Ove Sprogøe
Ove Wendelboe Sprogøe Petersen (21 December 1919 – 14 September 2004) was a Danish actor. Born in Odense, his parents were Arthur and Inger Sprogøe. He married Eva Rasmussen in 1945, with whom he had three children. One of these is actor Henning Sprogøe. He made his debut in the film Hans Store Aften (His Big Night). His characteristic prominent chin that had been feared an obstacle of his career did not prevent him from being one of the most versatile and used Danish actors. His strength laid in the almost diabolic, michievous and brash but he effortlessly played meek and shy types as well as elegantiers. Among his many roles on stage in classic plays might be mentioned Mephisto in Faust, the title figure of Strindberg’s The Father and some Molière and Bertolt Brecht characters.
An extremely popular actor in Denmark, he played many diverse roles, including several recurring television parts. He appeared in 157 films, making him one of the hardest-working actors in the history of Danish film. In his early years he often was the part of a duo working together with his friend and colleague Dirch Passer. He is probably best known for playing one of the lead roles in the Olsen Gang movies, along with Morten Grunwald and Poul Bundgaard, playing the gang leader Egon Olsen, known for his short temper, striped suit, and cigar. By this role he earned an international fame though mostly in Eastern Europe, in the GDR he together with his colleagues became almost a cult figure. Among his TV roles must be mentioned his elegant and humorous ex-burglar Larsen in the series Huset på Christianshavn (“The House at Christianshavn” - the first Danish sitcom) and his role as the wise and courageous doctor Louis Hansen in the epic, historical drama-series Matador, both also shown outside Denmark. He was an able singer especially in shows or revues and his interpretation of Tim Spencer’s Cigarettes, whiskey and wild wild women (in Danish re-creation: Fandens Oldemor – “The Devil’s Great-Grandmother”) almost became his signature tune. He was an actor who combined great public sympathy with the ability to remain a private person with a modest lifestyle. After his death it was revealed that he had been a passionate art enthusiast and had amassed a valuable collection of modern paintings. Shortly after his death in 2004, Nordisk Film (the company that made the Olsen Gang movies) established a scholarship for actors in his name. The state-owned road to Vridsløselille Statsfængsel (the prison where his Egon Olsen character was a frequent "guest"), was renamed by the city of Albertslund to Egon Olsens Vej (Egon Olsen Road). On 24 October 2005, his native city of Odense named a square Ove Sprogøes Plads (Ove Sprogøe Square) in his honour. And the bar 'Cafe Halvvejen', named a shot in his honor.
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Acted in
The Olsen Gang: Forever!
2018
as Egon Olsen
Historien om Olsen Banden
2015
The Olsen Gang's Last Trick
1998
as Egon Olsen
Barbara
1997
Charlot og Charlotte
1996
as Grev Birksted
Charlot og Charlotte
1996
as Grev Birksted
Carmen & Babyface
1995
as Engelsk lærere
Kærlighed ved første desperate blik
1994
Crumb at a Gallop
1992
as Anders
Jasper's Ghost
1992
as The Ghost
Dr. Dip
1990
as Finn Klar Rask
War of the Birds
1990
as The Male Magpie (voice)
Station 13
1988
as Nielsen
Elvis Hansen, en samfundshjælper
1988
as Knudsen
Far på færde
1988
as Hr. Hermansen
Hip Hip Hurrah!
1987
as Bonatzi
Sådan er det bare
1987
as Kurt (Anettes far)
Sidste akt
1987
Murder in the Dark
1986
as Bille
Når engle elsker
1985
as Gabriel, Archangel
Lucky Luke - La Caravane
1985
as Lucky Luke (Dansk)
Anthonsen
1984
as Holger Anthonsen
Ikke lutter lagkage
1984
as Niels-Arthur
In the Middle of the Night
1984
Dansk bladtegning: danske bladtegnere - En dokumentation
1984
as Sig selv
Kurt & Valde
1983
Limpan
1983
as Preben
Den ubetænksomme elsker
1982
as Overbetjent Olufsen
Henover midten
1982
as Erich von Herning
Your Money or Your Life
1982
as Bankdirektør
The Olsen Gang Long Gone
1981
as Egon Olsen
The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence
1981
as Egon Olsen
Krigsdøtre
1981
as Hr. Christensen
Stepping Out
1981
as Larsen
Danmark er lukket
1980
as Speaker
The Thralls' Children
1980
Vores år
1980
as Ludvig Blom
The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders
1979
as Egon Olsen
Jul i Gammelby
1979
as Nissefar
The Revolt of the Thralls
1979
Johnny Larsen
1979
Kick Me in the Traditions!
1979
Children of the Warriors
1979
Matador
1978
as Dr. Louis Hansen
The Olsen Gang Goes to War
1978
as Egon Olsen
Mirror, Mirror
1978
You Are Not Alone
1978
as Kim's Father / Superintendent
Bandefører Balling
1978
The Olsen Gang Outta Sight
1977
as Egon Olsen
Watch Your Back, Professor!
1977
as Konkurrerende redaktør
The Moelleby affair
1976
as Digter Mortensen
The Olsen Gang Sees Red
1976
as Egon Olsen
The Twelve Tasks of Asterix
1976
as Asterix (Danish)
Hjerter er trumf
1976
That Brief Summer
1976
as Baronen
Olsen Banden Et Isoleret Tilfælde
1976
as Egon Olsen
Aladdin eller den forunderlige lampe
1975
The Olsen Gang on the Track
1975
as Egon Olsen
The Goldcabbage Family
1975
as Leopold Phieselsknast
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang
1974
as Egon Olsen
Et dukkehjem
1974
as Sagfører Krogstad
The Hour of Parting
1973
as Michael Jacobsen
I Adams verden
1973
The Olsen Gang Runs Amok
1973
as Egon Olsen
Noget om nisser
1972
Nu går den på Dagmar
1972
The Olsen Gang's Big Score
1972
as Egon Olsen
Lenin, You Rascal, You
1972
as Mulligan
The Missing Clerk
1971
as Teodor Amsted
The Olsen Gang in Jutland
1971
as Egon Olsen
Hjemme hos William
1971
Our Home Is Our Castle
1971
as Hr. Larsen
Famous Five Get in Trouble
1970
as Onkel Quentin
Revolution My A..
1970
as Arthur Antonsen
Tough Guys of the Prairie
1970
as Dommer
Amour
1970
as Gammel døv dame
The House at Christianshavn
1970
as Larsen
Giv gud en chance om søndagen
1970
as Præst ved Roskilde Domkirke
Five and the Spies
1969
as Onkel Quentin
The Olsen Gang in a Fix
1969
as Egon Olsen
The Egborg Girl
1969
as Advokat Kurt Mikkelsen
Fun in the Streets
1969
as "Fløjten"
Along Came a Soldier
1969
as Baron Royal King von Konig
Kys til højre og venstre
1969
as Ruths Husband
The Veterinarian's Adopted Children
1968
as Kristian
Days in My Father's House
1968
as Gunnar
The Olsen Gang
1968
as Egon Olsen
Magic in Town
1968
as Politiassistent Møller
Friends at Arms: On a Bear Run
1968
as Oberst ved konkurrerende regiment
What a Pity About Daddy
1968
Det var en lørdag aften
1968
as Johansen
Farvel Thomas
1968
Nyhavns glade gutter
1967
as Direktør Schwartz
Martha
1967
as Hovmester Watson
Love Thy Neighbour
1967
as Pastor Weigaard
Wife on vacation
1967
as Apoteker John Bjerre
Jeg er sgu min egen
1967
as Værgen
Det er ikke appelsiner - det er heste
1967
The Reluctant Sadist
1967
as Baron
The Loose Tile
1966
as Principle
The Girl and the Viscount
1966
as Nielsen
Der var engang
1966
as Første frier
Søskende
1966
as Bedemanden
Tre små piger
1966
as Biebitz Von Biebitz
Flagermusen
1966
as Blind
Relax Freddy
1966
as David Smith
Strike First Freddy
1965
as David Smith
Een pige og 39 sømænd
1965
as Andersen
Mor bag rattet
1965
The Girl and the Playboy
1965
as Andresen - advokat
It's Nifty in the Navy
1965
as Knud Hansen
Passer Babysitting Girls
1965
as Thorbjørn Hansen
En ven i bolignøden
1965
as Børge Blom
Don Olsen kommer til byen
1964
as Brandmand
Summer in Tyrol
1964
as Sigismund Sülzheimer
Når enden er go'
1964
as Thør
Majorens oppasser
1964
as Major Clausen
Dust for all the Money
1963
as Thorbjørn Hansen
Bussen
1963
as Vik
A Day Without Lies
1963
Frøken Nitouche
1963
as Ferdinand Piper, teaterdirektør
April
1963
as Lægeforsker Vagn Jochumsen
Peters landlov
1963
as Direktør William H. Schmidt
Dronningens vagtmester
1963
as Tom, "Kulsoen"s mand
Vi har det jo dejligt
1963
as Opfinderen
The Girl and the Press Photographer
1963
as Madsen
Drømmen om det hvide slot
1962
as Johan
Oskar
1962
as Direktør Bernhard Bang
Still Dust on the Brain
1962
as Thorbjørn Hansen
Det stod i avisen
1962
as Læge S. Gregersen
Sømænd og svigermødre
1962
as Peter Jensen - Kanustis ven
Crazy Paradise
1962
as Simon
Journey to the Seventh Planet
1962
as Barry O'Sullivan
Lykkens musikanter
1962
as Havemand Texas
The Musketeers
1961
as Tam
Dust on the Brain
1961
as Hr. Thorbjørn Hansen
Sorte Shara
1961
as Tom
Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør
1961
as Anton
Forelsket i København
1960
as Carni
Baronessen fra benzintanken
1960
as Lars Tofte
The Greeneyed Elephant
1960
as Tolderen
The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte
1960
as Anton
Charley's Aunt
1959
as Charles Smith
Onkel Bill fra New York
1959
as Johnny Jensen
The Poet and the Little Mother
1959
as Anton
Styrmand Karlsen
1958
as Ole Olsen
Tag til marked i Fjordby
1957
as Knud Tofte
Der var engang en gade
1957
as Danselærer Johny Johnsen
Be Dear to Me
1957
Den kloge mand
1956
Færgekroen
1956
as Lars Tofte, kroejer og færgemand
Kispus
1956
as Max Møller
Hvad vil De ha'?
1956
as Gæst hos Hansens
Det var paa Rundetaarn
1955
as Hans Ramløse
På tro og love
1955
as Henry
Det er så yndigt at følges ad
1954
I kongens klæ'r
1954
as Jens Rasmussen - rekrut 65
Father of Four
1953
as Bager Høst
Ved Kongelunden...
1953
as Vognstyrer Iversen
Den gamle mølle paa Mols
1953
as Buschauffør
Vi som går køkkenvejen
1953
Kriminalsagen Tove Andersen
1953
as Nolle
Det store løb
1952
as Fuld mand i bus
Rekrut 67 Petersen
1952
as "68"
Dorte
1951
as Hr. Smith
Vores fjerde far
1951
All this - and Iceland too
1951
Naalen
1951
as Helmer, kriminalassistent
Smedestræde 4
1950
as Ejnar - Pouls ven - cyklebud
The Red Horses
1950
as Niels Peter Dalum, Oles medstuderende
Kampen mod uretten
1949
Berlingske Tidende 1749-1949
1949
3 years after
1948
as Hotelkarlen
Kristinus Bergman
1948
as Bud med nøgle
The Viking Watch of the Danish Seaman
1948
I de lyse nætter
1948
Penge som græs
1948
Hatten er sat
1947
Lise kommer til byen
1947
Discretion Wanted
1946
Hans Store Aften
1946