Simon Ove Christian Oglivie Spies (1 September 1921 – 16 April 1984) was a famous Danish tycoon, best known for starting the charter airline Spies Rejser, which is owned by MyTravel today.
Spies Rejser was opened in 1956 and would soon become a huge success along with the competitor Tjæreborg. In the beginning they arranged cheap bus/boattrips to Majorca, but later (in the early 1960s) Spies bought the bankrupt Danish charter operator Flying Enterprise and formed his own airline, Conair of Scandinavia.
Simon Spies was known for his provocative views and flamboyant lifestyle. He was famous for employing at his private residence so-called morgenbolledamer, or morning fuck ladies.
When going to the theatre he would usually buy three tickets, leaving one seat for his cane and one for his dog Archibald.
Famous quotes containing the words simon and/or spies:
“Stevenson had noble ideas—as did the young Franklin for that matter. But Stevenson felt that the way to implement them was to present himself as a thoughtful idealist and wait for the world to flock to him. He considered it below him, or wrong, to scramble out among the people and ask them what they wanted. Roosevelt grappled voters to him. Stevenson shied off from them. Some thought him too pure to desire power, though he showed ambition when it mattered.”
—Garry Wills, U.S. historian. Certain Trumpets: The Call of Leaders, ch. 9, Simon & Schuster (1994)
“Thus—thanks to the world!—are there many spies in the world’s camp, who are mistaken for strolling simpletons.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)