Vesa-Matti Loiri

Vesa-Matti Loiri
Born (1945-01-04) 4 January 1945
Helsinki, Finland
Other names Vesku
Occupation actor, musician
Awards

Jussi for Best Actor
1976 Rakastunut rampa
Honorary Jussi
1963 Pojat
Jussi for Best Supporting Actor
1982 Pedon merkki
Telvis

1984 Best Actor
1986 Best Actor
1987 Best Actor
1999 Special Telvis
Venla
1989 Special Venla

Vesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri (born 4 January 1945, Helsinki) is 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.

Life and career

Loiri became an actor in 1962, when he had a role in the movie Pojat, directed by Mikko Niskanen. 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 amount of tickets sold to the screenings of these six films is 3,715,948.

As a musician, Loiri has performed Perttu Hietanen's compositions, Eino Leino's poems, Carl Michael Bellman's drinking songs and Juha "Watt" Vainio's songs. Loiri also plays 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 has 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.[1][2][3][4][5][6] He was the voice of the Genie in the Finnish dub of Disney's Aladdin, even performing the musical number Friend Like Me.

Loiri appeared in the premiere of Aulis Sallinen's opera Kullervo in Los Angeles in 1992, creating the role of the blind singer.[7]

Loiri has also had a lifelong interest in sports. He held the office of Chairman of the Finnish billiards association for multiple years.

Awards

Discography

Albums

Year Album Peak positions Certification
FIN
[8]
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[9]

Compilations

Year Album Peak positions Certification
FIN
[8]
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

Filmography

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Vesa-Matti Loiri" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  2. ↑ "Vesa-Matti Loiri (Kusela)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  3. ↑ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät kotimaiset albumit" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  4. ↑ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät ulkomaiset albumit" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  5. ↑ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät kotimaiset singlet" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Kaikkien aikojen myydyimmät ulkomaiset singlet" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
  7. ↑ Milnes, Rodney. 'Kullervo' – a child of our time. Opera, June 1992, Vol 42, No 6, pp 652–655.
  8. 1 2 "Vesa-Matti Loiri discography". finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  9. ↑ http://ifpi.fi/tilastot/virallinen-lista/albumit/2016/43
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vesa-Matti Loiri.
Preceded by
Katri Helena
with Katson sineen taivaan		 Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest
1980 		Succeeded by
Riki Sorsa
with Reggae OK
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