For more than four decades, George Kapiniaris has been part of the soundtrack of Greek-Australian life. From Acropolis Now to Wogs Out of Work, from packed theatres to suburban comedy nights, he has given our community a voice, a laugh, and – often – a mirror. But this year, the man who has made millions laugh came terrifyingly close to losing everything.
Performing on a cruise ship earlier this year, George felt something was wrong — a flutter in the chest, pins and needles, a heartbeat that didn’t feel like his own. Within weeks, doctors told him the shocking truth: his aorta was dangerously enlarged, and he was only “a month away from dying.” The news stunned him, his family and close mates — and it shook the Greek-Australian community that has grown up with him.
In May, at the Austin Hospital, Professor George Matalanis performed a 10-hour open-heart surgery that saved his life. George now jokes that he’s “the Six Million Dollar Man” with a prosthetic aorta and a proud zipper down his chest — but behind the humour is a deep appreciation for his second chance.
“I’ve just won a lottery,” he says. “A golden ticket. And now everything in my life means more — my kids, my wife, my health. You suddenly see what really matters.”
The experience changed him. He stopped smoking, stopped drinking, cut the salt and sugar, and swapped chips for vegetables. But it didn’t stop him from returning to what he loves. Just six weeks after surgery, George was back on stage, telling jokes — some of them about the nurses who cared for him in ICU.
His close friend and long-time collaborator Simon Palomares wasn’t surprised. “George’s heart has always been too big. This time the doctors just had to fix it.”
Today, at 63, George is preparing for a new challenge: playing Frank Manero in Saturday Night Fever at the Athenaeum Theatre. It’s a darker role — intense, emotional, even painful at times. And George believes he can play it now because of what he’s been through.
“I feel things more deeply now. I understand struggle differently. I think this experience has made me a better actor.”
For Greek-Australians, George is more than a performer. He’s part of our cultural DNA — a reminder of our parents’ migration stories, of the humour we use to survive, of the pride we feel in seeing “one of ours” succeed.
He is also, above all, grateful.
“I’m lucky. Lucky to be alive, lucky to still be working, lucky to keep making people laugh. Maybe it’s talent, but I think mostly it’s luck — and the people around me.”
And like the community that loves him, he’s looking forward.
“To staying alive,” he says with a smile. “And to looking after my mind and body a bit better. I think that’s something a lot of us Greeks could take on board.”
George Kapiniaris returns to the Melbourne stage in Saturday Night Fever on January 8, 2026 — older, wiser, and still able to make us laugh until our sides hurt.
