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.
| 2018 | Olsen banden for altid! as Egon Olsen |
| 2015 | Historien om Olsen Banden |
| 1998 | Olsen-bandens sidste stik as Egon Olsen |
| 1997 | Barbara |
| 1996 | Charlot og Charlotte as Grev Birksted |
| 1995 | Carmen Og Babyface as Engelsk lærere |
| 1994 | Kærlighed ved første desperate blik |
| 1994 | Alaaddin: Cafer'in Dönüşü as Sultanen Af Agrabah (stemme) |
| 1992 | Krummerne 2 - stakkels Krumme as Anders |
| 1992 | Det skaldede spøgelse as The Ghost |
| 1990 | Fuglekrigen i Kanøfleskoven as The Male Magpie (voice) |
| 1989 | Asteriks: Büyük Savaş as Astérix (stemme) |
| 1988 | Elvis Hansen, en samfundshjælper as Knudsen |
| 1987 | Hip hip hurra! as Bonatzi |
| 1987 | Sidste akt |
| 1986 | Asteriks Britanya'da as Astérix (stemme) |
| 1986 | Mord i mørket as Bille |
| 1985 | Når engle elsker as Gabriel, Archangel |
| 1985 | Asteriks Sezar'a Karşı as Astérix (stemme) |
| 1984 | Midt om natten |
| 1984 | Dansk bladtegning: danske bladtegnere - En dokumentation as Sig selv |
| 1983 | Kurt & Valde |
| 1983 | Limpan as Preben |
| 1982 | Den ubetænksomme elsker as Overbetjent Olufsen |
| 1982 | Pengene eller livet as Bankdirektør |
| 1981 | Olsen-banden over alle bjerge as Egon Olsen |
| 1981 | Olsen-bandens flugt over plankeværket as Egon Olsen |
| 1981 | Slingrevalsen as Larsen |
| 1980 | Danmark er lukket as Speaker |
| 1980 | Trællenes børn |
| 1979 | Olsen-banden overgiver sig aldrig as Egon Olsen |
| 1979 | Trællenes oprør |
| 1979 | Johnny Larsen |
| 1979 | Rend mig i traditionerne |
| 1979 | Krigernes Børn |
| 1978 | Olsen-banden går i krig as Egon Olsen |
| 1978 | Lille spejl |
| 1978 | Du er ikke alene as Kim's Father / Superintendent |
| 1978 | Bandefører Balling |
| 1977 | Olsen-banden deruda' as Egon Olsen |
| 1977 | Pas på ryggen, professor! as Konkurrerende redaktør |
| 1976 | Affæren i Mølleby as Digter Mortensen |
| 1976 | Olsen-banden ser rødt as Egon Olsen |
| 1976 | Asteriks: 12 Görev as Astérix (stemme) |
| 1976 | Hjerter er trumf |
| 1976 | Den korte sommer as Baronen |
| 1976 | Superfos Glasuld – et isoleret tilfælde as Egon Olsen |
| 1975 | Olsen-banden på sporet as Egon Olsen |
| 1975 | Familien Gyldenkål as Leopold Phieselsknast |
| 1974 | Olsen-bandens sidste bedrifter as Egon Olsen |
| 1974 | Et dukkehjem as Sagfører Krogstad |
| 1973 | Afskedens time as Michael Jacobsen |
| 1973 | I Adams verden |
| 1973 | Olsen-banden går amok as Egon Olsen |
| 1972 | Nu går den på Dagmar |
| 1972 | Olsen-bandens store kup as Egon Olsen |
| 1972 | Lenin, din gavtyv! as Mulligan |
| 1971 | Den forsvundne fuldmægtig as Teodor Amsted |
| 1971 | Olsen-banden i Jylland as Egon Olsen |
| 1971 | Hjemme hos William |
| 1971 | Revolutionen i vandkanten as Mand fra en anden klode |
| 1971 | Ballade på Christianshavn as Hr. Larsen |
| 1970 | De 5 i fedtefadet as Onkel Quentin |
| 1970 | Rend mig i revolutionen as Arthur Antonsen |
| 1970 | Præriens skrappe drenge as Dommer |
| 1970 | Amour as Gammel døv dame |
| 1970 | Giv gud en chance om søndagen as Præst ved Roskilde Domkirke |
| 1970 | The Only Way as Hr. Petersen |
| 1969 | Tintin et le Temple du Soleil as Dupond/Dupont (stemme) |
| 1969 | De fem og spionerne as Onkel Quentin |
| 1969 | Toppen og bolden as Fortæller (voice) |
| 1969 | Olsen-banden på spanden as Egon Olsen |
| 1969 | Pigen fra Egborg as Advokat Kurt Mikkelsen |
| 1969 | Sjov i gaden as "Fløjten" |
| 1969 | Der kom en soldat as Baron Royal King von Konig |
| 1969 | Kys til højre og venstre as Ruths Husband |
| 1968 | Dyrlægens plejebørn as Kristian |
| 1968 | Dage i min fars hus as Gunnar |
| 1968 | Min søsters børn vælter byen as Politiassistent Møller |
| 1968 | Olsen-banden as Egon Olsen |
| 1968 | Soldaterkammerater på bjørnetjeneste as Oberst ved konkurrerende regiment |
| 1968 | Det er så synd for farmand |
| 1968 | Det var en lørdag aften as Johansen |
| 1968 | Farvel Thomas |
| 1967 | Galyalı Asteriks as Astérix (stemme) |
| 1967 | Nyhavns glade gutter as Direktør Schwartz |
| 1967 | Martha as Hovmester Watson |
| 1967 | Elsk... din næste! as Pastor Weigaard |
| 1967 | Min kones ferie as Apoteker John Bjerre |
| 1967 | Jeg er sgu min egen as Værgen |
| 1967 | Det er ikke appelsiner - det er heste |
| 1967 | Jeg - en marki as Baron |
| 1966 | Soya's en Tagsten i Ho'det as Principle |
| 1966 | Pigen og greven as Nielsen |
| 1966 | Der var engang as Første frier |
| 1966 | Søskende as Bedemanden |
| 1966 | Tre små piger as Biebitz Von Biebitz |
| 1966 | Flagermusen as Blind |
| 1966 | Slap af, Frede as David Smith |
| 1965 | Slå først, Frede as David Smith |
| 1965 | Een pige og 39 sømænd as Andersen |
| 1965 | Mor bag rattet |
| 1965 | Pigen og millionæren as Andresen - advokat |
| 1965 | Flådens friske fyre as Knud Hansen |
| 1965 | Passer passer piger as Thorbjørn Hansen |
| 1965 | En ven i bolignøden as Børge Blom |
| 1964 | Don Olsen kommer til byen as Brandmand |
| 1964 | Sommer i Tyrol as Sigismund Sülzheimer |
| 1964 | Når enden er go' as Thør |
| 1964 | Majorens oppasser as Major Clausen |
| 1963 | Taştaki Kılıç as Uglen Arkimedes (stemme) |
| 1963 | Støv for alle pengene as Thorbjørn Hansen |
| 1963 | Bussen as Vik |
| 1963 | Et døgn uden løgn |
| 1963 | Frøken Nitouche as Ferdinand Piper, teaterdirektør |
| 1963 | April as Lægeforsker Vagn Jochumsen |
| 1963 | Peters landlov as Direktør William H. Schmidt |
| 1963 | Dronningens vagtmester as Tom, "Kulsoen"s mand |
| 1963 | Vi har det jo dejligt as Opfinderen |
| 1963 | Pigen og pressefotografen as Madsen |
| 1962 | Drømmen om det hvide slot as Johan |
| 1962 | Oskar as Direktør Bernhard Bang |
| 1962 | Det støver stadig as Thorbjørn Hansen |
| 1962 | Det stod i avisen as Læge S. Gregersen |
| 1962 | Sømænd og svigermødre as Peter Jensen - Kanustis ven |
| 1962 | Det tossede paradis as Simon |
| 1962 | Journey to the Seventh Planet as Barry O'Sullivan |
| 1962 | Lykkens musikanter as Havemand Texas |
| 1961 | Gøngehøvdingen as Tam |
| 1961 | Støv på hjernen as Hr. Thorbjørn Hansen |
| 1961 | Sorte Shara as Tom |
| 1961 | Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør as Anton |
| 1960 | Forelsket i København as Carni |
| 1960 | Baronessen fra benzintanken as Lars Tofte |
| 1960 | Elefanter på loftet as Tolderen |
| 1960 | Poeten og Lillemor og Lotte as Anton |
| 1959 | Charles tante as Charles Smith |
| 1959 | Onkel Bill fra New York as Johnny Jensen |
| 1959 | Poeten og Lillemor as Anton |
| 1958 | Styrmand Karlsen as Ole Olsen |
| 1957 | Tag til marked i Fjordby as Knud Tofte |
| 1957 | Der var engang en gade as Danselærer Johny Johnsen |
| 1957 | Ingen tid til kærtegn |
| 1956 | Den kloge mand |
| 1956 | Færgekroen as Lars Tofte, kroejer og færgemand |
| 1956 | Kispus as Max Møller |
| 1956 | Hvad vil De ha'? as Gæst hos Hansens |
| 1955 | Det var paa Rundetaarn as Hans Ramløse |
| 1955 | På tro og love as Henry |
| 1954 | Det er så yndigt at følges ad |
| 1954 | I kongens klæ'r as Jens Rasmussen - rekrut 65 |
| 1953 | Far til fire as Bager Høst |
| 1953 | Ved Kongelunden... as Vognstyrer Iversen |
| 1953 | Den gamle mølle paa Mols as Buschauffør |
| 1953 | Vi som går køkkenvejen |
| 1953 | Kriminalsagen Tove Andersen as Nolle |
| 1952 | Det store løb as Fuld mand i bus |
| 1952 | Rekrut 67 Petersen as "68" |
| 1951 | Dorte as Hr. Smith |
| 1951 | Vores fjerde far |
| 1951 | Alt dette og Island med |
| 1951 | Naalen as Helmer, kriminalassistent |
| 1950 | Smedestræde 4 as Ejnar - Pouls ven - cyklebud |
| 1950 | En dag i radioen as En maler |
| 1950 | De røde heste as Niels Peter Dalum, Oles medstuderende |
| 1949 | Kampen mod uretten |
| 1949 | Berlingske Tidende 1749-1949 |
| 1948 | Næste Gang er det dig as Mand i cottoncoat |
| 1948 | 3 aar efter as Hotelkarlen |
| 1948 | Kristinus Bergman as Bud med nøgle |
| 1948 | Støt staar den danske sømand |
| 1948 | I de lyse nætter |
| 1948 | Penge som græs |
| 1947 | Hatten er sat |
| 1947 | Lise kommer til byen |
| 1946 | Diskret ophold |
| 1946 | Hans Store Aften |
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