Olsen Gang

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Scene from the fourteenth and last Olsen Gang film (1998). From left to right: Egon, Kjeld, and Benny.

The Olsen Gang (Danish: Olsen-banden, Norwegian: Olsenbanden, Swedish: Jönssonligan, German: Die Olsenbande) is a fictional Danish criminal gang in the movies of the same name. The gang's leader is the criminal genius and habitual offender Egon Olsen. The other members of the gang are Benny and Kjeld (Kjell in Norwegian). The gang members are harmless and never use violence.

Most of the movies start with Egon coming out of jail and the three guys getting a beer, while planning how to become millionaires. This could be planning to elude an alarm system to get some crown jewels that happen to be in town on display for the moment. Egon often spends time with lawyers or engineers, who provide him with the information he needs - for example, duty rosters for the national public record office. In the early episodes, harsh language and soft-erotica (temptingly dressed women) were more freely used than in later versions which were censored to suit youngsters.

[edit] International versions

The Olsen Gang have been made in Norwegian and Swedish (Jönssonligan) versions too. The original movies were popular in the former GDR and Eastern Europe. The movies often take place in the international crime milieu of Western Europe, which is here often very close to the political elite. For example, in one episode some people with very good connections to politics and the economy (director of bank, etc.) try to make money out of the so-called "butter-mountain". This is highly-subsidized butter unused by the EU, which Egon Olsen gets notice of in prison by a lawyer, who is also detained there and worked for the bank long ago. But as always, Egon - after he succeeds with a genius plan - loses, because he underestimates the power and unscrupulousness of these people.

Almost every time Egon is arrested in the end, because the police cannot get to the "big fish", so they have to find a scapegoat. Superintendent Jensen tells his younger colleague, inspector Holm: "The only thing the police can do, when the real big criminals come by, is offer them protection!". It is sidekicks like this which show the basic satirical view on society and social life, giving those slapstick comedies a special appeal.

The Norwegian versions of the movies also have another character, 'Dynamite Harry', as the little brother of Benny Frandsen -- he's the demolition expert (although his nerves are very easily shaken due to years of having dealt with explosives and alcohol). Harry made an appearance in six Norwegian films, played by Harald Heide-Steen jr. He also appeared in two early Danish Olsen Gang movies, then played by Preben Kaas. In the Swedish Jönssonligan movies Harry showed up in the second movie, and became a regular member of the gang from the next installment on, since the actor who played the original member, a Finn named Rocky, had deceased.

Special mention should be made, perhaps, of the show-down scene of Olsen-Banden ser rødt where Egon and his friends break through the walls of the Royal Danish Theatre, using hammers, percussion drills and dynamite in accord with the festival overture playing in the orchestra.

[edit] Danish Movies

The first 13 movies were directed by Erik Balling, while Tom Hedegaard and Morten Arnfred directed the fourteenth and final Olsen Gang movie. The scripts were written by Henning Bahs, who also worked as a production designer, and Erik Balling.

• Olsen-banden (October 11, 1968)
• Olsen-banden på spanden (October 3, 1969)
• Olsen-banden i Jylland (October 8, 1971)
• Olsen-bandens store kup (October 6, 1972)
• Olsen-banden går amok (October 5, 1973)
• Olsen-bandens sidste bedrifter (October 4, 1974)
• Olsen-banden på sporet (September 26, 1975)
• Olsen-banden ser rødt (October 1, 1976) (This movie contains the famous showdown scene in which the gang bombs, drills, and hammers its way through the opera house's basement in synchronicity with the music of Friedrich Kuhlau's ouverture to the opera Elverhøj.)
• Olsen-banden deruda' (September 30, 1977)
• Olsen-banden går i krig (October 6, 1978)
• Olsen-banden overgiver sig aldrig (October 26, 1979)
• Olsen-bandens flugt over plankeværket (October 16, 1981)
• Olsen-banden over alle bjerge (December 26, 1981)
• Olsen-bandens sidste stik (December 18, 1998)

[edit] Danish Cast

• Ove Sprogøe as Egon Olsen
• Morten Grunwald as Benny Frandsen
• Poul Bundgaard as Kjeld Jensen
• Kirsten Walther as Yvonne Jensen
• Jes Holtsø as Børge Jensen
• Axel Strøbye as Superintendent of police Jensen
• Ole Ernst as Police inspector Holm
• Ove Verner Hansen as Bøffen

[edit] Norwegian Movies

• Olsenbanden Operasjon Egon (1969)
• Olsenbanden og Dynamitt-Harry (1970)
• Olsenbanden tar gull (1973)
• Olsenbanden og Dynamitt-Harry går amokkkkkk (1974)
• Olsenbanden møter Kongen og Knekten (1975)
• Olsenbandens siste bedrifter (1976)
• Olsenbanden for full musikk (1977)
• Olsenbanden og Dynamitt-Harry på sporet (1978)
• Olsenbanden og Data-Harry sprenger verdensbanken (1979)
• Olsenbanden mot nye høyder (1980)
• Olsenbanden gir seg aldri (1981)
• Olsenbandens aller siste kupp (1982)
• …men Olsenbanden var ikke død (1984)
• Olsebandens siste stikk (1999)

[edit] Norwegian DVDs

DVD Cover of the first Norwegian Olsenbanden: from left to right: Benny, Egon, Kjeld.

• Most of the Norwegian movies have been digitally restored. The discs include English & Norwegian Subtitles, 16:9 format and Dolby Digital 1.0 surround sound

• DVD Release List
• Olsenbanden Operasjon Egon (27.10.2004)
• Olsenbanden og Dynamitt-Harry (27.10.2004)
• Olsenbanden tar gull (27.10.2004)
• Olsenbanden og Dynamitt-Harry går amokkkkkk (00.00:0000)
• Olsenbanden møter Kongen og Knekten (01.12.2004)
• Olsenbandens siste bedrifter (01.12.2004)
• Olsenbanden for full musikk (01.12.2004)
• Olsenbanden og Dynamitt-Harry på sporet (08.12.2004)
• Olsenbanden og Data-Harry sprenger verdensbanken (19.01.2005)
• Olsenbanden mot nye høyder (19.01.2005)
• Olsenbanden gir seg aldri (19.01.2005)
• Olsenbandens aller siste kupp (19.01.2005)
• …men Olsenbanden var ikke død (00.00.0000)
• Olsebandens siste stikk (1999)

[edit] Norwegian Cast

• Arve Opsahl as Egon Olsen
• Sverre Holm as Benny Fransen
• Carsten Byhring as Kjell Jensen
• Aud Schønemann as Valborg Jensen
• Pål Johannessen as Basse Jensen (appears in 8 movies)
• Sverre Wilberg as Superintendent of police Hermansen
• Øivind Blunck and Oddbjørn Hesjevoll as Police inspector Holm (appears in 5 movies and 1 movie respectively)
• Harald Heide-Steen Jr. as Dynamitt-Harry

[edit] Unofficial English translation of Danish titles

[edit] External links

• Olsenbandenfanclub Deutschland (Olsen Gang Fan Club Germany)
• Olsenbande-Drehorte (Olsen Gang Film-Locations)
• German Olsen Gang Fansite
• IMDB on the original Danish movie