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Erik Balling is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter and Producer Danois born on 29 november 1924 at Nyborg (Danemark)

Erik Balling

Erik Balling
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Nationality Danemark
Birth 29 november 1924 at Nyborg (Danemark)
Death 19 november 2005 (at 80 years) at Copenhagen (Danemark)

Erik Balling (29 November 1924 – 19 November 2005) was a Danish TV and film director. He created two of Denmark's most popular TV-series, Matador and Huset på Christianshavn.

His feature film Qivitoq (1956) was nominated for a Golden Palm at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival, and for an Oscar as Best Foreign Language Film. His 1962 film Den kære familie was entered into the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival.

Together with Henning Bahs, he also created the hugely popular series of Olsen Gang feature films.

Biography

Balling started working for the largest and oldest Danish film production company, Nordisk Films Kompagni, in 1946. He later became the boss of the company.

His made his directing debut with Adam & Eva (1953), which was nominated for a Bodil-award as Best Film.

In 1956 he directed Kispus, which was the first Danish movie filmed in color.

The most popular films directed by Balling were the feature film comedies about a trio of small-time crooks, the Olsen Gang.
There were 13 episodes of this movie series between 1968 and 1981, starting with Olsen-banden. They were remade in several languages.

In 1998, Erik Balling received an Honorary Robert Award.

Usually with

Henning Bahs
Henning Bahs
(23 films)
Ove Sprogøe
Ove Sprogøe
(24 films)
Poul Reichhardt
Poul Reichhardt
(20 films)
Bent Fabric
Bent Fabric
(18 films)
Poul Arne Bundgaard
Poul Arne Bundgaard
(16 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Erik Balling (40 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Director

The Olsen Gang on the Track
The Olsen Gang on the Track (1975)
, 1h45
Directed by Erik Balling
Origin Danemark
Genres Comedy, Crime
Themes Heist films
Actors Ove Sprogøe, Morten Grunwald, Poul Arne Bundgaard, Kirsten Walther, Ove Verner Hansen, Paul Hagen
Rating71% 3.5946953.5946953.5946953.5946953.594695
Olsen has planned to rob a train car filled with gold. The plan backfires when Olsen forgets the new summer timetable and the gang accidentally abducts the car containing the CID summer picnic hosted by Superintendent Jensen.
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang
The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang (1974)

Directed by Erik Balling
Origin Danemark
Genres Comedy, Crime
Themes Heist films
Actors Ove Sprogøe, Morten Grunwald, Kirsten Walther, Poul Arne Bundgaard, Axel Strøbye, Jes Holtsø
Rating70% 3.545673.545673.545673.545673.54567
After last robbery, Olsen Gang went to Majorca, but without any money, as Benny and Kjeld accidentally threw loot to the garbage bin. Egon breaks to the local restaurant to get back on track with the finances, unfortunately he's caught and whole gang returns to Denmark. After some time Egon is released; Kjeld and Benny are waiting for him but Egon abandons them: He has been hired by Stock Broker Holm Hansen to open a safe in Switzerland belonging to his deceased associate. Egon demands 25% of the value equivalent of the contents of the safe as payment for his work. Holm Hansen agree, but has his Swiss henchman double-cross Egon once the safe is open and leave him at the mercy of the Swiss police. Egon escapes though, and makes it back to Denmark, where he reunites with Benny and Kjeld with a new plan to exact revenge and claim his payment.
The Olsen Gang Runs Amok
The Olsen Gang Runs Amok (1973)

Directed by Erik Balling
Origin Danemark
Genres Comedy, Crime
Themes Heist films
Actors Ove Sprogøe, Morten Grunwald, Poul Arne Bundgaard, Kirsten Walther, Peter Steen, Preben Kaas
Rating69% 3.494123.494123.494123.494123.49412
Film starts with a robbery scene, Egon is about to open Franz Jäger safe in local cinema with his two partners, out of sudden comes Benny's brother Harry which is dynamite specialist. He is also alcohol addict and was drinking before the action and because of his clumsy moves he turns on the alarm, police comes and Egon is caught. After 8 months in prison Egon comes out with brand new plan to rob mobster which has warehouse with frozen food as a cover-up for his illegal business. Unfortunately for Egon, Benny and Kjeld have no longer interest in thievery as they both found jobs in a local shop and Ben is engaged to the store's manager. Harry feels guilty for the last action and helps Egon to make criminals from Ben and Kjeld again. He succeeds and his ingenious plan as usually works almost flawlessly so they're getting the money, but with Ben and Kjeld as a partners he can be certain that they won't be wealthy for a long time.
The Olsen Gang in Jutland
The Olsen Gang in Jutland (1971)
, 1h41
Directed by Erik Balling
Origin Danemark
Genres Comedy, Crime
Themes Heist films
Actors Ove Sprogøe, Jes Holtsø, Poul Arne Bundgaard, Morten Grunwald, Kirsten Walther, Helle Virkner
Rating71% 3.5943753.5943753.5943753.5943753.594375
The film starts like most of the Olsen-gang films with Egon being release from The State Prison in Vridsløselille. The gang goes back home to Kjeld and Yvonne to discuss the next coup. Unlike most other Olsen Gang films, this coup takes place in Jutland. Egon has got hold of a map which shows that there is a treasure stored in an old German command bunker on the west coast. To get to Jutland they must cross the then newly build Little Belt Bridge. But two other criminals (Helle Virkner and Willy Rathnov) have also got wind of the story. And the Olsen Gang does not made it easier for themselves by taking Yvonne on tow. At the same time they, mistakenly, believe that it is easy to fool the locals - especially they misjudge the wily scrap dealer (Karl Stegger) and his mute assistant (Preben Kaas). They soon become much, much wiser. A bomb left over from the war gives Kjeld a short, but very significant, shell shock, which causes him to stylishly carry out a terrific ride in a runaway dump. Not surprisingly, a planned Majorca trip gets postponed.
The Olsen Gang
The Olsen Gang (1968)
, 1h20
Directed by Erik Balling
Origin Danemark
Genres Comedy, Crime
Themes Heist films
Actors Ove Sprogøe, Ebba Amfeldt, Morten Grunwald, Poul Arne Bundgaard, Peter Steen, Poul Reichhardt
Rating66% 3.302273.302273.302273.302273.30227
The plot involves the Olsen Gang as they plan to become millionaires. The movie starts by Egon being arrested for trying to rob a store, while the others run away. After Egon is set free, the gang plan on stealing a golden statue which is worth 12 million. After some planning, the gang sets the plan in action and steal the golden statue. On their way to the airport, their car runs out of gas and the police come take the car (with the statue in it). Constantly chased by Mortensen, they manage to get the statue back and hide it in Kjeld's pram. Unfortunately, Kjeld's wife Yvonne is mad at Kjeld for leaving the pram outside on the sidewalk and takes it away and plans on going back to her mother. The gang now chases after Yvonne (with Mortensen on their tail) and finally succeed on getting the pram back. After almost getting caught, Egon makes a little speech, just before he realizes that the statue is not in the pram. Egon goes mad and leaves Benny and Kjeld behind while he chases after Yvonne. Kjeld and Benny however walk back home with the pram. Turns out that Yvonne didn't go to her mother and came back to Kjeld while Benny is driven home by Ulla. Egon is caught by the police on the boat where Yvonne was supposed to be.