Sotiris Spatharis was born in 1892. His father was blinded by a stone falling on him while he was working as a labourer on the Acropolis. His mother took in people's washing. After the accident he led his father out begging during the days. At night he sneaked off to the shadow theatre which was thought unrespectable. Karagiozis became his great passion. He worked first as a shadow player's assistant and started to play on his own when a neighbour gave him a sheet. He made his own shadow figures, scenery, he painted his own sign - boards, he wrote his own plays and from 1909 began to perform them making a tour of the country with the help of a singer.