Greek comedian and musician Tzimis Panousis dead at 64

The popular comedian and actor Tzimis Panousis died at the age of 64 on Saturday following a heart attack.

His death follows a string of health issues in recent years, including his collapse last December on stage which led to his hospitalization for a few days.

Dimitris Panousis was born in 1954 to a refugee family from Asia Minor and grew up in Holargos in northern Athens.

Apart from his raunchy comedy standup routines and a string of inspired music albums he released with his band Mousikes Taxiarchies beginning in the late 1970s, he also landed movie roles, and made a host of appearances on television programs which turned him into a household name.

Panousis also had regular slots on radio shows where his commentary, which often sailed deep into the realm of political incorrectness, earned him a strong army of cult followers.