Thanasis Veggos
Acting
Born: May 29, 1927 · Piraeus, Greece
Died: May 3, 2011 (aged 83)
Highest Rated
Biography
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)
Known for
Photos (6)
Movies (118)
Ulysses' Gaze
Taxi Driver
For bread and love
Thanasis
Never on Sunday
Thanasis
I'll Make You Queen
Antonis Tsilivikis
Who Thanasis!
Thanasis Trikorfos
The Flight of the Swan
2011
Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc
Thou-Vou
The Madman of Greece
Thanasis Koukouras
Χίλια Χρόνια Πριν - Βυζάντιο: Η Γιορτή των Καλενδών
1976
He's a Mad Mad Veggos
Thanasis
An Unbelievable Sucker
Thanasis Hatzipapageorgakopoulokonstadinogiannopoulos
The Policeman of the 16th Precinct
Thomas
Experts on the Football Field
Sailor
Μυρτιά
Giannos
The Man Who Ran a Lot
Thanasis Zevedaios
Crazy, Nuts and Vengos
Thanasis
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
Thou Vou (Athanasios Bobas)
O Ippolytos kai to violi tou
Ιππόλυτος
With Heart & Soul
a Father
Runaway Bride
Harilaos
Come on People
Agathoklis
The Ogre of Athens
Spathis
Sharp as a Needle
Detective Van Gray
It's a Long Road
Antonis
The Uncle from Canada
1959
Madalena
Policeman
Dictator calls Thanasis
Thanasis Delithanasis
Καταδικασμένη και από το παιδί της
1955
Min eidate ton Panai?
Panagis Papapanagopoulos
One Vengos for All Jobs
Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis
Happy Bums
Waiter
A Girl in Black
Policeman
The Wooden Shoe, the Gun and the Bow Tie
Hanos (uncredited)
The Charlatan
Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris
The Tomboy
waiter
The Hustler
Kanellos Karabatsas
Holidays in Vietnam
Thanasis Hatzifapas
The Jar
Andreas
Blind Angel
Kotsos
The lucky pants
Thanasis Foukaras
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
Thanasis Birbilis
Diamanto
Karderinas
School for Chauffeur Ladies
Babis
The King of Gaffes
Frixos
Champion
Thanasis Manaris / Sakis
Holidays in Aegina
Thodoros' assistant
The Underdog
Janitor
The Wicked World of Thanasis
Thanasis Mpesagiampesas
Hands Up, Hitler
Panagis
Doctor Z-Vengos
Thanasis
Karagiozis, the Wronged One of Life
1959
Thanasis in the country of Will
Thanasis Pitas
Lisa and the Other Woman
Petros Valdis
The Wise Guy
Thrasyvoulos
Who Is Margarita?
Grigoris Ladias
The Enigma
Linos
Προσοχή! Μας βάλανε μπόμπα...
Thanasis
Thanasis and the Cursed Serpent
Thanasis
The Dawn of Triumph
Περιπτεράς
Lost dreams
Vangelis
Papatrechas
Polydoros Lagos
Just for One Night
Sirios's assistant
The Fairy Tale Girl
1956
The Bald Student
Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos
Sunday's Date
Car Workshoper
The mother's curse
1961
The Magic City
Thanasis
Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages
Thanasis Karathanasis
Bed for Five
1989
Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze
Thanasis Trampas
What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi?
Thanasis Karathanasis
Thanasi tightened your belt even more
Thanasis Maganas
Mousitsa
Foivos
Thieves Rejoice Only Once
Salesman
The Papadopoulou Family
Spyros
The Bus Conductor
1958
Carefree... Nut
Thanasis
Thanasis in the land of the cuff
Thanasis
With Many Children
Polykarpos Kolovos
Quiet Days in August
Νίκος Γκούφας
Poverty can be bearable while living well
husband
Erotic Stories
Vangelis
Love Games
hotel owner
A Water Mrs. Baggelio
1959
Mimikos and Mary
Harilaos
Blossoming Almond Tree
Doctor
Of Fortune The Written
1957
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos
The Dervish Boys
Polydoros
The Twins
Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis
Mitros and Mitrousis in Athens
Mitros
Wandering Jews
Thomas Kalafatis
Marlon Brando Has Nothing On Him
Stefanos Avgerinos
Liar Wanted
Vrasidas
The Proud
Priest
Eftyhos... trellathika!
Manolis
Which Way to the Septic Tank?
Thanasis Papathanasis
Desires in the Straw
1960
Odd Jobs
Mitros
Three Ladies and me
receptionist
Astronauts
Thanasis
A mistake in love
Thymios
Hooray for Madness
Romeos
Out Poverty and Good Heart
Thanasis Koutras
Marriage Adventures
Ice Seller
Thanasis the Optimist
Thanasis Rodinos / Mother
The Girl Has Got an Uncle
Taxi Driver
Groom for Crying
Loukas
The Wastrels
1961
The Madman
Errikos Delaportas
A Madhouse Named "Hellas"
1988
To didymo tis symforas
Thanasis
The Big Cannon
Thanasis Apaloheris
Oi 900 tis Marinas
Partsaklis
The Poor Demons
Frixos
Maria Pentagiotissa
Papalaris
For You My Love
Manetas
Thanasis, Take Your Gun
Thanasis
TV Shows (5)
Self / Appearances (2)
Directing (8)
Who Thanasis!
Director
Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc
Director
An Unbelievable Sucker
Director
The Man Who Ran a Lot
Director
Crazy, Nuts and Vengos
Director
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
Director
Doctor Z-Vengos
Director
Poverty can be bearable while living well
Assistant Director
Writing (1)
Producing (12)
Who Thanasis!
Producer
Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc
Producer
The Madman of Greece
Producer
He's a Mad Mad Veggos
Producer
An Unbelievable Sucker
Producer
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
Producer
Come on People
Producer
Doctor Z-Vengos
Producer
Papatrechas
Producer
Thanasis in the land of the cuff
Producer
Out Poverty and Good Heart
Producer
The Big Cannon
Producer