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.
Movie | The Flight of the Swan | 2011-01-20 | |
Series | Η Θεσσαλονίκη Της Νοσταλγίας Μας | 2009-01-01 | |
Movie | With Heart & Soul | a Father | 2009-10-22 |
Series | Έχω ένα μυστικό... | Κυρ-Κυριάκος | 2008-10-06 |
Movie | A Man for Εverything | Self | 2004-12-03 |
Series | Έρωτας όπως έρημος | 2003-10-07 | |
Series | Peri Anemon kai Ydaton | Λύσσανδρος | 2000-10-05 |
Movie | It's a Long Road | Antonis | 1998-02-18 |
Movie | The Enigma | Linos | 1998-11-16 |
Movie | Ulysses' Gaze | Taxi Driver | 1995-10-12 |
Movie | Quiet Days in August | 1991-09-23 | |
Movie | Θανάσης ο Βομβιστής | Thanasis | 1990-01-01 |
Series | Αστυνόμος Θανάσης Παπαθανάσης | 1990-10-06 | |
Movie | Bed for five | 1989-01-01 | |
Movie | Champion | Thanasis Manaris / Sakis | 1989-01-01 |
Movie | Deputy police officer named Thanasis | 1989-01-06 | |
Movie | Thanasis the Optimist | Thanasis Rodinos / Mother | 1989-01-01 |
Movie | Το Δίδυμο της Συμφοράς | Thanasis | 1989-05-31 |
Movie | Thanasis in the country of Will | Thanasis Pitas | 1988-01-01 |
Series | Βεγγαλικά | 1988-10-10 | |
Movie | Crazy of all Greece | Thanasis Koukouras | 1983-05-31 |
Movie | Thanasis and the Cursed Serpent | Thanasis | 1982-06-10 |
Movie | The Big Cannon | Thanasis Apaloheris | 1981-12-14 |
Movie | Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze | Thanasis Trampas | 1980-12-08 |
Movie | Thanasi tightened your belt even more | Thanasis Maganas | 1980-10-22 |
Movie | The Bald Student | Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos | 1979-01-01 |
Movie | The Wicked World of Thanasis | Thanasis Mpesagiampesas | 1979-03-19 |
Movie | Which Way to the Septic Tank? | Thanasis Papathanasis | 1978-01-01 |
Series | Paraskinio | Thanasis Vengos | 1976-02-24 |
Movie | Thanasis in the land of the cuff | Thanasis | 1976-07-25 |
Movie | The Charlatan | Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris | 1973-12-24 |
Movie | The Man Who Ran a Lot | Thanasis Zevedaios | 1973-01-01 |
Movie | Dictator calls Thanasis | Thanasis Delithanasis | 1973-11-12 |
Movie | Thanasis, Take Your Gun | Thanasis | 1972-09-28 |
Movie | What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi? | Thanasis Karathanasis | 1971-09-23 |
Movie | Holidays in Vietnam | Thanasis Hatzifapas | 1971-02-22 |
Movie | Carefree... Nut | Thanasis | 1971-11-22 |
Movie | One Vengos for All Jobs | Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis | 1970-01-01 |
Movie | Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages | Thanasis Karathanasis | 1970-07-12 |
Movie | Who Thanasis! | Thanasis Trikorfos | 1969-01-01 |
Movie | Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc | Thou-Vou | 1969-04-11 |
Movie | An Unbelievable Sucker | Thanasis Hatzipapageorgakopoulokonstadinogiannopoulos | 1969-01-01 |
Movie | Doctor Z-Vengos | Thanasis | 1968-01-01 |
Movie | Crazy, Nuts and Vengos | Thanasis | 1967-01-01 |
Movie | Come on People | Agathoklis | 1967-05-16 |
Movie | Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000' | Thou Vou (Athanasios Bobas) | 1967-01-30 |
Movie | Ο Παπατρέχας | Polydoros Lagos | 1966-02-28 |
Movie | He's a Mad Mad Veggos | Thanasis | 1965-12-31 |
Movie | The Twins | Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis | 1964-01-01 |
Movie | The Poor Demons | Frixos | 1964-01-01 |
Movie | With Many Children | Polykarpos Kolovos | 1964-01-01 |
Movie | I'll Make You Queen | Antonis Tsilivikis | 1964-10-12 |
Movie | School for Chauffeur Ladies | Babis | 1964-01-01 |
Movie | Ο Καταφερτζής | Kanellos Karabatsas | 1964-11-21 |
Movie | Out Poverty and Good Heart | Thanasis Koutras | 1964-11-11 |
Movie | The Madman | Errikos Delaportas | 1963-01-01 |
Movie | The lucky pants | Thanasis Foukaras | 1963-03-12 |
Movie | O Ippolytos kai to violi tou | Ιππόλυτος | 1963-01-01 |
Movie | Τύφλα Νάχη ο Μάρλον Μπράντο | Stefanos Avgerinos | 1963-11-28 |
Movie | Restless youth | 1963-05-25 | |
Movie | Jack of All Trades, Master of None | Thanasis Birbilis | 1963-09-30 |
Movie | Hooray for Madness | Romeos | 1962-01-08 |
Movie | Γαμπρός για Κλάματα | Loukas | 1962-01-01 |
Movie | The jar | Andreas | 1962-01-01 |
Movie | The King of Gaffes | Frixos | 1962-02-08 |
Movie | The Proud | Priest | 1962-01-01 |
Movie | The Wise Guy | Thrasyvoulos | 1962-01-15 |
Movie | Min eidate ton Panai? | Panagis Papapanagopoulos | 1962-11-19 |
Movie | Hands Up, Hitler | Panagis | 1962-10-31 |
Movie | Runaway Bride | Harilaos | 1962-11-19 |
Movie | Astronauts | Thanasis | 1962-10-15 |
Movie | Δουλειές του ποδαριού | Mitros | 1962-02-20 |
Movie | The mother's curse | 1961-01-01 | |
Movie | Who Is Margarita? | Grigoris Ladias | 1961-01-01 |
Movie | Διαμάντω | Karderinas | 1961-01-01 |
Movie | Sharp as a Needle | Detective Van Gray | 1961-01-01 |
Movie | Οι χαραμοφάηδες | 1961-01-01 | |
Movie | Eftyhos... trellathika! | Manolis | 1961-10-23 |
Movie | Oi 900 tis Marinas | Partsaklis | 1961-01-09 |
Movie | Lisa and the Other Woman | Petros Valdis | 1961-11-13 |
Movie | A mistake in love | Thymios | 1961-08-01 |
Movie | Liar Wanted | Vrasidas | 1961-04-17 |
Movie | Lost dreams | Vangelis | 1961-03-11 |
Movie | Το Κλωτσοσκούφι | Janitor | 1960-03-21 |
Movie | Never on Sunday | Thanasis | 1960-05-24 |
Movie | Blind Angel | Kotsos | 1960-02-02 |
Movie | Papadopoulou family | Spyros | 1960-01-01 |
Movie | Sunday's Date | Car Workshoper | 1960-07-09 |
Movie | Τα ντερβισόπαιδα | Polydoros | 1960-01-01 |
Movie | Μήτρος και Μητρούσης στην Αθήνα | Mitros | 1960-01-01 |
Movie | For You My Love | Manetas | 1960-08-09 |
Movie | Love Games | hotel owner | 1960-11-28 |
Movie | Μια Του Κλέφτη... | Salesman | 1960-09-01 |
Movie | Πόθοι στα Στάχυα | 1960-10-31 | |
Movie | The Dawn of Triumph | Περιπτεράς | 1960-11-14 |
Movie | Three Ladies and me | receptionist | 1960-10-10 |
Movie | Madalena | Policeman | 1960-10-24 |
Movie | Marriage Adventures | Ice Seller | 1959-01-01 |
Movie | Blossoming Almond Tree | Doctor | 1959-01-01 |
Movie | A Water Mrs. Baggelio | 1959-01-01 | |
Movie | The Tomboy | waiter | 1959-01-01 |
Movie | Karagiozis, the Wronged One of Life | 1959-01-01 | |
Movie | Erotic Stories | Vangelis | 1959-03-09 |
Movie | Οι Δοσατζήδες | Thomas Kalafatis | 1959-10-30 |
Movie | Mousitsa | Foivos | 1959-10-09 |
Movie | The Uncle from Canada | 1959-05-02 | |
Movie | The Policeman of the 16th Precinct | Thomas | 1959-05-30 |
Movie | Just for One Night | Sirios's assistant | 1958-01-01 |
Movie | Το Εισπρακτοράκι | 1958-01-01 | |
Movie | Holidays in Aegina | Thodoros' assistant | 1958-03-10 |
Movie | Poverty can be bearable while living well | husband | 1958-02-02 |
Movie | Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining | Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos | 1958-11-10 |
Movie | Χαρούμενοι αλήτες | Waiter | 1958-10-14 |
Movie | Mimikos and Mary | Harilaos | 1958-10-10 |
Movie | The Girl Has Got an Uncle | Taxi Driver | 1957-02-01 |
Movie | Maria Pentagiotissa | Papalaris | 1957-12-29 |
Movie | The Fairy Tale Girl | 1956-01-12 | |
Movie | The Ogre of Athens | Spathis | 1956-03-05 |
Movie | Experts on the Football Field | Sailor | 1956-03-12 |
Movie | A Girl in Black | Policeman | 1956-06-08 |
Movie | The Magic City | Thanasis | 1955-07-18 |