
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.

Jeg er sgu min egen

Lille spejl

Et dukkehjem

Nu går den på Dagmar

Matador

Penge som græs

Diskret ophold

Affæren i Mølleby

Slingrevalsen

Olsen banden for altid!

Huset på Christianshavn

De røde heste

Giv gud en chance om søndagen

Søskende

Olsen-banden ser rødt

Du er ikke alene

Jul i Gammelby

Krummerne 2 - stakkels Krumme

Nissebanden

Olsen-banden på sporet

Olsen-bandens sidste bedrifter

Baronessen fra benzintanken

Den forsvundne fuldmægtig

April

Olsen-banden

Olsen-banden deruda'

Lise kommer til byen

Trællenes oprør

Afskedens time

Den gamle mølle paa Mols

Kriminalsagen Tove Andersen

Kristinus Bergman

Limpan

Det er så yndigt at følges ad

Olsen-banden i Jylland

Olsen-banden går i krig

Olsen-banden går amok

Olsen-bandens flugt over plankeværket

Olsen-banden overgiver sig aldrig

Fuglekrigen i Kanøfleskoven

Den kloge mand

Charles tante

Martha

Olsen-bandens store kup

Min kones ferie

Det er ikke appelsiner - det er heste

Olsen-banden på spanden

Pigen fra Egborg

Ballade på Christianshavn

I kongens klæ'r

En ven i bolignøden

Ingen tid til kærtegn

Tintin et le Temple du Soleil

Midt om natten

Dyrlægens plejebørn

Pigen og millionæren

Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør

Olsen-banden over alle bjerge

Don Olsen kommer til byen

Styrmand Karlsen

Dorte

Det var en lørdag aften

Flagermusen

Hjerter er trumf

Smedestræde 4

Hans Store Aften

Det støver stadig

Sommer i Tyrol

Støv på hjernen

Forelsket i København

Sjov i gaden

Far til fire

Poeten og Lillemor

Rend mig i revolutionen

Pigen og pressefotografen

Slap af, Frede

Støv for alle pengene

Een pige og 39 sømænd

De 5 og spionerne

Ved Kongelunden...

Majorens oppasser

Der var engang

Rend mig i traditionerne

Flådens friske fyre

Færgekroen

Sømænd og svigermødre

Min søsters børn vælter byen

På tro og love

Pigen og greven

Der var engang en gade

Når engle elsker

Hjemme hos William

I de lyse nætter

3 aar efter

Den korte sommer

Superfos Glasuld – et isoleret tilfælde

Frøken Nitouche

Olsen-bandens sidste stik

Rekrut 67 Petersen

Oskar

Drømmen om det hvide slot

Mord i mørket

Barbara

The Only Way

Slå først, Frede

Det stod i avisen

Vores fjerde far

Passer passer piger

Bussen

Tre små piger

Det store løb

Familien Gyldenkål

Det er så synd for farmand

Sorte Shara

Kispus

Soya's en Tagsten i Ho'det

Danmark er lukket

Det var paa Rundetaarn

Tag til marked i Fjordby

Johnny Larsen

Poeten og Lillemor og Lotte

Mor bag rattet

Nyhavns glade gutter

Gøngehøvdingen

Vi har det jo dejligt

Peters landlov

Støt staar den danske sømand

Onkel Bill fra New York

Hatten er sat

Kampen mod uretten

Kys til højre og venstre

Krigernes Børn

Den ubetænksomme elsker

De 5 i fedtefadet

Lykkens musikanter

Journey to the Seventh Planet

Jeg - en marki

Soldaterkammerater på bjørnetjeneste

Præriens skrappe drenge

Det skaldede spøgelse

Naalen

Hvad vil De ha'?

Carmen Og Babyface

Dronningens vagtmester

Et døgn uden løgn

Pas på ryggen, professor!

Når enden er go'

Lenin, din gavtyv!

Hip hip hurra!

Elsk... din næste!

Der kom en soldat

Amour

Sidste akt

Det tossede paradis

Elefanter på loftet

Pengene eller livet

Kurt & Valde

Elvis Hansen, en samfundshjælper

Revolutionen i vandkanten

Farvel Thomas

Vi som går køkkenvejen

Kærlighed ved første desperate blik

Alt dette og Island med

Charlot og Charlotte

Anthonsen

Noget om nisser

Ikke lutter lagkage

Aladdin eller den forunderlige lampe

Vores år

Far på færde

Henover midten

Dr. Dip

Krigsdøtre

Station 13

Sådan er det bare