Acting
Ove Sprogøe
DA, EN, SV, FR cinema · 170 credits
Born
21 December 1919
Died
14 September 2004 (aged 84)
Birthplace
Odense, Danmark
Also known as Ove Wendelboe Sprogøe Petersen
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
Filmography
The Olsen Gang: Forever!
as Egon Olsen
The Olsen Gang's Last Trick
as Egon Olsen
Barbara
Actor
Charlot og Charlotte
1996
Charlot og Charlotte
as Grev Birksted
Carmen & Babyface
as Engelsk lærere
Jasper's Ghost
as The Ghost
Crumb at a Gallop
as Anders
War of the Birds
as The Male Magpie (voice)
Hip Hip Hurrah!
as Bonatzi
Murder in the Dark
as Bille
Når engle elsker
as Gabriel, Archangel
In the Middle of the Night
as Købmand - Susans far
Limpan
as Preben
Your Money or Your Life
as Bankdirektør
Den ubetænksomme elsker
as Overbetjent Olufsen
The Olsen Gang Long Gone
as Egon Olsen
The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence
as Egon Olsen
Stepping Out
as Larsen
Danmark er lukket
as Speaker
The Olsen Gang Never Surrenders
as Egon Olsen
The Olsen Gang Goes to War
as Egon Olsen
You Are Not Alone
as Kim's Father / Superintendent
The Olsen Gang Outta Sight
as Egon Olsen
Watch Your Back, Professor!
as Konkurrerende redaktør
The Olsen Gang Sees Red
as Egon Olsen
The Moelleby affair
as Digter Mortensen
That Brief Summer
as Baronen
Superfos Glasuld – et isoleret tilfælde
as Egon Olsen
The Olsen Gang on the Track
as Egon Olsen
The Goldcabbage Family
as Leopold Phieselsknast
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang
as Egon Olsen
Et dukkehjem
as Sagfører Krogstad
The Olsen Gang Runs Amok
as Egon Olsen
The Hour of Parting
as Michael Jacobsen
The Olsen Gang's Big Score
as Egon Olsen
Lenin, You Rascal, You
as Mulligan
The Olsen Gang in Jutland
as Egon Olsen
Our Home Is Our Castle
as Hr. Larsen
The Missing Clerk
as Teodor Amsted
Revolutionen i vandkanten
as Mand fra en anden klode
Famous Five Get in Trouble
as Onkel Quentin
Revolution My A..
as Arthur Antonsen
Amour
as Gammel døv dame
Give God a Chance on Sunday
as Præst ved Roskilde Domkirke
The Only Way
as Hr. Petersen
The Olsen Gang in a Fix
as Egon Olsen
The Egborg Girl
as Advokat Kurt Mikkelsen
Five and the Spies
as Onkel Quentin
Along Came a Soldier
as Baron Royal King von Konig
Fun in the Streets
as "Fløjten"
Kys til højre og venstre
as Ruths Husband
Toppen og bolden
1969
Toppen og bolden
as Fortæller (voice)
Tintin and the Temple of the Sun
as Dupond/Dupont (stemme)
The Olsen Gang
as Egon Olsen
Magic in Town
as Politiassistent Møller
Det var en lørdag aften
as Johansen
Friends at Arms: On a Bear Run
as Oberst ved konkurrerende regiment
Martha
as Hovmester Watson
Nyhavns glade gutter
as Direktør Schwartz
Love Thy Neighbour
as Pastor Weigaard
Wife on vacation
as Apoteker John Bjerre
Jeg er sgu min egen
as Værgen
The Reluctant Sadist
as Baron
Relax Freddy
as David Smith
Tre små piger
as Biebitz Von Biebitz
The Girl and the Viscount
as Nielsen
Flagermusen
as Blind
Der var engang
as Første frier
The Loose Tile
as Principle
Søskende
as Bedemanden
Strike First Freddy
as David Smith
The Girl and the Playboy
as Andresen - advokat
Passer Babysitting Girls
as Thorbjørn Hansen
Een pige og 39 sømænd
as Andersen
It's Nifty in the Navy
as Knud Hansen
En ven i bolignøden
as Børge Blom
Summer in Tyrol
as Sigismund Sülzheimer
Don Olsen kommer til byen
as Brandmand
Når enden er go'
as Thør
The Major's Guard
as Major Clausen
Frøken Nitouche
as Ferdinand Piper, teaterdirektør
The Queen's Guardsman
as Tam, "Kulsoen"s mand
Dust for all the Money
as Thorbjørn Hansen
Bussen
as Vik
April
as Lægeforsker Vagn Jochumsen
Vi har det jo dejligt
as Opfinderen
Peters landlov
as Direktør William H. Schmidt
Journey to the Seventh Planet
as Barry O'Sullivan
Sømænd og svigermødre
as Peter Jensen - Kanustis ven
Still Dust on the Brain
as Thorbjørn Hansen
Lykkens musikanter
as Havemand Texas
Det stod i avisen
as Læge S. Gregersen
Crazy Paradise
as Simon
Oskar
as Direktør Bernhard Bang
Dust on the Brain
as Hr. Thorbjørn Hansen
Sorte Shara
as Tom
Baronessen fra benzintanken
as Lars Tofte
The Greeneyed Elephant
as Tolderen
Charley's Aunt
as Charles Smith
Onkel Bill fra New York
as Johnny Jensen
Styrmand Karlsen
as Ole Olsen
Tag til marked i Fjordby
as Knud Tofte
Der var engang en gade
as Danselærer Johny Johnsen
Kispus
as Max Møller
Færgekroen
as Lars Tofte, kroejer og færgemand
Hvad vil De ha'?
as Gæst hos Hansens
På tro og love
as Henry
Det var paa Rundetaarn
as Hans Ramløse
I kongens klæ'r
as Jens Rasmussen - rekrut 65
Ved Kongelunden...
as Vognstyrer Iversen
Father of Four
as Bager Høst
Den gamle mølle paa Mols
as Buschauffør
Det store løb
as Fuld mand i bus
Dorte
as Hr. Smith
Naalen
as Helmer, kriminalassistent
The Red Horses
as Niels Peter Dalum, Oles medstuderende
Smedestræde 4
as Ejnar - Pouls ven - cyklebud
3 years after
as Hotelkarlen
Kristinus Bergman
as Bud med nøgle
Næste Gang er det dig
1948
Næste Gang er det dig
as Mand i cottoncoat
