Manos Katrakis was born in the charming town of Kissamos, Chania, Crete, as the youngest of five children to merchant Charalambos Katrakis and his wife Irini. The family relocated to Athens in 1919, where Katrakis's acting journey began. At the tender age of 18, he made his theatrical debut with the group "Young" in the production "To love." His impressive performance caught the attention of director Kostas Leloudas, leading to a leading role in the silent film "To lavaro tou '21" (1929) a year later.
Throughout his remarkable film career, Katrakis delivered standout performances in various titles, including "Marinos Kontaras" (1948) by Giorgos Tzavellas, "A Neighborhood Named 'The Dream'" (1961) by Alekos Alexandrakis, "Electra" (1962) by Michael Cacoyannis, and "Enas delikanis" (1963) by Manolis Scouloudis. His exceptional portrayal of Creon in "Antigone" (1961) by Giorgos Tzavellas earned him an award at the International Festival of San Francisco, while his performance in "A Neighborhood Named 'The Dream'" (1961) received recognition at the Thessaloniki Film Festival.
Katrakis was also renowned for his unique voice, which he used to bring Greek poetry and literature to life through his readings. He participated in numerous events, leaving a lasting impact on the world of literature. Tragically, Katrakis passed away shortly after completing the filming of "Voyage to Cythera" (1984) under the direction of the great Theodoros Angelopoulos.
