Thanasis Veggos
Born
May 29, 1927
Died
May 3, 2011 (83 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Piraeus, Greece
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
The Flight of the Swan
2011
With Heart & Soul
a Father
2009
Η Θεσσαλονίκη Της Νοσταλγίας Μας
(19 episodes)
2009
Έχω ένα μυστικό...
Κυρ-Κυριάκος · (23 episodes)
2008
A Man for Εverything
Self
2004
Έρωτας όπως έρημος
(1 episode)
2003
Peri Anemon kai Ydaton
Λύσσανδρος · (95 episodes)
2000
The Enigma
Linos
1998
It's a Long Road
Antonis
1998
Ulysses' Gaze
Taxi Driver
1995
Quiet Days in August
Νίκος Γκούφας
1991
Αστυνόμος Θανάσης Παπαθανάσης
(69 episodes)
1990
Θανάσης ο Βομβιστής
Thanasis
1990
Champion
Thanasis Manaris / Sakis
1989
Το Δίδυμο της Συμφοράς
Thanasis
1989
Bed for five
1989
Thanasis the Optimist
Thanasis Rodinos / Mother
1989
A Madhouse Named "Hellas"
1988
Βεγγαλικά
(1 episode)
1988
Thanasis in the country of Will
Thanasis Pitas
1988
Crazy of all Greece
Thanasis Koukouras
1983
Thanasis and the Cursed Serpent
Thanasis
1982
The Big Cannon
Thanasis Apaloheris
1981
Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze
Thanasis Trampas
1980
Thanasi tightened your belt even more
Thanasis Maganas
1980
The Wicked World of Thanasis
Thanasis Mpesagiampesas
1979
The Bald Student
Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos
1979
Which Way to the Septic Tank?
Thanasis Papathanasis
1978
Thanasis in the land of the cuff
Thanasis
1976
Paraskinio
Self · (1 episode)
1976
The Charlatan
Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris
1973
Dictator calls Thanasis
Thanasis Delithanasis
1973
The Man Who Ran a Lot
Thanasis Zevedaios
1973
Thanasis, Take Your Gun
Thanasis
1972
Carefree... Nut
Thanasis
1971
What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi?
Thanasis Karathanasis
1971
Holidays in Vietnam
Thanasis Hatzifapas
1971
Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages
Thanasis Karathanasis
1970
One Vengos for All Jobs
Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis
1970
Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc
Thou-Vou
1969
An Unbelievable Sucker
Thanasis Hatzipapageorgakopoulokonstadinogiannopoulos
1969
Who Thanasis!
Thanasis Trikorfos
1969
Doctor Z-Vengos
Thanasis
1968
Come on People
Agathoklis
1967
Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'
Thou Vou (Athanasios Bobas)
1967
Crazy, Nuts and Vengos
Thanasis
1967
Ο Παπατρέχας
Polydoros Lagos
1966
He's a Mad Mad Veggos
Thanasis
1965
Ο Καταφερτζής
Kanellos Karabatsas
1964
Out Poverty and Good Heart
Thanasis Koutras
1964
I'll Make You Queen
Antonis Tsilivikis
1964
With Many Children
Polykarpos Kolovos
1964
School for Chauffeur Ladies
Babis
1964
The Poor Demons
Frixos
1964
The Twins
Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis
1964
Τύφλα Νάχη ο Μάρλον Μπράντο
Stefanos Avgerinos
1963
Jack of All Trades, Master of None
Thanasis Birbilis
1963
Restless youth
1963
The lucky pants
Thanasis Foukaras
1963
O Ippolytos kai to violi tou
Ιππόλυτος
1963
The Madman
Errikos Delaportas
1963
Min eidate ton Panai?
Panagis Papapanagopoulos
1962
Runaway Bride
Harilaos
1962
Hands Up, Hitler
Panagis
1962
Astronauts
Thanasis
1962
Δουλειές του ποδαριού
Mitros
1962
The King of Gaffes
Frixos
1962
The Wise Guy
Thrasyvoulos
1962
Hooray for Madness
Romeos
1962
The jar
Andreas
1962
Γαμπρός για Κλάματα
Loukas
1962
The Proud
Priest
1962
Lisa and the Other Woman
Petros Valdis
1961
Eftyhos... trellathika!
Manolis
1961
A mistake in love
Thymios
1961
Liar Wanted
Vrasidas
1961
Μυρτιά
Giannos
1961
Lost dreams
Vangelis
1961
Oi 900 tis Marinas
Partsaklis
1961
Διαμάντω
Karderinas
1961
Who Is Margarita?
Grigoris Ladias
1961
Sharp as a Needle
Detective Van Gray
1961
The mother's curse
1961
Οι χαραμοφάηδες
1961
Love Games
hotel owner
1960
The Dawn of Triumph
Περιπτεράς
1960
Πόθοι στα Στάχυα
1960
Madalena
Policeman
1960
Three Ladies and me
receptionist
1960
Μια Του Κλέφτη...
Salesman
1960
For You My Love
Manetas
1960
Sunday's Date
Car Workshoper
1960
Never on Sunday
Thanasis
1960
Το Κλωτσοσκούφι
Janitor
1960
Blind Angel
Kotsos
1960
Papadopoulou family
Spyros
1960
Τα ντερβισόπαιδα
Polydoros
1960
Μήτρος και Μητρούσης στην Αθήνα
Mitros
1960
Οι Δοσατζήδες
Thomas Kalafatis
1959
Mousitsa
Foivos
1959
The Policeman of the 16th Precinct
Thomas
1959
The Uncle from Canada
1959
Erotic Stories
Vangelis
1959
Marriage Adventures
Ice Seller
1959
A Water Mrs. Baggelio
1959
The Tomboy
waiter
1959
Karagiozis, the Wronged One of Life
1959
Blossoming Almond Tree
Doctor
1959
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos
1958
Χαρούμενοι αλήτες
Waiter
1958
Mimikos and Mary
Harilaos
1958
Holidays in Aegina
Thodoros' assistant
1958
Poverty can be bearable while living well
husband
1958
Το Εισπρακτοράκι
1958
Just for One Night
Sirios's assistant
1958
Maria Pentagiotissa
Papalaris
1957
Of Fortune The Written
1957
The Girl Has Got an Uncle
Taxi Driver
1957
The Wooden Shoe, the Gun and the Bow Tie
Hanos (uncredited)
1957
A Girl in Black
Policeman
1956
Experts on the Football Field
Sailor
1956
The Ogre of Athens
Spathis
1956
The Fairy Tale Girl
1956
The Magic City
Thanasis
1955