TV
Thanasis Veggos
Actor, Producer, Director, Writer, Additional Credits
Born May 29, 1927Died May 3, 2011 (83 years)
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.
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.
Filmography
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | With Heart & Soul · as A Father |
| 2008 | Eho ena mystiko (TV Series) · as Κυρ-Κυριάκος |
| 2002 | Lilly's Story · as Thanasis |
| 2000 | Περί Ανέμων και Υδάτων (TV Series) · as Λύσσανδρος |
| 1998 | It's a Long Road · as Antonis |
| 1995 | Ulysses' Gaze · as Taxi Driver |
| 1994 | Ταύρος με Τοξότη (TV Series) · as (1994) |
| 1991 | 10 Mikroi Mitsoi (TV Series) · as Thomas (1995) |
| 1991 | Quiet Days in August · as Νίκος Γκούφας |
| 1987 | Made in Greece · as Bartender |
| 1983 | The Craziest Guy in Greece · as Thanasis Koukouras |
| 1982 | O Thanasis kai to katarameno fidi · as Thanasis |
| 1981 | The Big Gun · as Thanasis Apaloheris |
| 1980 | Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze · as Thanasis Trampas |
| 1980 | Thanassis, Tighten Your Belt Some More · as Thanasis Maganas |
| 1979 | The Batty World of Thanasis · as Thanasis Mpesagiampesas |
| 1979 | O falakros mathitis · as Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos |
| 1978 | Apo pou pane gia ti havouza · as Thanasis Papathanasis |
| 1976 | Thanasis in the Land of Slapping · as Thanasis |
| 1973 | The Charlatan · as Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris |
| 1973 | Dictator Calling Thanassis · as Thanasis Delithanasis |
| 1973 | O anthropos pou etrehe poly · as Thanasis Zevedaios |
| 1972 | Thanasi, pare t' oplo sou · as Thanasis |
| 1971 | A Carefree Nut · as Thanasis |
| 1971 | Ti ekanes ston polemo Thanasi · as Thanasis Karathanasis |
| 1971 | Vacation in Vietnam · as Thanasis Hatzifapas |
| 1970 | O Thanasis, i Ioulietta kai ta loukanika · as Thanasis Karathanasis |
| 1970 | Enas Vengos gia oles tis douleies · as Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis |
| 1969 | Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation Havoc · as Thou-Vou |
| 1969 | An Unbelievable Fool · as Thanasis Hatzipapageorgakopoulokonstadinogiannopoulos |
| 1969 | Thanasis Who? · as Thanasis Trikorfos |
| 1968 | Doctor Zi-Vengos · as Thanasis |
| 1967 | Pare, kosme! · as Agathoklis |
| 1967 | Help Its Vengos Visible Agent '000' · as Thou Vou (athanasios Bobas) |
| 1967 | It's a Mad, Mad Vengos · as Thanasis |
| 1966 | O papatrehas · as Polydoros Lagos |
| 1965 | Einai enas... trellos, trellos, trellos Vengos · as Thanasis |
| 1965 | Come by on the First of the Month · as Cameo |
| 1964 | The Hustler · as Kanellos Karabatsas |
| 1964 | Forget Poverty and Live It Up! · as Thanasis Koutras |
| 1964 | I Will Treat You Like a Queen · as Antonis Tsilivikis |
| 1964 | O polyteknos · as Polykarpos Kolovos |
| 1964 | Sholi gia soferines · as Babis |
| 1964 | Ta didyma · as Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis |
| 1963 | Tyfla na'hei o Marlon Brando · as Stefanos Avgerinos |
| 1963 | Jack of All Trades, Master of None · as Thanasis Birbilis |
| 1963 | To tyhero pantaloni · as Thanasis Foukaras |
| 1963 | Hippolytus and His Violin · as Ιππόλυτος |
| 1963 | The Madman · as Errikos Delaportas |
| 1962 | Have You Seen Panais? · as Panagis Papapanagopoulos |
| 1962 | I nyfi toskase · as Harilaos |
| 1962 | Psila ta heria Hitler · as Panagis |
| 1962 | Stark Mad Astronauts · as Thanasis |
| 1962 | Odd Jobs · as Mitros |
| 1962 | The King of Gaffes · as Frixos |
| 1962 | The Wise Guy · as Thrasyvoulos |
| 1962 | Zito i trella · as Romeos |
| 1962 | The Urn · as Andreas |
| 1962 | Gabros gia klamata · as Loukas |
| 1961 | Lisa and the Other Woman · as Petros Valdis |
| 1961 | Eftyhos... trellathika! · as Manolis |
| 1961 | Lathos ston erota · as Thymios |
| 1961 | Liar Wanted · as Vrasidas |
| 1961 | Lost Dreams · as Vangelis |
| 1961 | Oi 900 Tis Marinas · as Partsaklis |
| 1961 | Sharp as a Needle · as Detective Van Gray |
| 1961 | Poia einai i Margarita · as Grigoris Ladias |
| 1961 | |
| 1960 | Erotika Paihnidia · as Hotel Owner |
| 1960 | Madalena · as Policeman |
| 1960 | Three Dolls and I · as Receptionist |
| 1960 | Never on Sunday · as Thanasis |
| 1960 | Thieves Rejoice Only Once · as Salesman |
| 1960 | The Underdog · as Janitor |
| 1960 | Oikogeneia Papadopoulou · as Spyros |
| 1960 | The Dervish Boys · as Polydoros |
| 1960 | Mitros and Mitrousis in Athens · as Mitros |
| 1959 | Wandering Jews · as Thomas Kalafatis |
| 1959 | The Policeman of the 16th Precinct · as Thomas |
| 1959 | Love Stories · as Vangelis |
| 1959 | The Cutey-Pie · as Foivos |
| 1959 | Marriage Adventures · as Ice Seller |
| 1959 | The Tomboy · as Waiter |
| 1959 | Anthismeni amygdalia · as Doctor |
| 1958 | Mimikos and Mary · as Harilaos |
| 1958 | Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining · as Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos |
| 1958 | Happy Bums · as Waiter |
| 1958 | Vacations in Aegina · as Thodoros' Assistant |
| 1958 | Poverty Wants to Have a Good Time · as Husband |
| 1957 | Maria Pentagiotissa · as Papalaris |
| 1956 | A Girl in Black · as Policeman |
| 1956 | Experts on the Football Field · as Sailor |
| 1956 | The Ogre of Athens · as Spathis |
| 1956 | |
| 1954 | The Magic City · as Thanasis |