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

Known For: Acting

Born: Odense, Danmark, 1919-12-21

Died: 2004-09-14

No.	Year	Title	Role	Vote Average
1	1946	Hans Store Aften		65
2	1946	Discretion Wanted		86
3	1947	Lise kommer til byen		70
4	1947	Hatten er sat		50
5	1948	Penge som græs		90
6	1948	I de lyse nætter		60
7	1948	The Viking Watch of the Danish Seaman		52
8	1948	Kristinus Bergman	Bud med nøgle	70
9	1948	3 years after	Hotelkarlen	60
10	1948	Næste Gang er det dig	Mand i cottoncoat	70
11	1949	Berlingske Tidende 1749-1949		60
12	1949	Kampen mod uretten		50
13	1950	The Red Horses	Niels Peter Dalum, Oles medstuderende	75
14	1950	En dag i radioen	En maler	0
15	1950	Smedestræde 4	Ejnar - Pouls ven - cyklebud	65
16	1951	Naalen	Helmer, kriminalassistent	45
17	1951	All this - and Iceland too		0
18	1951	Vores fjerde far		57
19	1951	Dorte	Hr. Smith	65
20	1952	Rekrut 67 Petersen	"68"	58
21	1952	Det store løb	Fuld mand i bus	56
22	1953	The Tove Andersen Criminal Case	Nolle	70
23	1953	Vi som går køkkenvejen		0
24	1953	Den gamle mølle paa Mols	Buschauffør	70
25	1953	Ved Kongelunden...	Vognstyrer Iversen	62
26	1953	Father of Four	Bager Høst	64
27	1954	I kongens klæ'r	Jens Rasmussen - rekrut 65	66
28	1954	Det er så yndigt at følges ad		70
29	1955	På tro og love	Henry	60
30	1955	Det var paa Rundetaarn	Hans Ramløse	54
31	1956	Hvad vil De ha'?	Gæst hos Hansens	52
32	1956	Kispus	Max Møller	55
33	1956	Færgekroen	Lars Tofte, kroejer og færgemand	61
34	1956	Den kloge mand		68
35	1957	Be Dear to Me		66
36	1957	Der var engang en gade	Danselærer Johny Johnsen	60
37	1957	Tag til marked i Fjordby	Knud Tofte	54
38	1958	Styrmand Karlsen	Ole Olsen	66
39	1959	The Poet and the Little Mother	Anton	64
40	1959	Onkel Bill fra New York	Johnny Jensen	51
41	1959	Charley's Aunt	Charles Smith	67
42	1960	The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte	Anton	54
43	1960	The Greeneyed Elephant	Tolderen	35
44	1960	Baronessen fra benzintanken	Lars Tofte	73
45	1960	Forelsket i København	Carni	64
46	1961	Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør	Anton	65
47	1961	Sorte Shara	Tom	55
48	1961	Dust on the Brain	Hr. Thorbjørn Hansen	64
49	1961	The Musketeers	Tam	52
50	1962	Lykkens musikanter	Havemand Texas	48
51	1962	Journey to the Seventh Planet	Barry O'Sullivan	48
52	1962	Crazy Paradise	Simon	41
53	1962	Sømænd og svigermødre	Peter Jensen - Kanustis ven	60
54	1962	Det stod i avisen	Læge S. Gregersen	57
55	1962	Still Dust on the Brain	Thorbjørn Hansen	63
56	1962	Oskar	Direktør Bernhard Bang	58
57	1962	Drømmen om det hvide slot	Johan	58
58	1963	The Girl and the Press Photographer	Madsen	61
59	1963	Vi har det jo dejligt	Opfinderen	52
60	1963	The Queen's Guardsman	Tom, "Kulsoen"s mand	43
61	1963	Peters landlov	Direktør William H. Schmidt	52
62	1963	April	Lægeforsker Vagn Jochumsen	71
63	1963	Frøken Nitouche	Ferdinand Piper, teaterdirektør	58
64	1963	A Day Without Lies		43
65	1963	Bussen	Vik	56
66	1963	Dust for all the Money	Thorbjørn Hansen	62
67	1963	The Sword in the Stone	Uglen Arkimedes (stemme)	72
68	1964	Majorens oppasser	Major Clausen	62
69	1964	Når enden er go'	Thør	42
70	1964	Summer in Tyrol	Sigismund Sülzheimer	63
71	1964	Don Olsen kommer til byen	Brandmand	65
72	1965	En ven i bolignøden	Børge Blom	66
73	1965	Passer Babysitting Girls	Thorbjørn Hansen	56
74	1965	It's Nifty in the Navy	Knud Hansen	61
75	1965	The Girl and the Playboy	Andresen - advokat	71
76	1965	Mor bag rattet		53
77	1965	Een pige og 39 sømænd	Andersen	60
78	1965	Strike First Freddy	David Smith	58
79	1966	Relax Freddy	David Smith	62
80	1966	Flagermusen	Blind	65
81	1966	Tre små piger	Biebitz Von Biebitz	56
82	1966	Søskende	Bedemanden	75
83	1966	Der var engang	Første frier	62
84	1966	The Girl and the Viscount	Nielsen	60
85	1966	The Loose Tile	Principle	55
86	1967	The Reluctant Sadist	Baron	53
87	1967	Det er ikke appelsiner - det er heste		67
88	1967	Jeg er sgu min egen	Værgen	100
89	1967	Wife on vacation	Apoteker John Bjerre	67
90	1967	Love Thy Neighbour	Pastor Weigaard	44
91	1967	Martha	Hovmester Watson	66
92	1967	Nyhavns glade gutter	Direktør Schwartz	55
93	1967	Asterix the Gaul	Astérix (stemme)	65
94	1968	Farvel Thomas		0
95	1968	Det var en lørdag aften	Johansen	65
96	1968	What a Pity About Daddy		55
97	1968	Friends at Arms: On a Bear Run	Oberst ved konkurrerende regiment	47
98	1968	The Olsen Gang	Egon Olsen	70
99	1968	Magic in Town	Politiassistent Møller	62
100	1968	Days in My Father's House	Gunnar	0
101	1968	The Veterinarian's Adopted Children	Kristian	65
102	1968	Asterix and Cleopatra	Astérix (stemme)	70
103	1969	Kys til højre og venstre	Ruths Husband	50
104	1969	Along Came a Soldier	Baron Royal King von Konig	45
105	1969	Fun in the Streets	"Fløjten"	64
106	1969	The Egborg Girl	Advokat Kurt Mikkelsen	66
107	1969	The Olsen Gang in a Fix	Egon Olsen	66
108	1969	Five and the Spies	Onkel Quentin	62
109	1969	Toppen og bolden	Fortæller (voice)	0
110	1969	Tintin and the Temple of the Sun	Dupond/Dupont (stemme)	66
111	1970	Give God A Chance On Sunday	Præst ved Roskilde Domkirke	75
112	1970	Amour	Gammel døv dame	55
113	1970	Tough Guys of the Prairie	Dommer	51
114	1970	Revolution My A..	Arthur Antonsen	63
115	1970	Famous Five Get in Trouble	Onkel Quentin	48
116	1971	Our Home Is Our Castle	Hr. Larsen	66
117	1971	Revolutionen i vandkanten	Mand fra en anden klode	10
118	1971	Hjemme hos William		60
119	1971	The Olsen Gang in Jutland	Egon Olsen	70
120	1971	The Missing Clerk	Teodor Amsted	71
121	1972	Lenin, You Rascal, You	Mulligan	42
122	1972	The Olsen Gang's Big Score	Egon Olsen	68
123	1972	Nu går den på Dagmar		100
124	1973	The Olsen Gang Runs Amok	Egon Olsen	69
125	1973	I Adams verden		60
126	1973	The Hour of Parting	Michael Jacobsen	70
127	1974	Et dukkehjem	Sagfører Krogstad	100
128	1974	The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang	Egon Olsen	72
129	1975	The Goldcabbage Family	Leopold Phieselsknast	55
130	1975	The Olsen Gang on the Track	Egon Olsen	72
131	1976	Superfos Glasuld – et isoleret tilfælde	Egon Olsen	60
132	1976	That Brief Summer	Baronen	60
133	1976	Hjerter er trumf		65
134	1976	The Twelve Tasks of Asterix	Astérix (stemme)	73
135	1976	The Olsen Gang Sees Red	Egon Olsen	74
136	1976	The Moelleby affair	Digter Mortensen	80
137	1977	Watch Your Back, Professor!	Konkurrerende redaktør	43
138	1977	The Olsen Gang Outta Sight	Egon Olsen	70
139	1978	Bandefører Balling		0
140	1978	You Are Not Alone	Kim's Father / Superintendent	74
141	1978	Mirror, Mirror		100
142	1978	The Olsen Gang Goes to War	Egon Olsen	68
143	1979	Children of the Warriors		50
144	1979	Kick Me in the Traditions!		62
145	1979	Johnny Larsen		58
146	1979	The Revolt of the Thralls		70
147	1979	The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders	Egon Olsen	68
148	1980	The Thralls' Children		70
149	1980	Danmark er lukket	Speaker	55
150	1981	Stepping Out	Larsen	80
151	1981	The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence	Egon Olsen	69
152	1981	The Olsen Gang Long Gone	Egon Olsen	66
153	1982	Your Money or Your Life	Bankdirektør	40
154	1982	Den ubetænksomme elsker	Overbetjent Olufsen	58
155	1983	Limpan	Preben	70
156	1983	Kurt & Valde		30
157	1984	Dansk bladtegning: danske bladtegnere - En dokumentation	Sig selv	60
158	1984	In the Middle of the Night		65
159	1985	Asterix vs. Caesar	Astérix (stemme)	65
160	1985	Når engle elsker	Gabriel, Archangel	60
161	1986	Murder in the Dark	Bille	58
162	1986	Asterix in Britain	Astérix (stemme)	68
163	1987	Final Act		40
164	1987	Hip Hip Hurrah!	Bonatzi	44
165	1988	Elvis Hansen, en samfundshjælper	Knudsen	25
166	1989	Asterix and the Big Fight	Astérix (stemme)	63
167	1990	War of the Birds	The Male Magpie (voice)	67
168	1992	Jasper's Ghost	The Ghost	50
169	1992	Crumb at a Gallop	Anders	74
170	1994	The Return of Jafar	Sultanen Af Agrabah (stemme)	62
171	1994	Kærlighed ved første desperate blik		0
172	1995	Carmen & Babyface	Engelsk lærere	50
173	1996	Charlot og Charlotte	Grev Birksted	40
174	1997	Barbara		57
175	1998	The Olsen Gang's Last Trick	Egon Olsen	58
176	2015	Historien om Olsen Banden		0
177	2018	The Olsen Gang: Forever!	Egon Olsen	80

No.	Year	Title	Role	Vote Average
1	1970	The House at Christianshavn	Larsen	80
2	1970	The House at Christianshavn	Hr. Larsen	80
3	1972	Noget om nisser		0
4	1975	Aladdin eller den forunderlige lampe		0
5	1978	Matador	Dr. Louis Hansen	92
6	1979	Jul i Gammelby	Nissefar	74
7	1980	Vores år	Ludvig Blom	0
8	1981	Krigsdøtre	Hr. Christensen	0
9	1982	Henover midten	Erich von Herning	0
10	1984	Ikke lutter lagkage	Niels-Arthur	0
11	1984	Anthonsen	Holger Anthonsen	0
12	1984	Nissebanden	Karl-Heinz Bierbaum	73
13	1987	Sådan er det bare	Kurt (Anettes far)	0
14	1988	Far på færde	Hr. Hermansen	0
15	1988	Station 13	Nielsen	0
16	1990	Dr. Dip	Finn Klar Rask	0
17	1996	Charlot og Charlotte	Grev Birksted	0

Ove Sprogøe

Film

Television