Thanasis Veggos
Thanasis Veggos (Greek: Θανάσης Βέγγος, 29 May 1926 – 3 May 2011) was a Greek actor and director born in Neo Faliro, Piraeus. He performed in around 130 films, predominantly comedies in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, starring in more than 50 among them. He is considered one of the best Greek comedy actors of all time. His famous comedic catchphrase was "Καλέ µου άνθρωπε" ("My good man"). Veggos' first appearance in a film was in Windfall in Athens, produced by Mihalis Kakogiannis, which premiered in Athens as Kiriakatiko Xsipnima on 11 January 1954. Nikos Koundouros gave him a role in Magiki polis in 1955. His first major role was in Psila ta heria Hitler ("Hands Up, Hitler"), 1962 and continued many more films. For his acting in What did you do in the war, Thanasi? (1971), the public of Thessaloniki °apotheosized° him and the movie won three awards at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. He often played everyman characters struggling to get by, but he has also played anti-heroes, he has acted in pure dramas, and on stage in the comedies of Aristophanes. His characters were often self-named "Thanasis". He often worked with directors Panos Glykofridis and Giorgos Lazaridis. In 1995, Theo Angelopoulos cast Veggos and American actor Harvey Keitel in "Ulysses Gaze". In 1997, in the role of Dikaiopoli he appeared in a live performance at the ancient Epidaurus theater. In 2000, he survived a car accident involving a collision with a train. He later participated in advertisements promoting road safety. A documentary of his life, whose title translates as A Man for All Seasons, was made in 2004. He always did his own stunts including the most dangerous ones, like hanging from a rope tied to a balcony fifty feet above a pavement without anything to break his fall, walking through a glass door, or falling down a stone staircase head first. During the "Golden Sixties" of the Greek film industry he made his most popular comedy films such as the sequel of Secret Agent 000, Papatrehas, Enas trellos Vengos and many others, also with surrealist humor, most of them by his own company Θ-Β Comedies (Θ-Β Tainies Geliou) which founded in 1964. In 2008, Veggos was appointed Commander of the Order of the Phoenix by the President of Greece, Karolos Papoulias. On 3 May 2011, he died at 7:10 a.m. He had been hospitalized at the Red Cross hospital, in Athens, since 18 December 2010. He is survived by his wife Asimina and two sons. He will always be remembered in the more than 120 films and more recent documentaries that he starred in. The phrase "τρέχει σαν το Βέγγο" (English translation: "runs like Veggos") has been adopted into common usage in the Greek language since nobody has run more or faster than Veggos in his many slapstick comedies. (Source: Wikipedia)
Filmography
The Flight of the Swan
The Flight of the Swan
With Heart & Soul
as a Father
With Heart & Soul
as a Father
An All-Weather Man
as Self
An All-Weather Man
as Self
The Enigma
as Linos
The Enigma
as Linos
It's a Long Road
as Antonis
It's a Long Road
as Antonis
Steps
as Iason Makris
Steps
as Iason Makris
Ulysses' Gaze
as Taxi Driver
Ulysses' Gaze
as Taxi Driver
Quiet Days in August
as Νίκος Γκούφας
Quiet Days in August
as Νίκος Γκούφας
Προσοχή! Μας βάλανε μπόμπα...
as Thanasis
Προσοχή! Μας βάλανε μπόμπα...
as Thanasis
Champion
as Thanasis Manaris / Sakis
Champion
as Thanasis Manaris / Sakis
To didymo tis symforas
as Thanasis
To didymo tis symforas
as Thanasis
Bed for Five
Bed for Five
Thanasis the Optimist
as Thanasis Rodinos / Mother
Thanasis the Optimist
as Thanasis Rodinos / Mother
A Madhouse Named "Hellas"
A Madhouse Named "Hellas"
Thanasis in the country of Will
as Thanasis Pitas
Thanasis in the country of Will
as Thanasis Pitas
The Madman of Greece
as Thanasis Koukouras
The Madman of Greece
as Thanasis Koukouras
Thanasis and the Cursed Serpent
as Thanasis
Thanasis and the Cursed Serpent
as Thanasis
The Big Cannon
as Thanasis Apaloheris
The Big Cannon
as Thanasis Apaloheris
Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze
as Thanasis Trampas
Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze
as Thanasis Trampas
Thanasi tightened your belt even more
as Thanasis Maganas
Thanasi tightened your belt even more
as Thanasis Maganas
The Wicked World of Thanasis
as Thanasis Mpesagiampesas
The Wicked World of Thanasis
as Thanasis Mpesagiampesas
The Bald Student
as Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos
The Bald Student
as Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos
Which Way to the Septic Tank?
as Thanasis Papathanasis
Which Way to the Septic Tank?
as Thanasis Papathanasis
Χίλια Χρόνια Πριν - Βυζάντιο: Η Γιορτή των Καλενδών
Χίλια Χρόνια Πριν - Βυζάντιο: Η Γιορτή των Καλενδών
Thanasis in the land of the cuff
as Thanasis
Thanasis in the land of the cuff
as Thanasis
The Charlatan
as Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris
The Charlatan
as Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris
Dictator calls Thanasis
as Thanasis Delithanasis
Dictator calls Thanasis
as Thanasis Delithanasis
The Man Who Ran a Lot
as Thanasis Zevedaios
The Man Who Ran a Lot
as Thanasis Zevedaios
Thanasis, Take Your Gun
as Thanasis
Thanasis, Take Your Gun
as Thanasis
Carefree... Nut
as Thanasis
Carefree... Nut
as Thanasis
What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi?
as Thanasis Karathanasis
What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi?
as Thanasis Karathanasis
Holidays in Vietnam
as Thanasis Hatzifapas
Holidays in Vietnam
as Thanasis Hatzifapas
Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages
as Thanasis Karathanasis
Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages
as Thanasis Karathanasis
One Vengos for All Jobs
as Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis
One Vengos for All Jobs
as Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis
Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc
as Thou-Vou
Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc
as Thou-Vou
An Unbelievable Sucker
as Thanasis Hatzipapageorgakopoulokonstadinogiannopoulos
An Unbelievable Sucker
as Thanasis Hatzipapageorgakopoulokonstadinogiannopoulos
Who Thanasis!
as Thanasis Trikorfos
Who Thanasis!
as Thanasis Trikorfos
Doctor Z-Vengos
as Thanasis
Doctor Z-Vengos
as Thanasis
Come on People
as Agathoklis
Come on People
as Agathoklis
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
as Thou Vou (Athanasios Bobas)
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
as Thou Vou (Athanasios Bobas)
Crazy, Nuts and Vengos
as Thanasis
Crazy, Nuts and Vengos
as Thanasis
Papatrechas
as Polydoros Lagos
Papatrechas
as Polydoros Lagos
He's a Mad Mad Veggos
as Thanasis
He's a Mad Mad Veggos
as Thanasis
The Hustler
as Kanellos Karabatsas
The Hustler
as Kanellos Karabatsas
Out Poverty and Good Heart
as Thanasis Koutras
Out Poverty and Good Heart
as Thanasis Koutras
I'll Make You Queen
as Antonis Tsilivikis
I'll Make You Queen
as Antonis Tsilivikis
With Many Children
as Polykarpos Kolovos
With Many Children
as Polykarpos Kolovos
School for Chauffeur Ladies
as Babis
School for Chauffeur Ladies
as Babis
The Poor Demons
as Frixos
The Poor Demons
as Frixos
The Twins
as Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis
The Twins
as Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis
Marlon Brando Has Nothing On Him
as Stefanos Avgerinos
Marlon Brando Has Nothing On Him
as Stefanos Avgerinos
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
as Thanasis Birbilis
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
as Thanasis Birbilis
Restless youth
Restless youth
The lucky pants
as Thanasis Foukaras
The lucky pants
as Thanasis Foukaras
O Ippolytos kai to violi tou
as Ιππόλυτος
O Ippolytos kai to violi tou
as Ιππόλυτος
The Madman
as Errikos Delaportas
The Madman
as Errikos Delaportas
Min eidate ton Panai?
as Panagis Papapanagopoulos
Min eidate ton Panai?
as Panagis Papapanagopoulos
Runaway Bride
as Harilaos
Runaway Bride
as Harilaos
Astronauts
as Thanasis
Astronauts
as Thanasis
Hands Up, Hitler
as Panagis
Hands Up, Hitler
as Panagis
Odd Jobs
as Mitros
Odd Jobs
as Mitros
The King of Gaffes
as Frixos
The King of Gaffes
as Frixos
The Wise Guy
as Thrasyvoulos
The Wise Guy
as Thrasyvoulos
Hooray for Madness
as Romeos
Hooray for Madness
as Romeos
The Jar
as Andreas
The Jar
as Andreas
Groom for Crying
as Loukas
Groom for Crying
as Loukas
The Proud
as Priest
The Proud
as Priest
Lisa and the Other Woman
as Petros Valdis
Lisa and the Other Woman
as Petros Valdis
Eftyhos... trellathika!
as Manolis
Eftyhos... trellathika!
as Manolis
A mistake in love
as Thymios
A mistake in love
as Thymios
Liar Wanted
as Vrasidas
Liar Wanted
as Vrasidas
Μυρτιά
as Giannos
Μυρτιά
as Giannos
Lost dreams
as Vangelis
Lost dreams
as Vangelis
Oi 900 tis Marinas
as Partsaklis
Oi 900 tis Marinas
as Partsaklis
Diamanto
as Karderinas
Diamanto
as Karderinas
Who Is Margarita?
as Grigoris Ladias
Who Is Margarita?
as Grigoris Ladias
Sharp as a Needle
as Detective Van Gray
Sharp as a Needle
as Detective Van Gray
The mother's curse
The mother's curse
The Wastrels
The Wastrels
Love Games
as hotel owner
Love Games
as hotel owner
The Dawn of Triumph
as Περιπτεράς
The Dawn of Triumph
as Περιπτεράς
Desires in the Straw
Desires in the Straw
Madalena
as Policeman
Madalena
as Policeman
Three Ladies and me
as receptionist
Three Ladies and me
as receptionist
Thieves Rejoice Only Once
as Salesman
Thieves Rejoice Only Once
as Salesman
For You My Love
as Manetas
For You My Love
as Manetas
Sunday's Date
as Car Workshoper
Sunday's Date
as Car Workshoper
Never on Sunday
as Thanasis
Never on Sunday
as Thanasis
The Underdog
as Janitor
The Underdog
as Janitor
Blind Angel
as Kotsos
Blind Angel
as Kotsos
The Papadopoulou Family
as Spyros
The Papadopoulou Family
as Spyros
The Dervish Boys
as Polydoros
The Dervish Boys
as Polydoros
Mitros and Mitrousis in Athens
as Mitros
Mitros and Mitrousis in Athens
as Mitros
Wandering Jews
as Thomas Kalafatis
Wandering Jews
as Thomas Kalafatis
Mousitsa
as Foivos
Mousitsa
as Foivos
The Policeman of the 16th Precinct
as Thomas
The Policeman of the 16th Precinct
as Thomas
The Uncle from Canada
The Uncle from Canada
Blossoming Almond Tree
as Doctor
Blossoming Almond Tree
as Doctor
Erotic Stories
as Vangelis
Erotic Stories
as Vangelis
Marriage Adventures
as Ice Seller
Marriage Adventures
as Ice Seller
A Water Mrs. Baggelio
A Water Mrs. Baggelio
The Tomboy
as waiter
The Tomboy
as waiter
Karagiozis, the Wronged One of Life
Karagiozis, the Wronged One of Life
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
as Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
as Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos
Happy Bums
as Waiter
Happy Bums
as Waiter
Mimikos and Mary
as Harilaos
Mimikos and Mary
as Harilaos
Holidays in Aegina
as Thodoros' assistant
Holidays in Aegina
as Thodoros' assistant
Poverty can be bearable while living well
as husband
Poverty can be bearable while living well
as husband
The Bus Conductor
The Bus Conductor
Just for One Night
as Sirios's assistant
Just for One Night
as Sirios's assistant
Maria Pentagiotissa
as Papalaris
Maria Pentagiotissa
as Papalaris
Of Fortune The Written
Of Fortune The Written
The Girl Has Got an Uncle
as Taxi Driver
The Girl Has Got an Uncle
as Taxi Driver
The Wooden Shoe, the Gun and the Bow Tie
as Hanos (uncredited)
The Wooden Shoe, the Gun and the Bow Tie
as Hanos (uncredited)
A Girl in Black
as Policeman
A Girl in Black
as Policeman
Experts on the Football Field
as Sailor
Experts on the Football Field
as Sailor
The Ogre of Athens
as Spathis
The Ogre of Athens
as Spathis
The Fairy Tale Girl
The Fairy Tale Girl
The Magic City
as Thanasis
The Magic City
as Thanasis
Καταδικασμένη και από το παιδί της
Καταδικασμένη και από το παιδί της