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.
as Egon Olsen
as Egon Olsen
as Grev Birksted
as Grev Birksted(4 eps)
as Engelsk lærere
as Anders
as The Ghost
as Finn Klar Rask(5 eps)
as The Male Magpie (voice)
as Nielsen(8 eps)
as Knudsen
as Hr. Hermansen(1 ep)
as Bonatzi
as Kurt (Anettes far)(1 ep)
as Bille
as Gabriel, Archangel
as Holger Anthonsen(5 eps)
as Karl-Heinz Bierbaum(1 ep)
as Niels-Arthur(4 eps)
as Købmand - Susans far
as Preben
as Overbetjent Olufsen
as Erich von Herning(1 ep)
as Bankdirektør
as Egon Olsen
as Egon Olsen
as Hr. Christensen(2 eps)
as Larsen
as Speaker
as Ludvig Blom(4 eps)
as Egon Olsen
as Nissefar(24 eps)
as Dr. Louis Hansen(24 eps)
as Egon Olsen
as Kim's Father / Superintendent
as Egon Olsen
as Konkurrerende redaktør
as Digter Mortensen
as Egon Olsen
as Baronen
as Egon Olsen
as Egon Olsen
as Leopold Phieselsknast
as Egon Olsen
as Sagfører Krogstad
as Michael Jacobsen
as Egon Olsen
as Egon Olsen
as Mulligan
as Teodor Amsted
as Egon Olsen
as Mand fra en anden klode
as Hr. Larsen
as Onkel Quentin
as Arthur Antonsen
as Dommer
as Gammel døv dame
as Larsen(49 eps)
as Hr. Larsen(1 ep)
as Præst ved Roskilde Domkirke
as Hr. Petersen
as Dupond/Dupont (stemme)
as Onkel Quentin
as Fortæller (voice)
as Egon Olsen
as Advokat Kurt Mikkelsen
as "Fløjten"
as Baron Royal King von Konig
as Ruths Husband
as Kristian
as Gunnar
as Egon Olsen
as Politiassistent Møller
as Oberst ved konkurrerende regiment
as Johansen
as Direktør Schwartz
as Hovmester Watson
as Pastor Weigaard
as Apoteker John Bjerre
as Værgen
as Baron
as Principle
as Nielsen
as Første frier
as Bedemanden
as Biebitz Von Biebitz
as Blind
as David Smith
as David Smith
as Andersen
as Andresen - advokat
as Knud Hansen
as Thorbjørn Hansen
as Børge Blom
as Brandmand
as Sigismund SĂĽlzheimer
as Thør
as Major Clausen
as Thorbjørn Hansen
as Vik
as Ferdinand Piper, teaterdirektør
as Lægeforsker Vagn Jochumsen
as Direktør William H. Schmidt
as Tam, "Kulsoen"s mand
as Opfinderen
as Madsen
as Johan
as Direktør Bernhard Bang
as Thorbjørn Hansen
as Læge S. Gregersen
as Peter Jensen - Kanustis ven
as Simon
as Barry O'Sullivan
as Havemand Texas
as Tam
as Hr. Thorbjørn Hansen
as Tom
as Carni
as Lars Tofte
as Tolderen
as Anton
as Charles Smith
as Johnny Jensen
as Anton
as Ole Olsen
as Knud Tofte
as Danselærer Johny Johnsen
as Lars Tofte, kroejer og færgemand
as Max Møller
as Gæst hos Hansens
as Hans Ramløse
as Henry
as Jens Rasmussen - rekrut 65
as Bager Høst
as Vognstyrer Iversen
as Buschauffør
as Nolle
as Fuld mand i bus
as "68"
as Hr. Smith
as Helmer, kriminalassistent
as Ejnar - Pouls ven - cyklebud
as En maler
as Niels Peter Dalum, Oles medstuderende
as Mand i cottoncoat
as Hotelkarlen
as Bud med nøgle
