relationship with Elena Saganaki, with whom he had been for several years. She was a striking brunette who initially worked in her family’s used car business but later transitioned into sales of luxury new vehicles as a consultant. Reports say she was captivated by Galanos’s personality and fell deeply in love. Despite a 30-year age difference, their relationship endured until the end.

Nikos Galanos’s personal life was marked by profound relationships and private choices. Despite his fame, he cherished his independence and privacy, leaving behind a legacy not only of his acting talent but also of a man who valued personal freedom and genuine connections.