Michael Constantine

Michael Constantine (born May 22, 1927) is an American actor of Greek descent.

He is probably now best known for his portrayal of Kostas "Gus" Portokalos, the Windex bottle-toting Greek father of Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos), in the 2002 surprise hit film My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Prior to that, he was well known for his extensive television work, especially as the long-suffering high school principal, Seymour Kaufman, on ABC's sitcom, Room 222, for which he won an Emmy Award as Best Supporting Actor in 1970. He played a night court magistrate, Matthew J. Sirota, on the 1976 sitcom Sirota's Court.

Life and career

Constantine was born Constantine Ioannides (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Ιωαννίδης) in Reading, Pennsylvania, the son of Andromache Efstratiou (Ανδρομάχη Ευστρατίου) (née Fotiadou [Φωτιάδου]) and Theoharis Ioannides [Θεοχάρης Ιωαννίδης] (a steel worker), both immigrants from Greece.

He began his career on the New York stage and in the mid-1950s as understudy to Paul Muni in Inherit the Wind. While in the cast, he met and married actress Julianna McCarthy on October 5, 1953; they had two children, Thea Eileen and Brendan Neil. The marriage ended in divorce in 1969, the same year that Constantine began his role on Room 222.