THE PERFECT PASTITSIO PORTFOLIO PICTURE COMPANY PTY LIMITED
Presents
The Spiros Yearos Story So Far (1979 - Current)

The Trella Begins

The writer Tony Kassapakis (Tony K) was born in Sydney in 1962. He is the son of Greek migrants who came from the island of Crete to Sydney in 1954. The writer was born with "comedy in his blood". Tony K was born to entertain his family and friends from a very young age. Tony K's passion in embracing his inherent Greek culture gave birth to his creative nature in promoting Greek culture through comedy. Tony K has since shared his comedy with the Greek community at a very local level.

George Panos (Panagiotopoulos) was born in Kalamata province in Greece in 1963. George is a "real native Greek"!

In 1979 Tony K's "clowning around" was noticed and appreciated by his now best friend and partner in "ethnick crime" George Panos, who is also his koumbaro and "Greek God Father" to Tony's youngest daughter. They met in 5th form at Kingsgrove North High School in that year and "hit it off" as best Greek "bum chums" competing in "klania wars" in the toilet.

Greek Australian comedy was born in 1979. Spiros Yearos and his team were the first true pioneers in the artistic field. It is a "hybrid" comedy genre form of a combination of "slap stick" (sfaliara xilo), stand up comedy tossed in with Greek gags, jokes and growing up as Greeks in the 1970's, 1980's and beyond. It is not Anglo-Saxon-Celtic mainstream comedy, nor targets the multicultural pendulum of Australian society. It is aimed at the Greek English speaking communities throughout the whole world which all share a common "cultural denominator" - Greek culture.

Founding of the Team

The founding members of Spiros Yearos and the Greek Milk Bar Apprentices were;

Tony Kassapakis as Spiros Yearos,
George Panos as Tzontzis Mbortzis and
Jim Polyzoidis as Kokkos Klappas.

Only Tony and George went on to promote the team's talents in an amateur yet sincere and genuine attempt to create a non-compromising style of truly unique Greek-Australian comedy that is distinct in character, form and skordalia smell!

George is the genius behind the team's music, having composed many unique musical pieces. Tony is the lyricist and has also composed some "woggy" tunes to his credit. The members of Spiros Yearos over the past 24 years have been four"temporary fill in wogs" on stage. A real Spiros, Phillip, Danny (a Greek Leb) and another koumbaro, Michael. These "Greek kids from The Block" played a pivotal role in the evolution of our brand comedy. Their contribution must never be forgotten and must always be acknowledged for the input it gave in influencing our unique style of Greek-Australian comedy.

What started in 1980' as a "would be" end of sixth form concert performance didn't proceed because we had "Greek butterflies" or <<boutiromiges>>. Between 1981 and 1996 "Spiros Yearos" saw a combination of amateur stage performances, cassette tape releases (what's a CD vre? - Compact Dolmada) and little small time local performances at various Greek social functions. Our parents did not support us despite strong commercial support from the Greek business community as far back as 1981. For us it was "either Uni or digging trenches"? So the writer went to Uni for 11 1/2 years. George is gainfully employed with a reputable employer. Both founding members are married and have "good obedient Greek children" who listen and who "either obey or pay"!

The Legacy Continues

Apart from the writer's comedy aspirations, Tony K is also a solicitor and runs a successful small suburban legal practice and continues to serve his local community to the best of his ability.

Our "Greek comedy revolution" is just beginning. The evolution of "Greek-English" comedy is still in its infant stages and continues to gain momentum. Our type of comedy has now "gone global" and many young talented artists of our genre have sprung up in countries such as Canada and the USA.

Our team will continue to operate offering a life time commitment to promoting all aspects of Greek culture in the diaspora. You can trust us - "we're Greeks!" - Ooossst!

"The Greeks invented everything - if it wasn't for the Greeks where would the world be today?" Spiros Yearos and The Greek Milk Bar Apprentices are some of millions of Greek kids from around the world who cherish their Greek cultural heritage. The "Yearos Boys" will continue to spread (like tarama). The goodwill and humble homely hospitality instilled in their hearts by their parents and grandparents. Where's the psomi mumma?

After 24 years of studying, getting married and raising kids, the Yearos boys are back!