Vesa-Matti Loiri

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(1945-01-04)4 January 1945
Helsinki, Finland
Died10 August 2022(2022-08-10) (aged 77)
Helsinki, Finland
Other namesVesku
Occupation(s)Actor, musician
AwardsSee 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
Vesa-Matti Loiri in 1969

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. Total number of tickets sold to the screenings of these six films is 3,715,948.

Vesa-Matti Loiri as Uuno Turhapuro (character) in 1985

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
  • 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
Loiri performing the song "Huilumies" with his flute in April 1980.
Vesa-Matti Loiri in 2009

Albums
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]

Compilations
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
  • 2008: "Sydämeeni joulun teen" (reached No. 14 in the Finnish Singles Chart)
  • 2009: "Hyvää puuta" (reached No. 19 in the Finnish Singles Chart)

Filmography

See also

References
  1. Mattila, Ilkka (10 August 2022), "Vesa-Matti Loiri on kuollut", Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish), retrieved 10 August 2022
  2. Actor and singer Vesa-Matti Loiri dies at 77 Yle News, 10 August 2022
  3. "Vesa-Matti Loiri, 77, on kuollut", Iltalehti (in Finnish), retrieved 10 August 2022
  4. "Vesa-Matti Loiri" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  5. "Vesa-Matti Loiri (Kusela)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  6. "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät kotimaiset albumit" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  7. "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät ulkomaiset albumit" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  8. "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät kotimaiset singlet" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  9. "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät ulkomaiset singlet" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  10. Aladdin Finnish Voice Cast – Willdubguru
  11. "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.
  12. Milnes, Rodney. 'Kullervo' – a child of our time. Opera, June 1992, Vol 42, No 6, pp 652–655.
  13. 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.
  14. Vesa-Matti Loiri liiton kunniajäsen – Suomen Biljardiliitto ry (in Finnish)
  15. "Vesa-Matti Loiri on kuollut 77-vuotiaana", MTV Uutiset (in Finnish), 10 August 2022, retrieved 10 August 2022
  16. "Vesa-Matti Loiri discography". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  17. "Albumit 32/2022" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  18. "Suomen Virallinen Lista".
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