Ove Sprogøe
Born December 21, 1919 (Age: 106)
•
Odense, Danmark
Biography
Ove Wendelboe Sprogøe Petersen (21 December 1919 – 14 September 2004) was a Danish actor. Born in Odense, his parents were Arthur and Inger Sprogøe. He married Eva Rasmussen in 1945, with whom he had three children. One of these is actor Henning Sprogøe. He made his debut in the film Hans Store Aften (His Big Night). His characteristic prominent chin that had been feared an obstacle of his career did not prevent him from being one of the most versatile and used Danish actors. His strength laid in the almost diabolic, michievous and brash but he effortlessly played meek and shy types as well as elegantiers. Among his many roles on stage in classic plays might be mentioned Mephisto in Faust, the title figure of Strindberg’s The Father and some Molière and Bertolt Brecht characters. An extremely popular actor in Denmark, he played many diverse roles, including several recurring television parts. He appeared in 157 films, making him one of the hardest-working actors in the history of Danish film. In his early years he often was the part of a duo working together with his friend and colleague Dirch Passer. He is probably best known for playing one of the lead roles in the Olsen Gang movies, along with Morten Grunwald and Poul Bundgaard, playing the gang leader Egon Olsen, known for his short temper, striped suit, and cigar. By this role he earned an international fame though mostly in Eastern Europe, in the GDR he together with his colleagues became almost a cult figure. Among his TV roles must be mentioned his elegant and humorous ex-burglar Larsen in the series Huset på Christianshavn (“The House at Christianshavn” - the first Danish sitcom) and his role as the wise and courageous doctor Louis Hansen in the epic, historical drama-series Matador, both also shown outside Denmark. He was an able singer especially in shows or revues and his interpretation of Tim Spencer’s Cigarettes, whiskey and wild wild women (in Danish re-creation: Fandens Oldemor – “The Devil’s Great-Grandmother”) almost became his signature tune. He was an actor who combined great public sympathy with the ability to remain a private person with a modest lifestyle. After his death it was revealed that he had been a passionate art enthusiast and had amassed a valuable collection of modern paintings. Shortly after his death in 2004, Nordisk Film (the company that made the Olsen Gang movies) established a scholarship for actors in his name. The state-owned road to Vridsløselille Statsfængsel (the prison where his Egon Olsen character was a frequent "guest"), was renamed by the city of Albertslund to Egon Olsens Vej (Egon Olsen Road). On 24 October 2005, his native city of Odense named a square Ove Sprogøes Plads (Ove Sprogøe Square) in his honour. And the bar 'Cafe Halvvejen', named a shot in his honor. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ove Sprogøe, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Ove Wendelboe Sprogøe Petersen (21 December 1919 – 14 September 2004) was a Danish actor. Born in Odense, his parents were Arthur and Inger Sprogøe. He married Eva Rasmussen in 1945, with whom he had three children. One of these is actor Henning Sprogøe. He made his debut in the film Hans Store Aften (His Big Night). His characteristic prominent chin that had been feared an obstacle of his career did not prevent him from being one of the most versatile and used Danish actors. His strength laid in the almost diabolic, michievous and brash but he effortlessly played meek and shy types as well as elegantiers. Among his many roles on stage in classic plays might be mentioned Mephisto in Faust, the title figure of Strindberg’s The Father and some Molière and Bertolt Brecht characters.
An extremely popular actor in Denmark, he played many diverse roles, including several recurring television parts. He appeared in 157 films, making him one of the hardest-working actors in the history of Danish film. In his early years he often was the part of a duo working together with his friend and colleague Dirch Passer. He is probably best known for playing one of the lead roles in the Olsen Gang movies, along with Morten Grunwald and Poul Bundgaard, playing the gang leader Egon Olsen, known for his short temper, striped suit, and cigar. By this role he earned an international fame though mostly in Eastern Europe, in the GDR he together with his colleagues became almost a cult figure. Among his TV roles must be mentioned his elegant and humorous ex-burglar Larsen in the series Huset på Christianshavn (“The House at Christianshavn” - the first Danish sitcom) and his role as the wise and courageous doctor Louis Hansen in the epic, historical drama-series Matador, both also shown outside Denmark. He was an able singer especially in shows or revues and his interpretation of Tim Spencer’s Cigarettes, whiskey and wild wild women (in Danish re-creation: Fandens Oldemor – “The Devil’s Great-Grandmother”) almost became his signature tune. He was an actor who combined great public sympathy with the ability to remain a private person with a modest lifestyle. After his death it was revealed that he had been a passionate art enthusiast and had amassed a valuable collection of modern paintings. Shortly after his death in 2004, Nordisk Film (the company that made the Olsen Gang movies) established a scholarship for actors in his name. The state-owned road to Vridsløselille Statsfængsel (the prison where his Egon Olsen character was a frequent "guest"), was renamed by the city of Albertslund to Egon Olsens Vej (Egon Olsen Road). On 24 October 2005, his native city of Odense named a square Ove Sprogøes Plads (Ove Sprogøe Square) in his honour. And the bar 'Cafe Halvvejen', named a shot in his honor.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Ove Sprogøe, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
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Filmography
The Olsen Gang's Last Trick
1998
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as Egon Olsen
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Age: 78
Barbara
1997
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as
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Age: 77
No Image
Charlot og Charlotte
1996
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as Grev Birksted
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Age: 76
Kærlighed ved første desperate blik
1994
•
as
•
Age: 74
Crumb at a Gallop
1992
•
as Anders
•
Age: 72
Jasper's Ghost
1992
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as The Ghost
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Age: 72
War of the Birds
1990
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as The Male Magpie (voice)
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Age: 70
Elvis Hansen, en samfundshjælper
1988
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as Knudsen
•
Age: 68
Hip Hip Hurrah!
1987
•
as Bonatzi
•
Age: 67
Final Act
1987
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as
•
Age: 67
Når engle elsker
1985
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as Gabriel, Archangel
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Age: 66
The Olsen Gang Long Gone
1981
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as Egon Olsen
•
Age: 62
The Olsen Gang Jumps the Fence
1981
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as Egon Olsen
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Age: 61
Stepping Out
1981
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as Larsen
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Age: 61
Danmark er lukket
1980
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as Speaker
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Age: 60
No Image
The Thralls' Children
1980
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as
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Age: 60
The Olsen Gang Goes to War
1978
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as Egon Olsen
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Age: 58
Mirror, Mirror
1978
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as
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Age: 58
You Are Not Alone
1978
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as Kim's Father / Superintendent
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Age: 58
No Image
Bandefører Balling
1978
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as
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Age: 58
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang
1974
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as Egon Olsen
•
Age: 54
Et dukkehjem
1974
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as Sagfører Krogstad
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Age: 54
The Hour of Parting
1973
•
as Michael Jacobsen
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Age: 53
No Image
I Adams verden
1973
•
as
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Age: 53
The Olsen Gang Runs Amok
1973
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as Egon Olsen
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Age: 53
Nu går den på Dagmar
1972
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as
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Age: 52
Lenin, You Rascal, You
1972
•
as Mulligan
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Age: 52
Revolutionen i vandkanten
1971
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as Mand fra en anden klode
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Age: 51
Tintin and the Temple of the Sun
1969
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as Dupond/Dupont (stemme)
•
Age: 49
Five and the Spies
1969
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as Onkel Quentin
•
Age: 49
No Image
Toppen og bolden
1969
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as Fortæller (voice)
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Age: 49
The Olsen Gang in a Fix
1969
•
as Egon Olsen
•
Age: 49
The Egborg Girl
1969
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as Advokat Kurt Mikkelsen
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Age: 49
Fun in the Streets
1969
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as "Fløjten"
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Age: 49
Along Came a Soldier
1969
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as Baron Royal King von Konig
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Age: 49
Kys til højre og venstre
1969
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as Ruths Husband
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Age: 49
No Image
Days in My Father's House
1968
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as Gunnar
•
Age: 48
Strike First Freddy
1965
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as David Smith
•
Age: 46
Een pige og 39 sømænd
1965
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as Andersen
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Age: 45
Mor bag rattet
1965
•
as
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Age: 45
The Girl and the Playboy
1965
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as Andresen - advokat
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Age: 45
It's Nifty in the Navy
1965
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as Knud Hansen
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Age: 45
Passer Babysitting Girls
1965
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as Thorbjørn Hansen
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Age: 45
En ven i bolignøden
1965
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as Børge Blom
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Age: 45
Don Olsen kommer til byen
1964
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as Brandmand
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Age: 44
Summer in Tyrol
1964
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as Sigismund Sülzheimer
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Age: 44
Når enden er go'
1964
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as Thør
•
Age: 44
The Major's Guard
1964
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as Major Clausen
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Age: 44
Dust for all the Money
1963
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as Thorbjørn Hansen
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Age: 43
Bussen
1963
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as Vik
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Age: 43
A Day Without Lies
1963
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as
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Age: 43
Frøken Nitouche
1963
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as Ferdinand Piper, teaterdirektør
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Age: 43
April
1963
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as Lægeforsker Vagn Jochumsen
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Age: 43
Peters landlov
1963
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as Direktør William H. Schmidt
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Age: 43
The Queen's Guardsman
1963
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as Tam, "Kulsoen"s mand
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Age: 43
Vi har det jo dejligt
1963
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as Opfinderen
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Age: 43
The Girl and the Press Photographer
1963
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as Madsen
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Age: 43
Drømmen om det hvide slot
1962
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as Johan
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Age: 43
Oskar
1962
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as Direktør Bernhard Bang
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Age: 42
Still Dust on the Brain
1962
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as Thorbjørn Hansen
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Age: 42
Det stod i avisen
1962
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as Læge S. Gregersen
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Age: 42
Sømænd og svigermødre
1962
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as Peter Jensen - Kanustis ven
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Age: 42
Crazy Paradise
1962
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as Simon
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Age: 42
Journey to the Seventh Planet
1962
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as Barry O'Sullivan
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Age: 42
Lykkens musikanter
1962
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as Havemand Texas
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Age: 42
The Musketeers
1961
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as Tam
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Age: 41
Dust on the Brain
1961
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as Hr. Thorbjørn Hansen
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Age: 41
Sorte Shara
1961
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as Tom
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Age: 41
Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør
1961
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as Anton
•
Age: 41
Forelsket i København
1960
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as Carni
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Age: 40
Baronessen fra benzintanken
1960
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as Lars Tofte
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Age: 40
The Greeneyed Elephant
1960
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as Tolderen
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Age: 40
The Poet and Lillemor and Lotte
1960
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as Anton
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Age: 40
Charley's Aunt
1959
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as Charles Smith
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Age: 39
Onkel Bill fra New York
1959
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as Johnny Jensen
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Age: 39
The Poet and the Little Mother
1959
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as Anton
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Age: 39
Styrmand Karlsen
1958
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as Ole Olsen
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Age: 38
Den kloge mand
1956
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as
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Age: 36
Færgekroen
1956
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as Lars Tofte, kroejer og færgemand
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Age: 36
Kispus
1956
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as Max Møller
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Age: 36
Hvad vil De ha'?
1956
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as Gæst hos Hansens
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Age: 36
Det var paa Rundetaarn
1955
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as Hans Ramløse
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Age: 36
På tro og love
1955
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as Henry
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Age: 35
Det er så yndigt at følges ad
1954
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as
•
Age: 34
I kongens klæ'r
1954
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as Jens Rasmussen - rekrut 65
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Age: 34
Father of Four
1953
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as Bager Høst
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Age: 33
Ved Kongelunden...
1953
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as Vognstyrer Iversen
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Age: 33
Den gamle mølle paa Mols
1953
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as Buschauffør
•
Age: 33
Vi som går køkkenvejen
1953
•
as
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Age: 33
The Tove Andersen Criminal Case
1953
•
as Nolle
•
Age: 33
Smedestræde 4
1950
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as Ejnar - Pouls ven - cyklebud
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Age: 30
No Image
En dag i radioen
1950
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as En maler
•
Age: 30
The Red Horses
1950
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as Niels Peter Dalum, Oles medstuderende
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Age: 30