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Ove Sprogøe

Ove Sprogøe

Actor · 1919 – 2004 · Odense, Danmark

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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ove Sprogøe, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movies24

  • Movie7.5

    Trællenes oprør

    The Revolt of the Thralls

    1979 · 2 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Tintin et le Temple du Soleil

    Tintin and the Temple of the Sun

    1969 · 96 votes

  • Movie5.6

    Krigernes Børn

    Children of the Warriors

    1979 · 5 votes

  • Movie7.5

    Du er ikke alene

    You Are Not Alone

    1978 · 82 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Fuglekrigen i Kanøfleskoven

    War of the Birds

    1990 · 14 votes

  • Movie5.0

    Amour

    1970 · 4 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Bandefører Balling

    1978 · 2 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Charles tante

    Charley's Aunt

    1959 · 17 votes

  • Movie10.0

    Et dukkehjem

    1974 · 1 votes

  • Movie7.4

    Olsen-banden ser rødt

    The Olsen Gang Sees Red

    1976 · 60 votes

  • Movie6.3

    Min søsters børn vælter byen

    Magic in Town

    1968 · 8 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Olsen-banden går i krig

    The Olsen Gang Goes to War

    1978 · 55 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Olsen-bandens flugt over plankeværket

    The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence

    1981 · 49 votes

  • Movie5.5

    Peters landlov

    1963 · 6 votes

  • Movie6.9

    Martha

    1967 · 18 votes

  • Movie6.7

    Pigen og pressefotografen

    The Girl and the Press Photographer

    1963 · 10 votes

  • Movie6.6

    Olsen-banden på spanden

    The Olsen Gang in a Fix

    1969 · 56 votes

  • Movie4.9
  • Movie7.3

    Kristinus Bergman

    1948 · 3 votes

  • Movie5.6

    Lykkens musikanter

    1962 · 5 votes

  • Movie5.5

    Sidste akt

    Final Act

    1987 · 2 votes

  • Movie7.1

    Olsen-banden deruda'

    The Olsen Gang Outta Sight

    1977 · 49 votes

  • Movie6.6

    Olsen-banden over alle bjerge

    The Olsen Gang Long Gone

    1981 · 48 votes

  • Movie7.0

    Limpan

    1983 · 4 votes

Series15

  • TV8.0

    Huset på Christianshavn

    The House at Christianshavn

    1970 · 17 votes

  • TV9.1

    Matador

    1978 · 30 votes

  • TV10.0

    Anthonsen

    1984 · 1 votes

  • TV7.2

    Nissebanden

    1984 · 4 votes

  • TV
  • TV7.0

    Krigsdøtre

    1981 · 1 votes

  • TV
  • TV7.5

    Jul i Gammelby

    1979 · 6 votes

  • TV8.0

    Aladdin eller den forunderlige lampe

    Aladdin or the Wonderful Lamp

    1975 · 1 votes

  • TV
  • TV
  • TV
  • TV
  • TV
  • TV9.0

    Noget om nisser

    1972 · 1 votes