Thanasis Veggos
Thanasis Veggos (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.
Known For
Credits
- 2011 · The Flight of the Swan as
- 2009 · With Heart & Soul as a Father
- 2009 · Η Θεσσαλονίκη Της Νοσταλγίας Μας as
- 2008 · Έχω ένα μυστικό... as Κυρ-Κυριάκος
- 2004 · A Man for Εverything as Self
- 2003 · Έρωτας όπως έρημος as
- 2000 · Peri Anemon kai Ydaton as Λύσσανδρος
- 1998 · The Enigma as Linos
- 1998 · It's a Long Road as Antonis
- 1995 · Ulysses' Gaze as Taxi Driver
- 1991 · Quiet Days in August as
- 1990 · Αστυνόμος Θανάσης Παπαθανάσης as
- 1990 · Θανάσης ο Βομβιστής as Thanasis
- 1989 · Το Δίδυμο της Συμφοράς as Thanasis
- 1989 · Deputy police officer named Thanasis as
- 1989 · Champion as Thanasis Manaris / Sakis
- 1989 · Bed for five as
- 1989 · Thanasis the Optimist as Thanasis Rodinos / Mother
- 1988 · Βεγγαλικά as
- 1988 · Thanasis in the country of Will as Thanasis Pitas
- 1983 · Crazy of all Greece as Thanasis Koukouras
- 1982 · Thanasis and the Cursed Serpent as Thanasis
- 1981 · The Big Cannon as Thanasis Apaloheris
- 1980 · Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze as Thanasis Trampas
- 1980 · Thanasi tightened your belt even more as Thanasis Maganas
- 1979 · The Wicked World of Thanasis as Thanasis Mpesagiampesas
- 1979 · The Bald Student as Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos
- 1978 · Which Way to the Septic Tank? as Thanasis Papathanasis
- 1976 · Thanasis in the land of the cuff as Thanasis
- 1976 · Paraskinio as Thanasis Vengos
- 1973 · The Charlatan as Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris
- 1973 · Dictator calls Thanasis as Thanasis Delithanasis
- 1973 · The Man Who Ran a Lot as Thanasis Zevedaios
- 1972 · Thanasis, Take Your Gun as Thanasis
- 1971 · Carefree... Nut as Thanasis
- 1971 · What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi? as Thanasis Karathanasis
- 1971 · Holidays in Vietnam as Thanasis Hatzifapas
- 1970 · Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages as Thanasis Karathanasis
- 1970 · One Vengos for All Jobs as Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis
- 1969 · Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc as Thou-Vou
- 1969 · An Unbelievable Sucker as Thanasis Hatzipapageorgakopoulokonstadinogiannopoulos
- 1969 · Who Thanasis! as Thanasis Trikorfos
- 1968 · Doctor Z-Vengos as Thanasis
- 1967 · Come on People as Agathoklis
- 1967 · Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000' as Thou Vou (Athanasios Bobas)
- 1967 · Crazy, Nuts and Vengos as Thanasis
- 1966 · Ο Παπατρέχας as Polydoros Lagos
- 1965 · He's a Mad Mad Veggos as Thanasis
- 1964 · Ο Καταφερτζής as Kanellos Karabatsas
- 1964 · Out Poverty and Good Heart as Thanasis Koutras
- 1964 · I'll Make You Queen as Antonis Tsilivikis
- 1964 · School for Chauffeur Ladies as Babis
- 1964 · The Twins as Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis
- 1964 · The Poor Demons as Frixos
- 1964 · With Many Children as Polykarpos Kolovos
- 1963 · Τύφλα Νάχη ο Μάρλον Μπράντο as Stefanos Avgerinos
- 1963 · Jack of All Trades, Master of None as Thanasis Birbilis
- 1963 · Restless youth as
- 1963 · The lucky pants as Thanasis Foukaras
- 1963 · The Madman as Errikos Delaportas
- 1963 · O Ippolytos kai to violi tou as Ιππόλυτος
- 1962 · Min eidate ton Panai? as Panagis Papapanagopoulos
- 1962 · Runaway Bride as Harilaos
- 1962 · Hands Up, Hitler as Panagis
- 1962 · Astronauts as Thanasis
- 1962 · Δουλειές του ποδαριού as Mitros
- 1962 · The King of Gaffes as Frixos
- 1962 · The Wise Guy as Thrasyvoulos
- 1962 · Hooray for Madness as Romeos
- 1962 · The jar as Andreas
- 1962 · The Proud as Priest
- 1962 · Γαμπρός για Κλάματα as Loukas
- 1961 · Lisa and the Other Woman as Petros Valdis
- 1961 · Eftyhos... trellathika! as Manolis
- 1961 · A mistake in love as Thymios
- 1961 · Liar Wanted as Vrasidas
- 1961 · Μυρτιά as Giannos
- 1961 · Lost dreams as Vangelis
- 1961 · Oi 900 tis Marinas as Partsaklis
- 1961 · Who Is Margarita? as Grigoris Ladias
- 1961 · The mother's curse as
- 1961 · Sharp as a Needle as Detective Van Gray
- 1961 · Διαμάντω as Karderinas
- 1961 · Οι χαραμοφάηδες as
- 1960 · Love Games as hotel owner
- 1960 · The Dawn of Triumph as Περιπτεράς
- 1960 · Πόθοι στα Στάχυα as
- 1960 · Madalena as Policeman
- 1960 · Three Ladies and me as receptionist
- 1960 · Μια Του Κλέφτη... as Salesman
- 1960 · For You My Love as Manetas
- 1960 · Sunday's Date as Car Workshoper
- 1960 · Never on Sunday as Thanasis
- 1960 · Το Κλωτσοσκούφι as Janitor
- 1960 · Blind Angel as Kotsos
- 1960 · Papadopoulou family as Spyros
- 1960 · Μήτρος και Μητρούσης στην Αθήνα as Mitros
- 1960 · Τα ντερβισόπαιδα as Polydoros
- 1959 · Οι Δοσατζήδες as Thomas Kalafatis
- 1959 · Mousitsa as Foivos
- 1959 · The Policeman of the 16th Precinct as Thomas
- 1959 · The Uncle from Canada as
- 1959 · Erotic Stories as Vangelis
- 1959 · The Tomboy as waiter
- 1959 · Karagiozis, the Wronged One of Life as
- 1959 · Blossoming Almond Tree as Doctor
- 1959 · A Water Mrs. Baggelio as
- 1959 · Marriage Adventures as Ice Seller
- 1958 · Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining as Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos
- 1958 · Χαρούμενοι αλήτες as Waiter
- 1958 · Mimikos and Mary as Harilaos
- 1958 · Holidays in Aegina as Thodoros' assistant
- 1958 · Poverty can be bearable while living well as husband
- 1958 · Just for One Night as Sirios's assistant
- 1958 · Το Εισπρακτοράκι as
- 1957 · Maria Pentagiotissa as Papalaris
- 1957 · The Girl Has Got an Uncle as Taxi Driver
- 1957 · The Wooden Shoe, the Gun and the Bow Tie as Hanos (uncredited)
- 1956 · A Girl in Black as Policeman
- 1956 · Experts on the Football Field as Sailor
- 1956 · The Ogre of Athens as Spathis
- 1956 · The Fairy Tale Girl as
- 1955 · The Magic City as Thanasis