Arve Opsahl (14 May 1921 – 29 April 2007) was a Norwegian movie and stage actor, singer and stand-up comedian.Opsahl began his career as a comedian in 1942, and played numerous roles both on stage and in more than forty movies. He was then chosen to be the head of Olsenbanden, Egon Olsen. He played Egon Olsen in the first movie in 1969, and in all other 13 movies, until the last one in 1999. He is also well known for his role as the old man "Henry" in the Norwegian sitcom Mot i brøstet, airing from 1993-1997. He reprised the role for the reunion film "Tusenårsfesten" in 1999. The revue king, Leif Juster, actually didn't want to use him on stage at first because of his "screaming" voice.
I've never heard of an actor going senile. Have you?
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Fact
1
His name in the "Olsenbanden-films" was by his comrades "Egon", but he called himself "Herr Olsen" towards the others he met in the 14 films. His famous expression in the "Olsen-banden"-films was: "Jeg har en plan!". He have played a lot of comic folk-theater traveling around Norway and Sweden. Best known in Sweden for his performance in the sketch "Pikene fra Lisboa"(Girls from Lisboa). In Norway he is known for his participants with Leif Juster, Kari Diesen and Ernst Diesen in folk-theater and of course in "Olsen-banden" with co-players: Sverre Holm, Carsten Byhring, Aud Schønemann and later on Harald Heide Steen Jr. As a remark Leif Juster did not want to cast Arve earlier because of his "screaming voice". He started out with driving buses and being a light-boy to later starring in the lead roles in film and theater.
2
During the filming of "Olsenbandens siste stikk" (1999), he suffered enormous pain in one of his legs. He still chose to go through with the film as he had the starring role. After filming he was admitted to hospital where the leg had to be amputated as a result of complications from gangrene.
3
He's best known for his role as "Egon Olsen" in the famous film-series about "Olsenbanden" (1969-1999). He's is also very known for the role as "Henry" in the sitcom "Mot i Brøstet" (1993-1997).
4
He's one of Norways best known actors. Had his debut on stage in 1942. His movie debut was in "Hjem går vi ikke" from 1955.
5
He's most known for playing comic roles.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Olsen-bandens sidste bedrifter
1974
Knut (uncredited)
Olsen-banden møter kongen og knekten
1974
Egon Olsen
Bør Børson Jr.
1974
Ohlzén
Olsen-banden og Dynamitt-Harry går amok
1973
Egon Olsen
Barselstuen
1973
TV Movie
Christopher Eisenfresser
Kjære lille Norge
1973
Various
Olsen-banden tar gull
1972
Egon Olsen
Norske byggeklosser
1972
Kleppe
Olsen-banden og Dynamitt-Harry
1970
Egon Olsen
Bedside Story
1970
TV Short
Skulle det dukke opp flere lik, er det bare å ringe...
1970
Henry Bakker, politioverbetjent
I dag død, i morgen rosenrød
1969
TV Movie
Psychedelica Blues
1969
Hans Korsmo
Olsen-banden
1968/II
Egon Olsen
The Smugglers
1968
Karlsen, skipper
Sus og dus på by'n
1968
Slegga
Festival i Venedig
1968
TV Movie
R. N. Fitzmorris, a Marine Officer
Stompa til Sjøs!
1967
Båsen
Kontorsjef Tangen
1967
TV Series
Rørleggeren
Hurra for Andersens
1966
Carl Alfred Andersen
Falne engler
1966
TV Movie
William Banbury
Hjelp - vi får leilighet!
1965
Madsen, vaktmester
Nydelige nelliker
1964
Slegga
Blåjackor
1964
Månsson
Operasjon sjøsprøyt
1964
Bottolph Johansen, kokk
Husmorfilmen høsten 1964
1964
Vintersolhverv
1963
TV Movie
Operasjon Løvsprett
1962
Bottolph Johansen, bilrepratør
Bajaderen
1962
TV Movie
PR-mannen
Prosessen
1962
TV Movie
Titorelli
Oss atomforskere i mellom
1961
Sønner av Norge
1961
Bussen
1961
Måsabjønn
Millionær for en aften
1960
Knut Møller
It Happened One Night
1958
Policeman
Hjem går vi ikke
1955
Svendsen går videre
1949
Himmelen kan vente
2001
TV Movie
Gammel mann
Tusenårsfesten
1999
Video
Henry
Olsenbandens siste stikk
1999
Egon Olsen
Mot i brøstet
1993-1997
TV Series
Henry
The julekalender
1994
TV Series
Good Old Gammel Nok
Ute av drift!
1992
Rasmus Lange
En håndfull tid
1989
Hannibal
Folk og røvere i Kardemomme by
1988
Kjøpmann Berg
På stigende kurs
1987
Politimesteren
'Men Olsenbanden var ikke død!'
1984
Egon Olsen
Olsenbandens aller siste kupp
1982
Egon Olsen
Olsen-bandens flugt - over plankeværket
1981
Nordmand i lufthavnen (uncredited)
Olsenbanden gir seg aldri!
1981
Egon Olsen
Olsenbanden og Dynamitt-Harry mot nye høyder
1979
Egon Olsen
Olsenbanden og Data-Harry sprenger verdensbanken
1978
Egon Olsen
Olsenbanden og Dynamitt-Harry på sporet
1977
Egon Olsen
Olsenbanden for full musikk
1976
Egon Olsen
Bør Børson II
1976
Ohlzén
Glade vrinsk
1975
Olsenbandens siste bedrifter
1975
Egon Olsen
Knutsen & Ludvigsen
1974
Konduktøren
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hurra for Andersens
1966
voice
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Høyt skattet
1999
TV Series
Himself
Mannen som ikke kunne le
1968
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1991
Amanda
Amanda Awards, Norway
Honorary Award
Known for movies
Mot i brøstet (1993-1997) as Henry
Olsen-banden (1968) as Egon Olsen
Olsen-banden og Dynamitt-Harry (1970) as Egon Olsen
$5 Million
