caption website years_active birth_place label background birth_date genre image article_title name
mikis theodorakis in 2004 http://www.mikis-theodorakis.net 1943-present chios , greece paredon records folkways records non_performing_personnel 29 july 1925 20th century classical greek music mikis2004.jpg mikis theodorakis
 mikis theodorakis
mikis theodorakis

michael `` mikis '' theodorakis -lrb- ; born 29 july 1925 -rrb- is a greek songwriter and composer who has written over 1000 songs .
he scored for the films `` zorba the greek '' -lrb- 1964 -rrb- , `` z '' -lrb- 1969 -rrb- , and `` serpico '' -lrb- 1973 -rrb- .
he is viewed as greece 's best-known living composer .
he is awarded the lenin peace prize politically , he is identified with the left because of the long time connection with the communist party of greece .
he was an mp for the kke from 1981 to 1990 .
nevertheless , in 1989 he ran as an independent candidate within the centre-right new democracy party , in order for the country to emerge from the political crisis that had been created due to the numerous scandals of the government of andreas papandreou and helped to establish a large coalition between conservatives , socialists and leftists .
in 1990 he was elected to the parliament -lrb- as in 1964 and 1981 -rrb- , became a government minister under constantine mitsotakis , and fought against drugs and terrorism and for culture , education and better relations between greece and turkey .
he continues to speak out in favor of left-liberal causes , greek-turkish-cypriot relations , and against the war in iraq .
he has consistently opposed oppressive regimes and was a key voice against the greek junta 1967-1974 , which imprisoned him .
