Cast

Ove Sprogøe

Acting

Cast

Ove Sprogøe

Known for

Acting

Born

1919-12-21

From

Odense, Danmark

Died

2004-09-14

Also known as Ove Wendelboe Sprogøe Petersen

Biography

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.

Ove Sprogøe

Ove Sprogøe

Biography

The Olsen Gang Sees Red

Lykkens musikanter

The Revolt of the Thralls

The Girl and the Press Photographer

3 years after

Tre små piger

Magic in Town

The Girl and the Playboy

Kristinus Bergman

Et dukkehjem

Children of the Warriors

Amour

The Queen's Guardsman

Jasper's Ghost

Peters landlov

Charley's Aunt

Murder in the Dark

Five and the Spies

Limpan

Søskende

Famous Five Get in Trouble

You Are Not Alone

Dust on the Brain

The Olsen Gang on the Track

Det er ikke appelsiner - det er heste

Be Dear to Me

The Moelleby affair

Sorte Shara

War of the Birds

Tintin and the Temple of the Sun

Den ubetænksomme elsker

In the Middle of the Night

I kongens klæ'r

Det store løb

Lise kommer til byen

Bandefører Balling

Don Olsen kommer til byen

The Hour of Parting

Charlot og Charlotte

The Poet and the Little Mother

Journey to the Seventh Planet

Our Home Is Our Castle

Den kloge mand

What a Pity About Daddy

Nu går den på Dagmar

The Olsen Gang

The Olsen Gang Goes to War

The Olsen Gang in Jutland

The Olsen Gang in a Fix

Vi som går køkkenvejen

Kærlighed ved første desperate blik

Hip Hip Hurrah!

The Olsen Gang Outta Sight

The Veterinarian's Adopted Children

Strike First Freddy

The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang

Bussen

Carmen & Babyface

Rekrut 67 Petersen

Final Act

Martha

The Olsen Gang's Last Trick

Færgekroen

The Only Way

It's Nifty in the Navy

Næste Gang er det dig

Een pige og 39 sømænd

Your Money or Your Life

Along Came a Soldier

The Goldcabbage Family

Styrmand Karlsen

The Olsen Gang Runs Amok

The Olsen Gang's Big Score

Det var paa Rundetaarn

Friends at Arms: On a Bear Run

Barbara

The Major's Guard