Ove Sprogøe
Actor
Born December 21, 1919 in 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.
Filmography
The Olsen Gang: Forever!
Egon Olsen
The Olsen Gang's Last Trick
Egon Olsen
Barbara
Charlot og Charlotte
Grev Birksted
Carmen & Babyface
Engelsk lærere
Kærlighed ved første desperate blik
Crumb at a Gallop
Anders
Jasper's Ghost
The Ghost
Dr. Dip
Finn Klar Rask
War of the Birds
The Male Magpie (voice)
Station 13
Nielsen
Elvis Hansen, en samfundshjælper
Knudsen
Far på færde
Hr. Hermansen
Hip Hip Hurrah!
Bonatzi
Sådan er det bare
Kurt (Anettes far)
Final Act
Murder in the Dark
Bille
Når engle elsker
Gabriel, Archangel
Anthonsen
Holger Anthonsen
Nissebanden
Karl-Heinz Bierbaum
Ikke lutter lagkage
Niels-Arthur
In the Middle of the Night
Købmand - Susans far
Kurt & Valde
Limpan
Preben
Den ubetænksomme elsker
Overbetjent Olufsen
Henover midten
Erich von Herning
Your Money or Your Life
Bankdirektør
The Olsen Gang Long Gone
Egon Olsen
The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence
Egon Olsen
Krigsdøtre
Hr. Christensen
Stepping Out
Larsen
Danmark er lukket
Speaker
Vores år
Ludvig Blom
The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders
Egon Olsen
Jul i Gammelby
Nissefar
The Revolt of the Thralls
Johnny Larsen
Kick Me in the Traditions!
Children of the Warriors
Matador
Dr. Louis Hansen
The Olsen Gang Goes to War
Egon Olsen
Mirror, Mirror
You Are Not Alone
Kim's Father / Superintendent
The Olsen Gang Outta Sight
Egon Olsen
Watch Your Back, Professor!
Konkurrerende redaktør
The Moelleby affair
Digter Mortensen
The Olsen Gang Sees Red
Egon Olsen
Hjerter er trumf
That Brief Summer
Baronen
Superfos Glasuld – et isoleret tilfælde
Egon Olsen
Aladdin or the Wonderful Lamp
The Olsen Gang on the Track
Egon Olsen
The Goldcabbage Family
Leopold Phieselsknast
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang
Egon Olsen
Et dukkehjem
Sagfører Krogstad
The Hour of Parting
Michael Jacobsen
The Olsen Gang Runs Amok
Egon Olsen
Noget om nisser
Nu går den på Dagmar
The Olsen Gang's Big Score
Egon Olsen
Lenin, You Rascal, You
Mulligan
The Missing Clerk
Teodor Amsted
The Olsen Gang in Jutland
Egon Olsen
Hjemme hos William
Revolutionen i vandkanten
Mand fra en anden klode
Our Home Is Our Castle
Hr. Larsen
Famous Five Get in Trouble
Onkel Quentin
Revolution My A..
Arthur Antonsen
Tough Guys of the Prairie
Dommer
Amour
Gammel døv dame
The House at Christianshavn
Larsen
Give God a Chance on Sunday
Præst ved Roskilde Domkirke
The Only Way
Hr. Petersen
Tintin and the Temple of the Sun
Dupond/Dupont (stemme)
Five and the Spies
Onkel Quentin
The Olsen Gang in a Fix
Egon Olsen
The Egborg Girl
Advokat Kurt Mikkelsen
Fun in the Streets
"Fløjten"
Along Came a Soldier
Baron Royal King von Konig
Kys til højre og venstre
Ruths Husband
The Veterinarian's Adopted Children
Kristian
The Olsen Gang
Egon Olsen
Magic in Town
Politiassistent Møller
Friends at Arms: On a Bear Run
Oberst ved konkurrerende regiment
What a Pity About Daddy
Det var en lørdag aften
Johansen
Farvel Thomas
Nyhavns glade gutter
Direktør Schwartz
Martha
Hovmester Watson
Love Thy Neighbour
Pastor Weigaard
Wife on vacation
Apoteker John Bjerre
Jeg er sgu min egen
Værgen
Det er ikke appelsiner - det er heste
The Reluctant Sadist
Baron
The Loose Tile
Principle
The Girl and the Viscount
Nielsen
Der var engang
Første frier
Søskende
Bedemanden
Tre små piger
Biebitz Von Biebitz
Flagermusen
Blind
Relax Freddy
David Smith
Strike First Freddy
David Smith
Een pige og 39 sømænd
Andersen
Mor bag rattet
The Girl and the Playboy
Andresen - advokat
It's Nifty in the Navy
Knud Hansen
Passer Babysitting Girls
Thorbjørn Hansen
En ven i bolignøden
Børge Blom
Don Olsen kommer til byen
Brandmand
Summer in Tyrol
Sigismund Sülzheimer
Når enden er go'
Thør
The Major's Guard
Major Clausen
Dust for all the Money
Thorbjørn Hansen
Bussen
Vik
A Day Without Lies
Frøken Nitouche
Ferdinand Piper, teaterdirektør
April
Lægeforsker Vagn Jochumsen
Peters landlov
Direktør William H. Schmidt
The Queen's Guardsman
Tam, "Kulsoen"s mand
Vi har det jo dejligt
Opfinderen
The Girl and the Press Photographer
Madsen
Drømmen om det hvide slot
Johan
Oskar
Direktør Bernhard Bang
Still Dust on the Brain
Thorbjørn Hansen
Det stod i avisen
Læge S. Gregersen
Sømænd og svigermødre
Peter Jensen - Kanustis ven
Crazy Paradise
Simon
Journey to the Seventh Planet
Barry O'Sullivan
Lykkens musikanter
Havemand Texas
The Musketeers
Tam
Dust on the Brain
Hr. Thorbjørn Hansen
Sorte Shara
Tom
Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør
Anton
Forelsket i København
Carni
Baronessen fra benzintanken
Lars Tofte
The Greeneyed Elephant
Tolderen
The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte
Anton
Charley's Aunt
Charles Smith
Onkel Bill fra New York
Johnny Jensen
The Poet and the Little Mother
Anton
Styrmand Karlsen
Ole Olsen
Tag til marked i Fjordby
Knud Tofte
Der var engang en gade
Danselærer Johny Johnsen
Be Dear to Me
Den kloge mand
Færgekroen
Lars Tofte, kroejer og færgemand
Kispus
Max Møller
Hvad vil De ha'?
Gæst hos Hansens
Det var paa Rundetaarn
Hans Ramløse
På tro og love
Henry
Det er så yndigt at følges ad
I kongens klæ'r
Jens Rasmussen - rekrut 65
Father of Four
Bager Høst
Ved Kongelunden...
Vognstyrer Iversen
Den gamle mølle paa Mols
Buschauffør
Vi som går køkkenvejen
The Tove Andersen Criminal Case
Nolle
Det store løb
Fuld mand i bus
Rekrut 67 Petersen
"68"
Dorte
Hr. Smith
Vores fjerde far
All this - and Iceland too
Naalen
Helmer, kriminalassistent
Smedestræde 4
Ejnar - Pouls ven - cyklebud
The Red Horses
Niels Peter Dalum, Oles medstuderende
Kampen mod uretten
3 years after
Hotelkarlen
Kristinus Bergman
Bud med nøgle
The Viking Watch of the Danish Seaman
I de lyse nætter
Penge som græs
Hatten er sat
Lise kommer til byen
Discretion Wanted
Hans Store Aften