Athanasios Veggos (; , ; 29 May 1927 – 3 May 2011) was a Greek actor, filmmaker, comedian, and CEO of Greek film studio Thanasis Vengos Tainies Geliou.
He was born in the Neo Faliro neighborhood of Piraeus in 1927. 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 ("My good man").
Background Veggos was the only son of a power station employee, who had fought with the Greek Resistance in World War II. Vassilis Veggos played an important part in the defense of the Piraeus power station when the Germans attempted to destroy it before departing in 1944, but precisely because of this was dismissed from his job in the post-war purge of leftists. His real surname was "Βέγκος" and, as he had said, he wrote it with ''γγ'' because it looked better in the eyes. Veggos himself was a member of EPON, the youth branch of the left-wing resistance movement EAM, and so served his compulsory military service as an inmate on the notorious prison island Makronisos from 1948 to 1950. On Makronisos he met film director Nikos Koundouros who was also exiled there.
Career Veggos' first appearance in a film was in Windfall in Athens, produced by Michael Cacoyannis, which premiered in Athens as Kiriakatiko Xsipnima on 11 January 1954. Nikos Koundouros gave him a role in Magiki polis in 1954. 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 theatre. 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, and many others, also with surrealist humor, most of them by his own company Θ-Β Comedies (Θ-Β Tainies Geliou) which he 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.
Personal life Thanasis Veggos was married to Asimina and they had two sons. He will always be remembered for the more than 120 films and 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.
Honors and awards 1962, Hellenic Association of Film Critics Award, from Hellenic Critics Association 1971, Best Actor Award, from 12th Thessaloniki Festival of Greek Cinema for the film What Did You Do in the War, Thanasis? 1971, Hellenic Association of Film Critics Award, from Hellenic Critics Association for the film What Did You Do in the War, Thanasis? 1972, Best Actor Award, from 13th Thessaloniki Festival of Greek Cinema for the film Thanasis Take Your Gun 1973, Best Actor Award, from 14th Thessaloniki Festival of Greek Cinema for the film The Charlatan 1991, Audience Award, from the Thessaloniki Festival of Greek Cinema for the film The Calm Days of August 1993, Lifetime Achievement Award, from the Thessaloniki Festival of Greek Cinema 2002, Honoree, Municipality of Korydallos Theatre was named Thanasis Veggos Theatre from the Municipality of Korydallos, Attica 2008, Honoree, Evangelismou Square was named Thanasis Veggos Square from the Municipality of Piraeus, Attica 2008, Commander of the Order of the Phoenix, from the President of Greece Karolos Papoulias 2008, Faces Award, from the TV Magazine of Ethnos 2010, Lifetime Achievement Award, from the Status Magazine 2010, Lifetime Achievement Award, from the Hellenic Film Academy
Filmography
Early movies
Kiriakatiko Xsipnima (premiered 1954), Windfall in Athens (1956) Magiki Polis (1955), Magic City Katadikasmeni ki apo to paidi tis (1955), Condemned even by her child O Drakos (1956), The dragon Oi assoi ton gipedon (1956), The aces of the playground To koritsi me ta mavra (1956), A Girl in Black Echei theio to koritsi (1956), The girl has an uncle To koritsi me ta paramythia (1957), Fairytale girl Tsarouhi, pistoli, papillon (1957), Tsarouhi, pistol, bow tie Maria i Pentagiotissa (1957), Maria the Pentagiotissa Tis tyhis ta grammena (1957 Greek film) (1957) I ftocheia thelei kaloperasi (1958), Having a good time in poverty To eispraktoraki (1958), The little money collector Diakopes stin Aigina (1958), Holidays in Aegina Oi kavgatzides (1958), The brawlers Mono gia mia nychta (1958), Only for one night Haroumenoi alites (1958), Happy streetboys Kathe empodio se kalo (1958), Each obstacle is for good O Mimikos kai Mairi (1958), Mimikos and Mairy To koritsi tis amartias (1958), The girl of sin O Karagiozis (1959), Mr. Punch Gamilies Peripeteies (1959), Nuptial Adventures I mousitsa (1959), The cunning jade Anthismeni amigdalia (1959), Blooming almond tree Ena nero Kyra Vaggelio (1959), Gimme some water Kyra Vaggelio O Ilias tou 16ou (1959), Ilias of 16th precinct Gia to psomi kai ton erota (1959), For the bread and love Oi dosatzides (1959), The tallymen Enas Ellinas sto Parisi (1959), A Greek in Paris To agorokoritso (1959 ), The tomboy O theios apo ton Kanada (1959), The uncle from Canada Periplanomenoi Ioudaioi (1959), Wandering Jewes To rantevou tis Kyriakis (1960), The Sunday appointment Ta dervisopaida (1960), The dervish boys To klotsoskoufi (1960), The plaything Madalena (1960), Madalena Pothoi sta stachya (1960), Desires in the hay Erotika paichnidia (1960), Erotic games Pote tin Kyriaki (1960), Never on a Sunday Treis koukles ki ego (1960), Three dolls and me Oikogeneia Papadopoulou (1960), The Papadopoulos family O Mitros ki o Mitrousis stin Athina (1960), Mitros and Mitrousis in Athens Tyflos Aggelos (1960), Blind Angel I avgi tou thriamvou (1961), The dawn of triumph Oi enniakosioi tis Marinas (1961), The nine hundred of Marina Gia sena tin agapi mou (1961), For you my love Mia tou klefti (1961), Once a thief Horis mitera (1961), Without a mother Poios tha krinei tin koinonia; (1961), Who will judge society ? Diavolou kaltsa (1961), Cunning woman I katara tis manas (1961), The mothers curse Hamena oneira (1961), Lost dreams Ziteitai pseftis (1961), Lier wanted Lathos ston erota (1961), Fault in love I myrtia (1961), The myrtle Diamado (1961), Diamado Eftychos trelathika (1961), Fortunately I went nuts Poia einai i Margarita; (1961), Who is Margarita? Liza ki i alli (1961), Liza and the other girl Doulepste gia na fate (1961), Work to eat O atsidas (1962), The smart one Douleies tou podariou (1962), Odd jobs To pithari (1962), The earthenware jar Yperochi optasia (1962), Beautiful illusion I nyfi to 'skase (1962) Oi yperifanoi (1962), The proud ones
Leading roles Psila ta heria, Hitler (1962), Stick them up, Hitler Zito i trela (1962 ), Hurrah for madness Vasilias tis gafas (1962), King of gaff Astronaftes gia desimo (1962), Silly astronauts Min ton eidate ton Panai; (1962), Anyone saw Panais? Gabros gia klamata (1962), Pathetic son-in-law Anisycha niata (1963), Anxious youth O Ippolytos kai to violi tou (1963), Ippolytos and his violin Tyfla na'chei o Marlon Brando (1963), Marlon Brando doesn't compare Polytehnitis kai erimospitis (1963), Jack of all trades and master of none O trelaras (1963), The nutcase To tixero panteloni (1963), Lucky pants Scholi gia soferines (1964), School for women drivers Oi ftochodiavoloi (1964), The poor demons O polyteknos (1964), Father of many children Exo i ftocheia kai i kali kardia (1964), Poverty and gentle heart Tha se kano vasilissa (1964), I will make you a queen Ta Didyma (1964), The Twins O Katafertzis (1964), The hustler Einai enas trelos ... trelos Veggos (1965), He is one crazy ... crazy Veggos O Papatrehas (1966), The babbler Voitheia! O Vengos faneros praktor 000 (1967), Out-in-the-open Agent 000 Pare kosme (1967), For all to take Trelos, palavos kai Vengos (1967), Crazy, daft and Veggos Doktor Zi - Veggos (1968), Doctor Zi - Veggos Poios Thanasis; (1969), Thanasis who? Ena asyllipto koroido (1969), An amazing dupe Thou-Vou falakros praktor, epiheirisis "Yis Mathiam" (1969), Thou-Vou bald agent, operation havoc Enas Veggos gia oles tis douleies (1970), One Veggos for all the trades O Thanasis, i Ioulieta kai ta loukanika (1970), Thanasis, Juliette and the sausages Diakopes sto Vietnam (1971), Holidays in Vietnam Ti ekanes sto polemo Thanasi; (1971), What did you do during the war Thanasis? Enas xegnoiastos palaviaris (1971), One carefree wacko Thanasi pare to oplo sou (1972), Thanassis, take your gun O anthropos pou etreche poly (1973), The man who ran too much Diktator kalei Thanasi (1973), Dictator calls Thanasis O tsarlatanos (1973), The charlatan O grylos (1975), The jack O Thanasis sti hora tis sfaliaras (1976), Thanasis in the land of slap Apo pou pane gia tin havouza; (1978), What's the way to the refuse dump ? O palavos kosmos tou Thanasi (1979), The batty world of Thanasis O falakros mathitis (1979), The bald - headed student Thanasi sfixe ki allo to zonari (1980), Thanasis tighten up your belt O trelos kamikazi (1980), The mad kamikaze To megalo kanoni (1981), The big cannon O Thanasis kai to katarameno fidi (1982), Thanasis and the accursed serpent Trelos kai pasis Ellados (1983), Daffy of all Greece Made In Greece (1987) ft. Harry Klynn O Thanasis sti hora tou "tha" (1988), Thanasis in the country of "shall" Trelokomeion i Ellas (1988), Mad house Greece To didymo tis symforas (1989), The duo of misfortune Ypastynomos Thanasis (1989), Police lieutenant Thanassis O protathlitis (1989), The champion Prosohi ... mas valane boba (1990), Attention ... they set us a bomb Isyhes meres tou Avgustou (1991), The calm days of August Zoi harisameni (1993), Pleasant life Vimata (1996), Steps To vlemma tou Odyssea (1997), Ulysses' Gaze Ola einai dromos (1998), Everything is a journey To ainigma (1998), The riddle The Lilly's Story (2002) Psychi vathia (2009), A Soul So Deep The Flight of the Swan (2010)
Television series Veggos also played roles in televisual series in the 1990s and 2000s; these were mainly roles of an elder wise person, who gives his advice to the younger ones.
Ta veggalika (1985) ERT Astynomos Thanasis Papathanasis ( 1990 ) ANT1 channel, Police commissioner Thanasis Papathanasis Peri anemon kai ydaton ( 2002 ) Mega channel, About everything Erotas, opos i erimos ( 2003 ) NET channel, Love, like the desert Kathrefti, kathreftaki mou ( 2006 ) ANT1 channel, Mirror Mirror Exo ena mystiko (2008) Alpha TV, I Have a Secret
Theatrical performances and troupes
Performances