Lise Henningsen

Matador is a Danish TV series produced and shown between 1978 and 1982. It is set in the fictional Danish town of Korsbæk between 1929 and 1947. It follows the lives of a range of characters from across the social spectrum, focusing specifically on the rivalry between the families of two businessmen: The banker Hans Christian Varnæs, an established local worthy, and social climber Mads Skjern, who arrives in town as the series opens. The name Matador was taken from the localised edition of the boardgame Monopoly, also the series' tentative English title. In addition, in contemporary Danish a "matador" is often used to describe a business tycoon, in the series referring to the character of Mads Skjern and his craftiness as a self-made entrepreneur. Directed by famed Danish film maker Erik Balling, Matador was the idea of author Lise Nørgaard who wrote the bulk of the episodes alongside Karen Smith, Jens Louis Petersen and Paul Hammerich. The series is one of the most well-known and popular examples of Danish television and represents the peak of longtime development of Danish TV drama by the public service channel Danmarks Radio. The series has become part of the modern self-understanding of Danes, partly because of its successful mix of melodrama and a distinct warm Danish humour in the depiction of characters, which were portrayed by a wide range of the most popular Danish actors at the time; but also not least because of its accurate portrayal of a turbulent Denmark from around the start of the Great Depression and through Nazi Germany's occupation of Denmark in World War II.

The series follows the residents of an apartment building on Copenhagen's Christianshavn, as they go about their daily lives and challenges. There is Olsen, a mover with an old fashion view of the world, Clausen who runs the local pet shop, Egon the career focused assistant, their wives who work hard to keep their spouses lives together, the young couple Tue and Rikke who recently moved in, the hard working caretaker Meyer, who never puts in to much effort, and of course Emma, the innkeeper of Rottehullet, where all the important decisions are made while running up the bar tab. The series was produced by Nordisk Film for Danmarks Radio TV station between the years 1970-77. The series' first director was Ebbe Langberg, then Erik Balling and Tom Hedegaard respectively. The series was conceived by an author team of well-known Danish authors such Leif Panduro, Benny Andersen, and Lise Nørgaard.

The first of 14 Olsen Gang films presents us with Egon Olsen, head of the gang, and his friends Benny and Kjeld, who want to become the best known gang in Denmark and eventually Europe by stealing a famous Bavarian work of art currently displayed in a Copenhagen museum. Although Egon's plan works out fine, there is only trouble ahead for the little gang.

A young Danish girl seduces everything in sight after daddy refuses her naughty come-ons. She'll have a lesbian affair with her teacher, pretend that her teenage boyfriend is dear old dad and finally get to her stepmother.

Residents of the old house are quite happy with their existence. But once they find out that the authorities plan to demolish the entire neighborhood including their house in order to build a business center they decide to unite and fight the plan...

Steffen is a good kid, a teenager who has recently finished school and is looking for work. He lives with his widowed mother, a newspaper reporter. Very little throws him off his stride, whether it is his girlfriend's jealousy of his friendship with Charly, a reform-school boy, or his mother's drunken, playful amorousness one night, because he reminds her of his father.

A good looking female social welfare worker makes Egon Olsen forget about crimes for some time, but when an American gangster breaks into a local bank and the police think its Egon's work, he has to get back to work to prove he's innocent.

Two brothers, Ras and Jan, have always been together during the long training to become jet pilots in the Danish Airforce. They both join squadron 793, where they will serve on active duty under the the young and very energetic squadron leader, Captain Tom Jessen.

Peter is a somewhat disheveled individual who has sublet his apartment for use as a massage clinic. He has a season ticket for the Danish State Railways and spends his time traveling by train. This gives him the opportunity to meet train stewardess Eva, whom he has known and been in love with since they were children. Unfortunately, Eva is married to his callous brother, who treats her increasingly brutally and has always been the evil spirit in Peter's life.

Hermann works at NATO headquarters in Brussels and is only home on weekends. He is quite a male chauvinist. That is why his wife Merete has not told him that she has pursued a career in the army and become a lieutenant. In Merete's regiment, Senior Sergeant Vasby suspects her of being a spy because of her "mysterious" conversations with NATO. This develops into an amusing spy hunt, and many people get involved. When Hermann is called up again, he "forgets" to tell his wife.

A comedy about a Danish private detective, normally just occupied with cases about unfaithful spouses, is suddenly involved in murder, arms deal, revolution in Guateragua, briefcase full of money and the Danish intelligence agency.

Petty crook “Viffer” Hansen pulls off a daring $10 million swindle selling Copenhagen’s Rundetårn to an oil sheikh, then substitutes the loot with expertly forged bills thanks to his counterfeit friend Valde. Hounded by both the mob’s Don Luigi, who promised Viffer the hand of his shrill-voiced daughter Elvira as reward, and the betrayed sheikh’s thuggish enforcer Olfert, Viffer adopts a new disguise, suffers amnesia in a madhouse, and narrowly escapes to face the final showdown when Luigi and Elvira arrive in Denmark to collect on his broken promise.

The employees at Simonsens Bijouterifabrik are not only experts in Christmas parties. They also know a thing or two about company outings. The picnic baskets are overflowing, and the alcoholic beverages have certainly not been forgotten as the staff sets off for Bakken in a rented bus. Beer and spirits are consumed in abundance. As the booze flows, inhibitions are cast aside. In the increasingly boisterous atmosphere, one employee after another passes out. And the bus? Well, it can be hard to find in the booze haze! The fun never ends, and neither does the laughter.

Being yourself – and above all your own master – that is what the film is about. After a short stay at a girls' home, Annie returns to society and has to adapt once again. It isn't long before Annie gets involved in a deadly fight and is even taken to the police station and brought before the court. Fortunately, one of the jurors takes an interest in her and offers to take care of her and give her a home. However, Annie cannot stand this home and runs away.

Winnie's mother is going to Bangkok to settle an inheritance matter and is looking for a good boarding house for her child. She calls Dr. Linager, who tells her that he has a boarding house for "expensive children," but the price is no object to Winnie's mother. When Winnie shows up, the good Dr. Linager is a little surprised. He is a veterinarian and thought he was going to be looking after a Siamese cat, but everyone in the house naturally welcomes the charming little Winnie.

A socially realistic film about a fifteen-year-old girl and her problems with love. Judith comes from a working-class home and does not want to continue her education. After having a relationship with a man twenty years her senior, she meets seventeen-year-old rock musician Willy, with whom she becomes pregnant. Willy does not really interest her, and she has an illegal abortion.

A soldier seeks justice against a group of men who murdered a prostitute.

Stine tries to figure out her feelings for Jens, Michael, and Søren. She is most in love with Jens. However, Jens is always so serious and only thinks about school. Stine and Jens move in together, but this does not solve any of their problems. When Jens does not come home one evening without letting her know, Stine moves in with Anders. However, she misses Jens.

The princess of Illyria, who has rejected all the fine suitors who have proposed to her, begins to take an interest in a gypsy who wanders around near the castle and who is in fact none other than the prince of Denmark with his friend, Kasper Røghat. The prince entices her with his magical toys, a rattle and a copper kettle, the price being a kiss and a night in the princess's chamber. Casper the Dwarf makes sure that the king is informed of the 'affair', and the princess is thrown out by her father.

Herbert and Bitten live in a lovely house, happily married with two children. Herbert is a teacher at a secondary school, and he writes poetry in his spare time. Bitten is an engineer at a tie factory. Their home only functions thanks to their housekeeper, Mrs. Jørgensen. When Mrs. Jørgensen is confronted with her greatest fear—a live mouse—she leaves the home, never to return. Now there is only one thing to do: Herbert must give up his job and become a stay-at-home dad.