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.

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.

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 fighter Tigris of Gaul in Gladiator, Lt. Michael "Tank" Ellis in Captain Power, and the alien villain Secundus in Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe.

Thorsen has been credited in fifteen Arnold Schwarzenegger movies (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 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 tall and while appearing in Conan the Barbarian (1982) he weighed .

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.

Filmography Film Year Film Role Notes 1977 Pas på ryggen, professor (Mind Your Back, Professor) Russisk Håndlanger (Russian Henchman) 1982 Conan the Barbarian Thorgrim (as Sven Ole Thorsen) 1984 Conan the Destroyer Togra (as Sven Ole Thorsen) 1985 Red Sonja Stuntman Stunts (uncredited) 1986 Raw Deal a.k.a. Triple Identity Patrovita's Bearded Bodyguard (uncredited) Stunts 1987 Lethal Weapon Mercenary (as Sven Thorsen) Predator Russian Officer (uncredited) The Running Man Sven (as Sven Thorsen) Overboard Olaf, Stayton Flunky (uncredited) 1988 Red Heat Nikolai, Georgian Mafia Twins Sam Klane 1989 Pink Cadillac Birthright Thug Ghostbusters II Stuntman Stunts 1990 The Hunt for Red October Russian Chief of The Red October Total Recall Trainer Trainer 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 1992 Death Becomes Her Stuntman Stunts (uncredited) Dead On: Relentless II a.k.a. Relentless II: Dead On Patrick Vergano, Mechanic Stunts Lethal Weapon 3 Henchman #2 Bram Stoker's Dracula Stuntman Stunts (as Sven Thorsen) Nemesis Cyborg Interrogating Old Woman (uncredited) Stunts 1993 Cyborg 2 Doorman (as Sven Thorsen) Nowhere to Run Prisoner Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story The Demon Last Action Hero Gunman Hard Target Stephan 1994 A Little Tailor's Christmas Story Schultz The Dangerous Sven On Deadly Ground Otto (as Swen-Ole Thorsen) A Low Down Dirty Shame a.k.a. Mister Cool Mob Boss' Bodyguard (uncredited) Stunts (as Sven Thorsen) 1995 The Viking Sagas a.k.a. The Icelandic Sagas Gunnar No Exit a.k.a. Fatal Combat Darcona The Quick and the Dead "Swede" Gutzon Mallrats La Fours Stunts (as Sven Thorsen) Heat Stuntman Stunts (uncredited) 1996 The Undercover Kid a.k.a. How I Saved the President Terrorist #1 Fox Hunt Huge Man Eraser Russian Gunman (uncredited) Stunts Bulletproof Gunman At Motel (uncredited) Stunts Jingle All the Way Stuntman Stunts (as Sven Thorsen) 1997 Breakdown Stuntman Stunts Only Back in Business a.k.a. Heart of Stone Stuntman Stunts Only Batman & Robin Stuntman Stunts Only 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 Stuntman Stunts Only Winchell German Man 1999 Foolish Paris The 13th Warrior Would-Be King End of Days Thug (uncredited) also Utility Stunts 2000 Ready to Rumble Stuntman Stunts Only Façade a.k.a. Death Valley General Schweinkopf (as Sven Ole-Thorsen) Gladiator Tigris of Gaul (Tiger) Won Stunt Award The Alternate a.k.a. Agent of Death Secret Service Agent (uncredited) 2001 The Gristle Butcher 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 2 Baker's Bodyguard 2002 Hollywood Next 8 Exits The Landlord Collateral Damage Bomb Victim (uncredited) The Sum of All Fears Haft 2003 Masked and Anonymous Stuntman Stunts (as Sven Thorsen) Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Machine Gun Mongol (uncredited) The Rundown a.k.a. Welcome to the Jungle Goon (uncredited) Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision SS Bodyguard (as Sven Ole Thorson) 2004 In Enemy Hands a.k.a. U-Boat U-429: Hans Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story Lumberjack Hit By Ball (uncredited) Stunts (uncredited) Collateral Stuntman Stunt 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