Thanasis Veggos

Born: 1927-05-29

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.


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The Policeman of the 16th Precinct

as Thomas
Released: 1959-05-30

Ilias dresses himself in a police uniform as part of a complex burglary plot. Unfortunately for...

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Never on Sunday

as Thanasis
Released: 1960-05-24

An American scholar in Greece sets about improving the local prostitute with whom he is infatuated.

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Ulysses' Gaze

as Taxi Driver
Released: 1995-10-12

An exiled filmmaker finally returns to his home country where former mysteries and afflictions...

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Madalena

as Policeman
Released: 1960-10-24

Madalena is a tough seventeen-year-old who is forced to take on her father's ferry business...

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Ο Καταφερτζής

as Kanellos Karabatsas
Released: 1964-11-21

Thanasis is part of a mistaken identity featuring an angry brother concerned about his sister's...

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The Flight of the Swan

as uncredited
Released: 2011-01-20

Alexis is an explosive personality, passionate about life, humanity, nature, love and beauty....

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Jack of All Trades, Master of None

as Thanasis Birbilis
Released: 1963-09-30

Thanasis Vengos plays a poor young man that comes to Athens looking for a job. We watch as he...

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Runaway Bride

as Harilaos
Released: 1962-11-19

In her delicate bridal gown and bent on finding her beloved, a determined would-be wife flees...

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Mousitsa

as Foivos
Released: 1959-10-09

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Min eidate ton Panai?

as Panagis Papapanagopoulos
Released: 1962-11-19

Erotic tangles forced Fani and Panai to leave from Athens to Chalkida, there they await new...

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Τύφλα Νάχη ο Μάρλον Μπράντο

as Stefanos Avgerinos
Released: 1963-11-28

An ordinary clerk decides to spend a few days vacationing in a hotel, but when he goes there,...

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Ο Παπατρέχας

as Polydoros Lagos
Released: 1966-02-28

Polydoros Lagos is a janitor in an ordinary Athens' block in the 1960s who's struggling to serve...

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Poverty can be bearable while living well

as husband
Released: 1958-02-02

Two unfortunate friends are desperately looking for a job to survive and eventually marry their...

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Three Ladies and me

as receptionist
Released: 1960-10-10

As the lithe accountant of an haute couture house on the brink of bankruptcy takes three...

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Dictator calls Thanasis

as Thanasis Delithanasis
Released: 1973-11-12

The adventures of a photographer, who undertook to take a photographs of exiled dictator from...

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Help! Vengos Visible Agent '000'

as Thou Vou (Athanasios Bobas)
Released: 1967-01-30

Vengos studies in a secret agents' academy, dreaming of becoming a great spy like 007....

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What Did You Do in the War, Thanassi?

as Thanasis Karathanasis
Released: 1971-09-23

A wild tale of mistaken identity set during the Nazi occupation of Greece and starring the great...

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Lisa and the Other Woman

as Petros Valdis
Released: 1961-11-13

A rich girl leaves her family to avoid marrying the person her father has chosen for her. Her...

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I'll Make You Queen

as Antonis Tsilivikis
Released: 1964-10-12

Antonis Tsilivikis, a stingy construction contractor, neglects his home and wife Eleni and...

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The Dawn of Triumph

as Περιπτεράς
Released: 1960-11-14

A group of resistance fighters during the Occupation, collaborates with a lieutenant who comes...

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A Girl in Black

as Policeman
Released: 1956-06-08

Against the backdrop of a cloudless summer, love's unforeseen complications will entwine an...

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An Unbelievable Sucker

as Thanasis Hatzipapageorgakopoulokonstadinogiannopoulos
Released: 1969-01-01

Thanasis and he will become barber, continuing the tradition of...

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The Magic City

as Thanasis
Released: 1955-07-18

A look at poverty in post-war Athens. Kosmas, a young man living in the slums, constantly tries...

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Marriage Adventures

as Ice Seller
Released: 1959-01-01

Helena (Xenia Kalogeropoulou) returns to Greece after studying in Paris and on the ship home she...

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The Bald Student

as Thanasis Chatziathanasopoulos
Released: 1979-01-01

Thanasis, a family breadwinner who has been working for 17 years at the Ministry of Measure and...

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Thou-Vou Bald Agent, Operation: Havoc

as Thou-Vou
Released: 1969-04-11

Thou-Vou and his new partner, MAP31, accept three imaginary tasks from a cunning director who is...

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The Wise Guy

as Thrasyvoulos
Released: 1962-01-15

Alekos (Dinos Iliopoulos) is in love with Voula (Maria Voulgari) whose brother threatens to kill...

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With Heart & Soul

as a Father
Released: 2009-10-22

Two brothers are fighting on opposite sides during the Greek Civil War.

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Thanasis in the land of the cuff

as Thanasis
Released: 1976-07-25

The movie is about dictatorships in Greece – first, the Metaxas regime (1936-1940), and then the...

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Holidays in Aegina

as Thodoros' assistant
Released: 1958-03-10

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The Ogre of Athens

as Spathis
Released: 1956-03-05

A peaceful, frightened little man is mistakenly identified as "The Dragon", a notorious criminal...

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Sharp as a Needle

as Detective Van Gray
Released: 1961-01-01

Tonis and Rena are loved, but their uncles have objections, as they are deadly competitors in...

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Crazy of all Greece

as Thanasis Koukouras
Released: 1983-05-31

Thanasis works in the café he inherited from his father and hopes that his children will manage...

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It's a Long Road

as Antonis
Released: 1998-02-18

Three stories dealing with three men and their stance towards life, given their personal...

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The Uncle from Canada

as uncredited
Released: 1959-05-02

Waiting to get their lucky break, three penniless musicians, who are already five months behind...

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School for Chauffeur Ladies

as Babis
Released: 1964-01-01

Babis and Dinos have a driving school in partnership with several customers. And while fetching...

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Το Δίδυμο της Συμφοράς

as Thanasis
Released: 1989-05-31

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Liar Wanted

as Vrasidas
Released: 1961-04-17

A sharp altercation will pave the way for a brilliant career when a shameless liar meets his...

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Thanasis, Take Your Gun

as Thanasis
Released: 1972-09-28

A wretch jobber tries to find the money to build the house promised to groom, to repay the truck...

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Eftyhos... trellathika!

as Manolis
Released: 1961-10-23

Charilaos Maraziotis owns a store and owes so much money both to his lenders and to the state,...

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The Tomboy

as waiter
Released: 1959-01-01

Refusing to realise that she has become a lovely sixteen-year-old woman, a gawky tomboy taunts...

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Το Κλωτσοσκούφι

as Janitor
Released: 1960-03-21

A young woman asks from a ship magnate to help her immigrate to Australia but he falls in love...

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Hooray for Madness

as Romeos
Released: 1962-01-08

A good-hearted guy, Romeos, who thinks he's a big "Kazanova", comes out of the madhouse. At the...

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He's a Mad Mad Veggos

as Thanasis
Released: 1965-12-31

When Thanassis leaves the orphanage tries to do various jobs but with no consolidates. A private...

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The Charlatan

as Thanasis / Athanasia / Lefteris
Released: 1973-12-24

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Out Poverty and Good Heart

as Thanasis Koutras
Released: 1964-11-11

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A mistake in love

as Thymios
Released: 1961-08-01

A simple typewriter is familiar with a garage-facing young man, who is recommended to be a big...

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Papadopoulou family

as Spyros
Released: 1960-01-01

Young Alexis Vranas (Stefanos Linaios) returns to Athens form studying abroad and starts working...

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The Girl Has Got an Uncle

as Taxi Driver
Released: 1957-02-01

A young and pretty girl, Violeta, is in love with a kind young artist, Alekos. The feelings are...

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Quiet Days in August

as Νίκος Γκούφας
Released: 1991-09-23

The stories of three lonely people surviving a sweltering summertime in Athens are interwoven in...

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Which Way to the Septic Tank?

as Thanasis Papathanasis
Released: 1978-01-01

A conscientious tanker driver, Thanasis Papathanasis, works hard to help his sister Afroditi...

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Thanasis, Juliet and the sausages

as Thanasis Karathanasis
Released: 1970-07-12

Thanasis (Thanasis Vengos) is an honest working man who has to support his sister’s family as...

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Vengos the Crazy Kamikaze

as Thanasis Trampas
Released: 1980-12-08

A breadwinner, Thanasis Trampas, decides to open a shop renting motorbikes. When the local...

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Πόθοι στα Στάχυα

as uncredited
Released: 1960-10-31

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Διαμάντω

as Karderinas
Released: 1961-01-01

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The mother's curse

as uncredited
Released: 1961-01-01

After the murder of a brutal landowner, and six long years of incarceration, unarmed Tasos...

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Blossoming Almond Tree

as Doctor
Released: 1959-01-01

Against the backdrop of a romantic Athenian Easter at a small neighbourhood in...

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Oi 900 tis Marinas

as Partsaklis
Released: 1961-01-09

In a countryside village, a veteran politician, Damalas, and a young attorney, Ntinos, son of...

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Οι Δοσατζήδες

as Thomas Kalafatis
Released: 1959-10-30

Two friends and expert shop assistants pluck up the courage to start their own business and...

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Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

as Dr. Giannis Papadopoulos
Released: 1958-11-10

Kostas (Dinos Iliopoulos), a small-time lawyer is tasked with accompanying Smaro (Smaroula...

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Who Thanasis!

as Thanasis Trikorfos
Released: 1969-01-01

A kindhearted owner of a shop falls in love with the girl he hires and, eventually, he finds out...

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The lucky pants

as Thanasis Foukaras
Released: 1963-03-12

A police officer arrests pitiable Thanasis, who admits to having stolen the trousers of a happy...

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A Man for Εverything

as Self
Released: 2004-12-03

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Thanasis and the Cursed Serpent

as Thanasis
Released: 1982-06-10

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Mimikos and Mary

as Harilaos
Released: 1958-10-10

The tragic story of a couple that upset Athenian society at the end of the 19th century. Michail...

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The Twins

as Thanasis Soukouroglou / Stamatis Soukouroglou / Boulis Hatzifrydis
Released: 1964-01-01

By a cruel fate, a pair of newborn twin brothers get separated, and one of them becomes a...

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Love Games

as hotel owner
Released: 1960-11-28

A father is desperately trying to tame his young daughter, while she falls for a young man...

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Sunday's Date

as Car Workshoper
Released: 1960-07-09

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Τα ντερβισόπαιδα

as Polydoros
Released: 1960-01-01

Unable to hold down a job for long, two unlucky and perpetually broke friends overhear their...

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Carefree... Nut

as Thanasis
Released: 1971-11-22

In this color comedy Thanasis trying for years to leave illegally for America to make his life...

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The Big Cannon

as Thanasis Apaloheris
Released: 1981-12-14

A masseur whose son is a student in Germany learns that he has become a member of the Neo-Nazi...

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Οι χαραμοφάηδες

as uncredited
Released: 1961-01-01

Exarhos is persuaded by his two lazy brothers to sell their shipyard, and they buy a factory in...

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Το Εισπρακτοράκι

as uncredited
Released: 1958-01-01

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The Wicked World of Thanasis

as Thanasis Mpesagiampesas
Released: 1979-03-19

Seven short stories of everyday madness starring Thanasis Vengos.

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The King of Gaffes

as Frixos
Released: 1962-02-08

A very clever detective is on a mission to find a shipowner's daughter, having as a sole...

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Experts on the Football Field

as Sailor
Released: 1956-03-12

The everyday lives of some international football players before and after a big game.

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Who Is Margarita?

as Grigoris Ladias
Released: 1961-01-01

A girl from the province, who works in a fashion house in Athens, goes to Kos to promote her...

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Crazy, Nuts and Vengos

as Thanasis
Released: 1967-01-01

Thanasis, the waiter of country tavern "The seven brothers", is preparing to marry the Anthoula....

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Thanasis the Optimist

as Thanasis Rodinos / Mother
Released: 1989-01-01

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For You My Love

as Manetas
Released: 1960-08-09

Maroula comes from Syros, established in Athens, to work as a servant in a wealthy home, but the...

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The Madman

as Errikos Delaportas
Released: 1963-01-01

An avid fan of football and fan of Panathinaikos falls for the daughter a fan of Olympiakos. The...

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Hands Up, Hitler

as Panagis
Released: 1962-10-31

Two friends (Thanasis Vengos and Vasilis Diamantopoulos) meet after many years and recollect the...

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The Enigma

as Linos
Released: 1998-11-16

A successful young Athenian lawyer, Theodora, who is the daughter of a general, takes on the...

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Holidays in Vietnam

as Thanasis Hatzifapas
Released: 1971-02-22

Returning from a 3 year captivity in Vietnam, a kind chemist finds his wife married to his boss...

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Maria Pentagiotissa

as Papalaris
Released: 1957-12-29

The hopeless love between Maria Pentagiotissa and a man belonging to a different social class.

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A Water Mrs. Baggelio

as uncredited
Released: 1959-01-01

At the end of 19th century a landlord meets a young woman at a water spring and she wants to...

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Γαμπρός για Κλάματα

as Loukas
Released: 1962-01-01

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Erotic Stories

as Vangelis
Released: 1959-03-09

A modest film of three independent parts showing sad couple stories.

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Μήτρος και Μητρούσης στην Αθήνα

as Mitros
Released: 1960-01-01

Two friends from the province dream of going to Athens. On board the train, however, two...

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O Ippolytos kai to violi tou

as Ιππόλυτος
Released: 1963-01-01

A poor violinist gets involved in a bizarre adventure, when a drunken customer at the night club...

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Come on People

as Agathoklis
Released: 1967-05-16

Thanasis tries to reunite with his wife.He is having for obstacle her mother, which did not want...

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Doctor Z-Vengos

as Thanasis
Released: 1968-01-01

A blunderer barber ends after a misunderstanding to pretend doctor. However the patients...

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The Man Who Ran a Lot

as Thanasis Zevedaios
Released: 1973-01-01

Thanasis Zevedaios (Thanasis Vengos) has a shop with watches and running but not enough! Time...

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With Many Children

as Polykarpos Kolovos
Released: 1964-01-01

A poor waiter struggles to provide for his family, while his wife keeps giving birth to twins,...

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The Poor Demons

as Frixos
Released: 1964-01-01

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Just for One Night

as Sirios's assistant
Released: 1958-01-01

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The jar

as Andreas
Released: 1962-01-01

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The Proud

as Priest
Released: 1962-01-01

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Lost dreams

as Vangelis
Released: 1961-03-11

Two ambitious junior employees from different social backgrounds, an aspiring author and the...

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One Vengos for All Jobs

as Thanasis Hatzikarathanasis
Released: 1970-01-01

An honest man is trying to find a job, but finds it difficult just because of the honesty. The...

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Karagiozis, the Wronged One of Life

as uncredited
Released: 1959-01-01

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Thanasi tightened your belt even more

as Thanasis Maganas
Released: 1980-10-22

Thanasis an honest tax official in the tax office. He can not cope and has trouble providing...

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Astronauts

as Thanasis
Released: 1962-10-15

An eccentric and little crazy professor of astrophysics, helped by his assistant and by a naive...

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Thanasis in the country of Will

as Thanasis Pitas
Released: 1988-01-01

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Blind Angel

as Kotsos
Released: 1960-02-02

Two young people (Christina Silva and Takis Varlamos), living in a provincial town, fall in love...

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Μια Του Κλέφτη...

as Salesman
Released: 1960-09-01

A lawyer goes to Paros to meet his mistress. But trying to get away from her husband, who...

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The Fairy Tale Girl

as uncredited
Released: 1956-01-12

A young girl, who lives in a poor neighborhood with her little brother, falls in love with a...

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Χαρούμενοι αλήτες

as Waiter
Released: 1958-10-14

Two jobbers meet an actor, when the sneak in a theater. The actor is homeless and they invite...

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Champion

as Thanasis Manaris / Sakis
Released: 1989-01-01

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Bed for five

as uncredited
Released: 1989-01-01

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Θανάσης ο Βομβιστής

as Thanasis
Released: 1990-01-01

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Deputy police officer named Thanasis

as uncredited
Released: 1989-01-06

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Μυρτιά

as Giannos
Released: 1961-03-25

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The Wooden Shoe, the Gun and the Bow Tie

as Hanos (uncredited)
Released: 1957-01-01

In 1927, a student in Athens met three young women and broke up with them during pregnancy to...

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Peri Anemon kai Ydaton

as Λύσσανδρος
First aired: 2000-10-05

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Έχω ένα μυστικό...

as Κυρ-Κυριάκος
First aired: 2008-10-06

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Paraskinio

as Thanasis Vengos
First aired: 1976-02-24

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