
Thanasis Veggos
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1927-05-29
Day of Death
2011-05-03 (83 years old)
Place of Birth
Piraeus, Greece
Thanasis Veggos
Biography
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
Acting
(2011)
(2009)
With Heart & Soul
as a Father
(2004)
An All-Weather Man
as Self
(1998)
It's a Long Road
as Antonis
(1998)
The Enigma
as Linos
(1995)
Ulysses' Gaze
as Taxi Driver
(1991)
Quiet Days in August
as Νίκος Γκούφας
(1990)
Θανάσης ο Βομβιστής
as Thanasis
(1989)
Champion
as Thanasis Manaris / Sakis
(1989)
Thanasis the Optimist
as Thanasis Rodinos / Mother
(1989)
(1989)
Το Δίδυμο της Συμφοράς
as Thanasis
(1988)
(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)
Thanasi tightened your belt even more
as Thanasis Maganas
(1980)
Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze
as Thanasis Trampas
(1979)
The Bald Student
as Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos
(1979)
The Wicked World of Thanasis
as Thanasis Mpesagiampesas
(1978)
Which Way to the Septic Tank?
as Thanasis Papathanasis
(1976)
Thanasis in the land of the cuff
as Thanasis
(1973)
Dictator calls Thanasis
as Thanasis Delithanasis
(1973)
The Man Who Ran a Lot
as Thanasis Zevedaios
(1973)
The Charlatan
as Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris
(1972)
Thanasis, Take Your Gun
as Thanasis
(1971)
What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi?
as Thanasis Karathanasis
(1971)
Holidays in Vietnam
as Thanasis Hatzifapas
(1971)
Carefree... Nut
as Thanasis
(1970)
One Vengos for All Jobs
as Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis
(1970)
Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages
as Thanasis Karathanasis
(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)
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
as Thou Vou (Athanasios Bobas)
(1967)
Come on People
as Agathoklis
(1967)
Crazy, Nuts and Vengos
as Thanasis
(1966)
Ο Παπατρέχας
as Polydoros Lagos
(1965)
He's a Mad Mad Veggos
as Thanasis
(1964)
I'll Make You Queen
as Antonis Tsilivikis
(1964)
School for Chauffeur Ladies
as Babis
(1964)
Ο Καταφερτζής
as Kanellos Karabatsas
(1964)
The Twins
as Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis
(1964)
The Poor Demons
as Frixos
(1964)
Out Poverty and Good Heart
as Thanasis Koutras
(1964)
With Many Children
as Polykarpos Kolovos
(1963)
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
as Thanasis Birbilis
(1963)
The Madman
as Errikos Delaportas
(1963)
Τύφλα Νάχη ο Μάρλον Μπράντο
as Stefanos Avgerinos
(1963)
The lucky pants
as Thanasis Foukaras
(1963)
O Ippolytos kai to violi tou
as Ιππόλυτος
(1963)
(1962)
Min eidate ton Panai?
as Panagis Papapanagopoulos
(1962)
Runaway Bride
as Harilaos
(1962)
The Proud
as Priest
(1962)
The Wise Guy
as Thrasyvoulos
(1962)
The jar
as Andreas
(1962)
Astronauts
as Thanasis
(1962)
Hooray for Madness
as Romeos
(1962)
Δουλειές του ποδαριού
as Mitros
(1962)
Hands Up, Hitler
as Panagis
(1962)
The King of Gaffes
as Frixos
(1962)
Γαμπρός για Κλάματα
as Loukas
(1961)
Eftyhos... trellathika!
as Manolis
(1961)
A mistake in love
as Thymios
(1961)
Sharp as a Needle
as Detective Van Gray
(1961)
Oi 900 tis Marinas
as Partsaklis
(1961)
(1961)
Who Is Margarita?
as Grigoris Ladias
(1961)
Διαμάντω
as Karderinas
(1961)
Lisa and the Other Woman
as Petros Valdis
(1961)
Lost dreams
as Vangelis
(1961)
Liar Wanted
as Vrasidas
(1961)
(1961)
Μυρτιά
as Giannos
(1960)
Never on Sunday
as Thanasis
(1960)
For You My Love
as Manetas
(1960)
Μια Του Κλέφτη...
as Salesman
(1960)
Three Ladies and me
as receptionist
(1960)
Madalena
as Policeman
(1960)
Το Κλωτσοσκούφι
as Janitor
(1960)
Sunday's Date
as Car Workshoper
(1960)
The Dawn of Triumph
as Περιπτεράς
(1960)
Papadopoulou family
as Spyros
(1960)
Τα ντερβισόπαιδα
as Polydoros
(1960)
Love Games
as hotel owner
(1960)
Blind Angel
as Kotsos
(1960)
(1960)
Μήτρος και Μητρούσης στην Αθήνα
as Mitros
(1959)
The Policeman of the 16th Precinct
as Thomas
(1959)
Erotic Stories
as Vangelis
(1959)
Mousitsa
as Foivos
(1959)
Marriage Adventures
as Ice Seller
(1959)
The Tomboy
as waiter
(1959)
(1959)
(1959)
Blossoming Almond Tree
as Doctor
(1959)
Οι Δοσατζήδες
as Thomas Kalafatis
(1959)
(1958)
Holidays in Aegina
as Thodoros' assistant
(1958)
Mimikos and Mary
as Harilaos
(1958)
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
as Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos
(1958)
(1958)
Χαρούμενοι αλήτες
as Waiter
(1958)
Just for One Night
as Sirios's assistant
(1958)
(1957)
The Girl Has Got an Uncle
as Taxi Driver
(1957)
(1957)
Maria Pentagiotissa
as Papalaris
(1957)
The Wooden Shoe, the Gun and the Bow Tie
as Hanos (uncredited)
(1956)
The Ogre of Athens
as Spathis
(1956)
A Girl in Black
as Policeman
(1956)
Experts on the Football Field
as Sailor
(1956)
(1955)
The Magic City
as Thanasis
Crew
(1983)
Crazy of all Greece
Producer
(1981)
The Big Cannon
Writer, Producer
(1976)
Thanasis in the land of the cuff
Producer
(1973)
The Man Who Ran a Lot
Director
(1969)
An Unbelievable Sucker
Director, Producer
(1969)
Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc
Director, Producer
(1969)
Who Thanasis!
Director, Producer
(1968)
Doctor Z-Vengos
Producer, Director
(1967)
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
Director, Producer
(1967)
Crazy, Nuts and Vengos
Director
(1967)
Come on People
Producer
(1966)
Ο Παπατρέχας
Producer
(1965)
He's a Mad Mad Veggos
Producer
(1964)
Out Poverty and Good Heart
Producer
(1958)
Poverty can be bearable while living well
Assistant Director