Sven-Ole Thorsen

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]

Sven-Ole Thorsen
Born (1944-09-24) 24 September 1944
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  Denmark
Denmark's Strongest Man
1st 1983
Europe's Strongest Man
10th 1982

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. 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.

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

Year Film Role Notes
1977Pas på ryggen, professor (Mind Your Back, Professor)Russisk Håndlanger (Russian Henchman)
1982Conan the BarbarianThorgrim(as Sven Ole Thorsen)[1]
1984Conan the DestroyerTogra(as Sven Ole Thorsen)[1]
1985Red SonjaStuntmanStunts (uncredited)[1]
1986Raw Deal a.k.a. Triple IdentityPatrovita's Bearded Bodyguard (uncredited)Stunts[1]
1987 Lethal WeaponMercenary(as Sven Thorsen)
PredatorRussian Officer (uncredited)[1]
The Running ManSven(as Sven Thorsen)[1]
OverboardOlaf, Stayton Flunky (uncredited)
1988 Red HeatNikolai, Georgian Mafia[1]
TwinsSam Klane[1]
1989 Pink CadillacBirthright Thug
Ghostbusters IIStuntmanStunts
1990 The Hunt for Red OctoberRussian Chief of The Red October
Total RecallTrainerTrainer[1]
1991 Abraxas, Guardian of the UniverseSecundus(as Sven Ole-Thorsen)
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro ManDavid
Terminator 2: Judgment DayGalleria Security Guard[1]
1992 Death Becomes HerStuntmanStunts (uncredited)
Dead On: Relentless II a.k.a. Relentless II: Dead OnPatrick Vergano, MechanicStunts
Lethal Weapon 3Henchman #2
Bram Stoker's DraculaStuntmanStunts (as Sven Thorsen)
1993 Cyborg 2Doorman(as Sven Thorsen)
Nowhere to RunPrisoner
NemesisCyborg Interrogating Old Woman (uncredited)Stunts
Dragon: The Bruce Lee StoryThe Demon
Last Action HeroGunman[1]
Hard TargetStephan
1994 A Little Tailor's Christmas StorySchultz
The DangerousSven
On Deadly GroundOtto(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
MallratsLa FoursStunts (as Sven Thorsen)
HeatStuntmanStunts (uncredited)
1996 The Undercover Kid a.k.a. How I Saved the PresidentTerrorist #1
Fox HuntHuge Man
EraserRussian Gunman (uncredited)Stunts[1]
BulletproofGunman At Motel (uncredited)Stunts
Jingle All the WayStuntmanStunts (as Sven Thorsen)[1]
1997 BreakdownStuntmanStunts Only
Back in Business a.k.a. Heart of StoneStuntmanStunts Only
Batman & RobinStuntmanStunts Only[1]
George of the JungleMercenary(as Sven-Ole-Thorsen)
Kull the ConquerorKing Borna
1998 The Bad PackSven
Best of the Best 4: Without WarningBoris
SoldierStuntmanStunts Only
WinchellGerman Man
1999 FoolishParis
The 13th WarriorWould-Be King
End of DaysThug (uncredited)also Utility Stunts[1]
2000 Ready to RumbleStuntmanStunts Only
Façade a.k.a. Death ValleyGeneral Schweinkopf(as Sven Ole-Thorsen)
GladiatorTigris of Gaul (Tiger)Won Stunt Award
The Alternate a.k.a. Agent of DeathSecret Service Agent (uncredited)
2001 The GristleButcher Boy
Bandits (2001 film)Oregon State Prison Guard On Watchtower (uncredited)
Route 666Sergei, Russian Hitman
Extreme Honor a.k.a. Last Line of Defence 2Baker's Bodyguard
2002 Hollywood Next 8 ExitsThe Landlord
Collateral DamageBomb Victim (uncredited)[1]
The Sum of All FearsHaft
2003 Masked and AnonymousStuntmanStunts (as Sven Thorsen)
Charlie's Angels: Full ThrottleMachine Gun Mongol (uncredited)
The Rundown a.k.a. Welcome to the JungleGoon (uncredited)[1]
Timecop 2: The Berlin DecisionSS Bodyguard(as Sven Ole Thorson)
2004 In Enemy Hands a.k.a. U-BoatU-429: Hans
Dodgeball: A True Underdog StoryLumberjack Hit By Ball (uncredited)Stunts (uncredited)
CollateralStuntmanStunt Driver Only
HidalgoThe Laughing Raider (uncredited)
2005HostageHooded Thug Guarding Hostages (uncredited)
2011Ronal Barbaren (Ronald the Barbarian)The General (voice only)Animated feature

Notes

1 ^ Arnold Schwarzenegger also appeared in this movie.

Television

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

References

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