Acting
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
Film · 2011
With Heart & Soul
Film · 2009
Η Θεσσαλονίκη Της Νοσταλγίας Μας
Series · 2009
Έχω ένα μυστικό...
Series · 2008
Καθρέφτη Καθρεφτάκι Μου
Series · 2006
An All-Weather Man
Film · 2004
Έρωτας όπως έρημος
Series · 2003
About Winds and Waters
Series · 2000
It's a Long Road
Film · 1998
The Enigma
Film · 1998
Steps
Film · 1996
Ulysses' Gaze
Film · 1995
Quiet Days in August
Film · 1991
Προσοχή! Μας βάλανε μπόμπα...
Film · 1990
Police Officer Thanasis Papathanasis
Series · 1990
To didymo tis symforas
Film · 1989
Thanasis the Optimist
Film · 1989
Bed for Five
Film · 1989
Champion
Film · 1989
A Madhouse Named "Hellas"
Film · 1988
Thanasis in the country of Will
Film · 1988
Βεγγαλικά
Series · 1988
The Madman of Greece
Film · 1983
Thanasis and the Cursed Serpent
Film · 1982
The Big Cannon
Film · 1981
Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze
Film · 1980
Thanasi tightened your belt even more
Film · 1980
The Wicked World of Thanasis
Film · 1979
The Bald Student
Film · 1979
Which Way to the Septic Tank?
Film · 1978
Thanasis in the land of the cuff
Film · 1976
Χίλια Χρόνια Πριν - Βυζάντιο: Η Γιορτή των Καλενδών
Film · 1976
Paraskinio
Series · 1976
Dictator calls Thanasis
Film · 1973
The Man Who Ran a Lot
Film · 1973
The Charlatan
Film · 1973
Thanasis, Take Your Gun
Film · 1972
Holidays in Vietnam
Film · 1971
What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi?
Film · 1971
Carefree... Nut
Film · 1971
Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages
Film · 1970
One Vengos for All Jobs
Film · 1970
Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc
Film · 1969
An Unbelievable Sucker
Film · 1969
Who Thanasis!
Film · 1969
Doctor Z-Vengos
Film · 1968
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
Film · 1967
Crazy, Nuts and Vengos
Film · 1967
Come on People
Film · 1967
Papatrechas
Film · 1966
He's a Mad Mad Veggos
Film · 1965
I'll Make You Queen
Film · 1964
Out Poverty and Good Heart
Film · 1964
The Hustler
Film · 1964
With Many Children
Film · 1964
School for Chauffeur Ladies
Film · 1964
The Poor Demons
Film · 1964
The Twins
Film · 1964
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
Film · 1963
Marlon Brando Has Nothing On Him
Film · 1963
O Ippolytos kai to violi tou
Film · 1963
The Madman
Film · 1963
Restless youth
Film · 1963
The lucky pants
Film · 1963
The Wise Guy
Film · 1962
Odd Jobs
Film · 1962
The King of Gaffes
Film · 1962
Min eidate ton Panai?
Film · 1962
Runaway Bride
Film · 1962
Hooray for Madness
Film · 1962
Hands Up, Hitler
Film · 1962
The Jar
Film · 1962
Astronauts
Film · 1962
Groom for Crying
Film · 1962
The Proud
Film · 1962
Diamanto
Film · 1961
Oi 900 tis Marinas
Film · 1961
Eftyhos... trellathika!
Film · 1961
Lisa and the Other Woman
Film · 1961
Who Is Margarita?
Film · 1961
Liar Wanted
Film · 1961
Sharp as a Needle
Film · 1961
A mistake in love
Film · 1961
The mother's curse
Film · 1961
Lost dreams
Film · 1961
The Wastrels
Film · 1961
Μυρτιά
Film · 1961
Madalena
Film · 1960
The Papadopoulou Family
Film · 1960
The Underdog
Film · 1960
Thieves Rejoice Only Once
Film · 1960
The Dervish Boys
Film · 1960
Mitros and Mitrousis in Athens
Film · 1960
Love Games
Film · 1960
Three Ladies and me
Film · 1960
Sunday's Date
Film · 1960
The Dawn of Triumph
Film · 1960
For You My Love
Film · 1960
Never on Sunday
Film · 1960
Blind Angel
Film · 1960
Desires in the Straw
Film · 1960
The Policeman of the 16th Precinct
Film · 1959
Marriage Adventures
Film · 1959
Mousitsa
Film · 1959
Wandering Jews
Film · 1959
The Uncle from Canada
Film · 1959
A Water Mrs. Baggelio
Film · 1959
The Tomboy
Film · 1959
Erotic Stories
Film · 1959
Karagiozis, the Wronged One of Life
Film · 1959
Blossoming Almond Tree
Film · 1959
For bread and love
Film · 1959
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
Film · 1958
Mimikos and Mary
Film · 1958
Poverty can be bearable while living well
Film · 1958
Holidays in Aegina
Film · 1958
Happy Bums
Film · 1958
The Bus Conductor
Film · 1958
Just for One Night
Film · 1958
The Girl Has Got an Uncle
Film · 1957
Maria Pentagiotissa
Film · 1957
The Wooden Shoe, the Gun and the Bow Tie
Film · 1957
Of Fortune The Written
Film · 1957
The Ogre of Athens
Film · 1956
A Girl in Black
Film · 1956
Experts on the Football Field
Film · 1956
The Fairy Tale Girl
Film · 1956
The Magic City
Film · 1955
Καταδικασμένη και από το παιδί της
Film · 1955