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Vesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri (4 January 1945 – 10 August 2022)[1] was a Finnish actor, musician and comedian, best known for his role as Uuno Turhapuro, whom he portrayed in a total of 20 movies between the years 1973 and 2004.
Vesa-Matti Loiri | |
|---|---|
 Loiri in 2011 | |
| Born | 4 January 1945 Helsinki, Finland |
| Died | 10 August 2022 (aged 77) Helsinki, Finland |
| Other names | Vesku |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, musician |
| Awards | See below |
According to Yle News, ″Loiri was one of Finland's most beloved cultural figures over six decades, playing comic and tragic roles on screen and stage, alongside a musical career″.[2]
Life and career
edit
Loiri was born in Helsinki on 4 January 1945 to Taito Loiri (1911–1995) and Lily Nylund (1916–2013), and the family moved to North Haaga when Loiri was a child.[3] Loiri became an actor in 1962, when he had a role in the movie Pojat, directed by Mikko Niskanen, and graduated from the Finnish Theatre Academy, now the Uniarts Helsinki theatre academy, in 1966. Loiri did his most recognised work with comedian-director-producer Spede Pasanen, starting from Noin seitsemän veljestä. Spede and Loiri also developed his highly popular Uuno Turhapuro persona which would star in one of Finland's longest and most commercially successful film-series. In 2005, he starred in the film Shadow of the Eagle, which was directed by Timo Koivusalo. Six films starring Loiri are in the top 20 list of the highest-grossing domestic films in Finland.[citation needed] Total number of tickets sold to the screenings of these six films is 3,715,948.[citation needed]
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As a musician, Loiri performed compositions of Perttu Hietanen and Taisto Wesslin, Eino Leino's poems, Carl Michael Bellman's drinking songs and Juha "Watt" Vainio's songs. Loiri also played the flute, a talent he put to use representing Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest 1980 in The Hague/Netherlands with the song "Huilumies", dedicated to his flute. He finished last in a field of 19 participating countries. During his career, Loiri sold over 730,000 certified records in Finland and is currently the fifth-best-selling soloist and ninth-best-selling artist of all time in the country.[4][5][6][7][8][9] He was the voice of the Genie in the Finnish dub of Disney's Aladdin,[10] even performing the musical numbers Friend Like Me and Prince Ali. When dubbing the Genie, Loiri did not see the original Robin Williams version and was only given a slight idea of what the original gags and jokes were. Disney gave the team an award for the best foreign Aladdin dub.[10][11]
Loiri appeared in the premiere of Aulis Sallinen's opera Kullervo in Los Angeles in 1992, creating the role of the blind singer.[12]
Loiri also had a lifelong interest and exceptional talent in a number of sports, especially association football. It has been said that, had he not chosen to concentrate on acting, he could have become a national professional-level goalkeeper. He was signed by juggernauts HJK for one season in 1972.[13] He held the office of Chairman of the Finnish billiards association for multiple years, being an especially gifted billiards player.[14]
On 10 August 2022 Loiri died from cancer, at the age of 77.[15]
Awards
edit- Honorary Jussi Award 1963 for his role in the film Pojat
- Best male actor Jussi 1976 in Rakastunut rampa
- Best supporting male actor Jussi 1982 in Pedon merkki
- Jussi 1983 for his wide appearance in the year's films
- Concrete Jussi 1998
- Festival International du Film Indépendant awarded Loiri in Brussels in 2003 for his role in Pahat pojat
- Best Actor Telvis in 1984, 1986 and 1987
- Special Telvis in 1999
- Special Venla in 1989
- Black Nights Film Festival awarded Loiri in Tallinn for A Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010
Discography
edit
Albums
edit| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| FIN [16] | |||
| 1971 | 4+20 | ||
| 1972 | Vesku Suomesta | ||
| 1973 | Veskunoita | ||
| 1974 | Merirosvokapteeni Ynjevi Lavankopoksahdus | ||
| 1977 | Vesku Helismaasta | ||
| 1978 | Eino Leino | 19 [17] |
|
| 1980 | Ennen viimeistä maljaa | ||
| 1980 | Eino Leino 2 | ||
| 1981 | Vesa-Matti Loiri tulkitsee Oskar Merikannon lauluja | ||
| 1983 | Täällä Pohjantähden alla | ||
| 1984 | Lasihelmipeli | ||
| 1985 | Eino Leino 3 | ||
| 1986 | Naurava kulkuri | ||
| 1987 | Voi hyvä tavaton | ||
| 1988 | Pim peli pom | ||
| 1988 | Sydämeeni joulun teen | ||
| 1989 | Unelmia | ||
| 1990 | Seitsemän kertaa | ||
| 1994 | Vesa-Matti Loiri | ||
| 1995 | Kaksin | ||
| 1995 | Uuno Kailas | ||
| 1995 | Nauravan kulkurin paluu | ||
| 1997 | Rurja | ||
| 1998 | Sydämeeni joulun teen | 6 | |
| 2000 | Kirkkokonsertti | – | |
| 2001 | Eino Leino 4 – Päivän laskiessa | 6 | |
| 2003 | Ystävän laulut | 1 | |
| 2004 | Ystävän laulut II – Albatrossi | 2 | |
| 2004 | Ivalo | 1 | |
| 2004 | Inari | 1 | |
| 2008 | Kasari | 1 | |
| 2009 | Hyvää puuta | 2 | |
| 2010 | Skarabee | 3 | |
| 2011 | 4+20 (re-release) | 3 | |
| 2013 | Tuomittuna kulkemaan | 1 | |
| 2014 | Kaikkien aikojen Loiri | 6 | |
| 2015 | Runoilijan tie | 29 | |
| 2016 | Pyhät tekstit | 4[18] | |
| 2024 | Kolmastoista huhtikuuta (with Peter Lerche) |
26[19] |
Compilations
edit| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| FIN [16] | |||
| 1973 | Laulu on iloni ja työni | ||
| 1992 | Lapin kesä | ||
| 1996 | 20 suosikkia – Lapin kesä | ||
| 1996 | 20 suosikkia – Saiskos pluvan | ||
| 1999 | Lauluja rakastamisen vaikeudesta | ||
| 2001 | Kaikki parhaat | ||
| 2001 | Parhaat – Vesku Suomesta | 18 | |
| 2007 | Ystävän laulut 1 & 2 (compilation of 2003 and 2004 albums) |
12 | |
| 2008 | Naurava Kulkuri – Huumorinkukkia | 17 | |
| 2012 | Lauluni aiheet I | 14 | |
| Lauluni aiheet II | 27 | ||
| Lauluni aiheet III | 28 |
Singles
edit- 2008: "Sydämeeni joulun teen" (reached No. 14 in the Finnish Singles Chart)
- 2009: "Hyvää puuta" (reached No. 19 in the Finnish Singles Chart)
Filmography
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Mattila, Ilkka (10 August 2022), "Vesa-Matti Loiri on kuollut", Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish), retrieved 10 August 2022
- ^ Actor and singer Vesa-Matti Loiri dies at 77 Yle News, 10 August 2022
- ^ "Vesa-Matti Loiri, 77, on kuollut", Iltalehti (in Finnish), retrieved 10 August 2022
- ^ "Vesa-Matti Loiri" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ^ "Vesa-Matti Loiri (Kusela)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ^ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät kotimaiset albumit" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ^ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät ulkomaiset albumit" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ^ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät kotimaiset singlet" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ^ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät ulkomaiset singlet" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
- ^ a b Aladdin Finnish Voice Cast – Willdubguru
- ^ "Vesa-Matti Loirin Aladdin-suoritus keräsi kiitosta Disneyltä asti – ohjaaja paljastaa erikoisen keinon, jolla houkutteli näyttelijän rooliin". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ Milnes, Rodney. 'Kullervo' – a child of our time. Opera, June 1992, Vol 42, No 6, pp 652–655.
- ^ Tuominen, Mico (10 August 2022). "HJK:n historian värikkäin maalivahti Vesa-Matti Loiri on poissa: "Ehti valloittaa sydämet"". SuomiFutis (in Finnish). Retrieved 11 August 2022.
- ^ Vesa-Matti Loiri liiton kunniajäsen – Suomen Biljardiliitto ry (in Finnish)
- ^ "Vesa-Matti Loiri on kuollut 77-vuotiaana", MTV Uutiset (in Finnish), 10 August 2022, retrieved 10 August 2022
- ^ a b "Vesa-Matti Loiri discography". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
- ^ "Albumit 32/2022" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Suomen Virallinen Lista".
- ^ "Albumit 45/2024" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
External links
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