Sven-Ole Thorsen

Last updated

Sven-Ole Thorsen
Born (1944-09-24) 24 September 1944 (age 79)
Occupation(s) Actor, bodybuilder, stuntman, strongman
Years active1977–2011
Height6 ft 3.5 in (192 cm)
SpousesAnniqa in the 70s = Birgitta Sunding
ChildrenMichael and Martin
Competition record
Strongman
Representing Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark
Denmark's Strongest Man
1st1983
Europe's Strongest Man
10th1982

Sven-Ole Thorsen (born 24 September 1944) is a Danish former actor, stuntman, bodybuilder and strongman competitor. Thorsen won Denmark's Strongest Man in 1983. [1]

Contents

Using his stature he often plays imposing giants and villains in his films who are somehow beaten by smaller opponents in a David and Goliath manner, but he has also played heroic characters such as Gunnar the legendary warrior in The Viking Sagas . His autobiography Stærk mand i Hollywood (Strong Man in Hollywood) was published on 26 October 2007, and was very well reviewed. The first printing of the book reportedly sold out in 24 hours. [2] [3]

Career

He is known for his frequent appearances in movies featuring close friend Arnold Schwarzenegger, like Conan the Barbarian , as the hammer-wielding Thorgrim; The Running Man , as the ultimately-sympathetic bodyguard Sven; and in Predator as a Soviet advisor that executes a hostage. His other characters have included the boater-wearing security guard La Fours in Mallrats , the unbeaten fighting legend Tigris of Gaul in Gladiator , Lt. Michael 'Tank' Ellis, Ground Assault Unit in Captain Power , to the menacing alien villain Secundus in Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe , who is always hunting for the Anti-Life Equation without any success.

Thorsen has been credited in fifteen Arnold Schwarzenegger movies (as of 2006) (twelve as actor, three as stuntman or trainer), making him Schwarzenegger's most frequent collaborator. It began with Conan the Barbarian, when Schwarzenegger brought Thorsen and other of his bodybuilder friends (like Franco Columbu) with him to shoot the movie. Later, when Thorsen moved to the United States, he met Schwarzenegger again while he was acting in the movie Commando . Thorsen helped with some of the stuntwork in that movie, and quickly found work in many of the subsequent Schwarzenegger films.

In spite of Thorsen's thick Danish accent, his voice is almost never dubbed (an exception being Hard Target ). Thorsen pursued his role as Tigris (of Gaul) in Gladiator for over a year, beating Lou Ferrigno for the part.[ citation needed ] The part won him two TAURUS World Stunt Awards [4] in the ceremony's inaugural year.

Thorsen has founded various federations, including The Danish Bodybuilding Federation in 1979 and Cigar Night at Schatzi in Santa Monica, California along with Schwarzenegger. He has a black belt in Shotokan karate and holds championship titles.[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Thorsen is 192 centimetres (6 feet, 3.5 inches) tall and while appearing in Conan the Barbarian (1982) he weighed 138 kilograms (304 lbs), according to his autobiography (page 24 & 110). [5]

Thorsen lives in Santa Monica, California and had two dogs, a Jack Russell Terrier named Jake and an American Bull Terrier named Cleo (now deceased). He won the Danish "Show of Winners" Award of the Year 2006, honouring people who have a special affiliation with dogs. [6]

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
1977 Pas på ryggen, professor (Mind Your Back, Professor)Russisk Håndlanger (Russian Henchman)
1982 Conan the Barbarian Thorgrim(as Sven Ole Thorsen) [1]
1984 Conan the Destroyer Togra(as Sven Ole Thorsen) [1]
1985 Red Sonja StuntmanStunts (uncredited) [1]
1986 Raw Deal a.k.a. Triple IdentityPatrovita's Bearded Bodyguard (uncredited)Stunts [1]
1987 Lethal Weapon Mercenary(as Sven Thorsen)
Predator Russian Officer (uncredited) [1]
The Running Man Sven(as Sven Thorsen) [1]
Overboard Olaf, Stayton Flunky (uncredited)
1988 Red Heat Nikolai, Georgian Mafia [1]
Twins Sam Klane [1]
1989 Pink Cadillac Birthright Thug
Ghostbusters II StuntmanStunts
1990 The Hunt for Red October Russian Chief of The Red October
Total Recall TrainerTrainer [1]
1991 Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe Secundus(as Sven Ole-Thorsen)
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man David
Terminator 2: Judgment Day Galleria Security Guard [1]
1992 Death Becomes Her StuntmanStunts (uncredited)
Dead On: Relentless II a.k.a. Relentless II: Dead OnPatrick Vergano, MechanicStunts
Lethal Weapon 3 Henchman #2
Bram Stoker's Dracula StuntmanStunts (as Sven Thorsen)
1993 Cyborg 2 Doorman(as Sven Thorsen)
Nowhere to Run Prisoner
Nemesis Cyborg Interrogating Old Woman (uncredited)Stunts
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story The Demon
Last Action Hero Gunman [1]
Hard Target Stephan
1994A Little Tailor's Christmas StorySchultz
The DangerousSven
On Deadly Ground Otto(as Swen-Ole Thorsen)
A Low Down Dirty Shame a.k.a. Mister CoolMob Boss' Bodyguard (uncredited)Stunts (as Sven Thorsen)
1995 The Viking Sagas a.k.a. The Icelandic SagasGunnar
No Exit a.k.a. Fatal CombatDarcona
The Quick and the Dead "Swede" Gutzon
Mallrats La FoursStunts (as Sven Thorsen)
Heat StuntmanStunts (uncredited)
1996The Undercover Kid a.k.a. How I Saved the PresidentTerrorist #1
Fox HuntHuge Man
Eraser Russian Gunman (uncredited)Stunts [1]
Bulletproof Gunman At Motel (uncredited)Stunts
Jingle All the Way StuntmanStunts (as Sven Thorsen) [1]
1997 Breakdown StuntmanStunts Only
Back in Business a.k.a. Heart of StoneStuntmanStunts Only
Batman & Robin StuntmanStunts Only [1]
George of the Jungle Mercenary(as Sven-Ole-Thorsen)
Kull the Conqueror King Borna
1998 The Bad Pack Sven
Best of the Best 4: Without Warning Boris
Soldier StuntmanStunts Only
Winchell German Man
1999 Foolish Paris
The 13th Warrior Would-Be King
End of Days Thug (uncredited)also Utility Stunts [1]
2000 Ready to Rumble StuntmanStunts Only
Façade a.k.a. Death ValleyGeneral Schweinkopf(as Sven Ole-Thorsen)
Gladiator Tigris of Gaul (Tiger)Won Stunt Award
The Alternate a.k.a. Agent of DeathSecret Service Agent (uncredited)
2001The GristleButcher Boy
Bandits (2001 film) Oregon State Prison Guard On Watchtower (uncredited)
Route 666 Sergei, Russian Hitman
Extreme Honor a.k.a. Last Line of Defence 2Baker's Bodyguard
2002Hollywood Next 8 ExitsThe Landlord
Collateral Damage Bomb Victim (uncredited) [1]
The Sum of All Fears Haft
2003 Masked and Anonymous StuntmanStunts (as Sven Thorsen)
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Machine Gun Mongol (uncredited)
The Rundown a.k.a. Welcome to the JungleGoon (uncredited) [1]
Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision SS Bodyguard(as Sven Ole Thorson)
2004 In Enemy Hands a.k.a. U-BoatU-429: Hans
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story Lumberjack Hit By Ball (uncredited)Stunts (uncredited)
Collateral StuntmanStunt Driver Only
Hidalgo The Laughing Raider (uncredited)
2005 Hostage Hooded Thug Guarding Hostages (uncredited)
2011 Ronal Barbaren (Ronald the Barbarian)The General (voice only)Animated feature

Notes

1 ^ Arnold Schwarzenegger also appeared in this movie.

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
17 October 1986 The A-Team Rolf"Quarterback Sneak" (episode # 5.4)
1987 Captain Power and the Soldiers of the FutureLieutenant Michael 'Tank' EllisEntire series
11 May 1991 The Flash Cyborg Omega"Alpha" (episode # 1.19)
13 May 1996 Nowhere Man Phone Repairman/Assassin"Marathon" (episode # 1.24)
8 February 1997 Baywatch Nights Viking"Frozen Out of Time" (episode # 2.13)
18 March 1997 The Guardian Baiya"Pilot" (episode # 1.1)
1 February 1998 Mike Hammer, Private Eye Rolf (as Sven Ole Thorsen)"The Art of Murder" (episode # 2.3)
21 September 1998 Baywatch Hans Ulpan"Crash: Part 1" (episode # 9.1)
28 September 1998 Baywatch Hans Ulpan"Crash: Part 2" (episode # 9.2)
1999 Biker-Jens i USAas himselfepisode "Hos Sven-Ole Thorsen"
1 December 2000Helle for Høgsbroas himself"Dovenskab" (episode # 1.13)
27 December 2005 Go'morgen Danmark as himself
3 February 2006Showtimeas HimselfEpisode #2.1
17 February 20062 Kaffe, Takas himself
6 February 2006Go' Aften Danmarkas himself
15 March 2007 Andy Barker, P.I. Thug #1Pilot (episode # 1.1)
October 2009Vild med dans (Strictly Come Dancing)first two programs as himself
14 December 2009 Kristian as Sven Ole"Sekten" (episode # 1.5)
13 December 2010Go' Aften Danmarkas himself

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Schwarzenegger</span> Austrian and American actor (born 1947)

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, filmmaker, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder best known for his roles in high-profile action movies. He served as the 38th governor of California from 2003 to 2011 and was among Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2004 and 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conan the Barbarian</span> Fictional character created by Robert E. Howard

Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films, television programs, video games, and role-playing games. Robert E. Howard created the character in 1932 for a series of fantasy stories published in Weird Tales magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franco Columbu</span> Sardinian bodybuilder, powerlifter, boxer, actor, author and producer

Francesco Maria Columbu was an Italian-American bodybuilder, powerlifter, actor, author, producer, and a licensed chiropractor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beefcake</span> Form of glamour photography

Beefcake is a performance or a form of glamour photography depicting a large and muscular male body. Beefcake is also a publication genre. A role a person plays in a performance may be called beefcake. The term was believed to be first used by Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky.

<i>Conan the Destroyer</i> 1984 film by Richard Fleischer

Conan the Destroyer is a 1984 American epic sword and sorcery film directed by Richard Fleischer from a screenplay by Stanley Mann and a story by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway. Based on the character Conan the Barbarian created by Robert E. Howard, it is the sequel to Conan the Barbarian (1982). The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mako reprising their roles as Conan and Akiro, the Wizard of the Mounds, respectively. The cast also includes Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Tracey Walter, and Olivia d'Abo.

Hans and Franz are characters in a recurring sketch called "Pumping Up with Hans & Franz" on the television sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, played by Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kull of Atlantis</span> Fictional character by Robert E. Howard

Kull of Atlantis or Kull the Conqueror is a fictional character created by writer Robert E. Howard. The character was more introspective than Howard's subsequent creation, Conan the Barbarian, whose first appearance was in a re-write of a rejected Kull story.

<i>Kull the Conqueror</i> 1997 film by John Nicolella

Kull the Conqueror is a 1997 fantasy film about the Robert E. Howard character Kull starring Kevin Sorbo. It is a film adaptation of Howard's Conan novel The Hour of the Dragon, with the protagonist changed to the author's other barbarian hero Kull. The storyline also bears similarities to two other Howard stories, the Kull story "By This Axe I Rule!" and the Conan story "The Phoenix on the Sword", which was a rewritten version of "By This Axe I Rule!"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandahl Bergman</span> American actress

Sandahl Bergman is an American actress and dancer. She is best known for her role as Valeria in the film Conan the Barbarian (1982), for which she won a Golden Globe and a Saturn Award.

<i>The Villain</i> (1979 film) 1979 American Western comedy film

The Villain is a 1979 American metrocolor Western comedy film directed by Hal Needham and starring Kirk Douglas, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ann-Margret, Paul Lynde, Foster Brooks, Strother Martin, Ruth Buzzi, Jack Elam, and Mel Tillis. It is a parody of Western films, blended with an homage to the Warner Bros. cartoon Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.

Roland Kickinger is an Austrian actor and bodybuilder from Vienna. Standing 6 ft 4 in tall (1.93 m) and weighing from 250-300 pounds, he has appeared in numerous bodybuilding competitions, fitness magazines and training videos.

<i>Conan the Barbarian</i> (1982 film) 1982 American fantasy movie

Conan the Barbarian is a 1982 American epic sword and sorcery film directed by John Milius and written by Milius and Oliver Stone. Based on Robert E. Howard's Conan, the film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones and tells the story of a barbarian warrior named Conan (Schwarzenegger) who seeks vengeance for the death of his parents at the hands of Thulsa Doom (Jones), the leader of a snake cult.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralf Moeller</span> German actor and former competitive bodybuilder

Ralf Rudolf Moeller is a German actor and former competitive bodybuilder. He is known for his roles of Brick Bardo in Cyborg, Kjartan in The Viking Sagas, the title character in the television show Conan the Adventurer, Hagen in Gladiator, Thorak in The Scorpion King, and Ulfar in Pathfinder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biker-Jens</span> Danish television personality

Jens Romundstad, commonly known as Biker-Jens is a Danish television personality. He is a former professional soldier and educated Civiløkonom. In 2002, he served in Kyrgyzstan with the Royal Danish Air Force in mission Enduring Freedom. Currently he is employed by COOP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Leitch</span> American actor and director (born 1975)

David Leitch is an American filmmaker, actor, stunt performer and stunt coordinator who made his directorial debut on the 2014 action film John Wick with Chad Stahelski, though only Stahelski was credited. Leitch then directed the 2017 thriller film Atomic Blonde, starring Charlize Theron, and 2018's Deadpool 2, the sequel to the 2016 film. In 2019, he directed Hobbs & Shaw, a spin-off of the Fast & Furious franchise, and in 2022 directed Bullet Train, starring Brad Pitt.

<i>Conan the Barbarian</i> (2011 film) 2011 film by Marcus Nispel

Conan the Barbarian is a 2011 American sword and sorcery film based on the character of the same name created by Robert E. Howard. The film is a new interpretation of the Conan myth and is not related to the films featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger. It stars Jason Momoa in the title role, alongside Rachel Nichols, Rose McGowan, Stephen Lang, Ron Perlman, and Bob Sapp, with Marcus Nispel directing. Morgan Freeman narrates the film.

<i>Red Sonja</i> (1985 film) 1985 American epic sword and sorcery film directed by Richard Fleischer

Red Sonja is a 1985 American epic sword and sorcery film directed by Richard Fleischer, and written by Clive Exton and George MacDonald Fraser. Based on the character created by Robert E. Howard, Red Sonya of Rogatino, who also inspired the comic book character of the same name.

<i>Ronal the Barbarian</i> 2011 film

Ronal the Barbarian is a 2011 Danish 3D adult computer-animated fantasy comedy film co-directed by Thorbjørn Christoffersen, Kresten Vestbjerg Andersen and Philip Einstein Lipski, and their third cinema feature.

The 1980 Mr. Olympia contest was an IFBB professional bodybuilding competition held on October 4, 1980, at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia.

Cedric Kennan McMillan was an American IFBB professional bodybuilder and United States Army Instructor. His last victory was the 2017 Arnold Classic.

References