Vesa-Matti Loiri

[AUTHORITY: WIKIPEDIA]
Vesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri (4 January 1945 – 10 August 2022) 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.

Loiri made a strong impression early in his career with the role of Jake in the drama film The Boys. He later acted in notable films such as Rakastunut rampa [fi], Pedon merkki, and The Howling Miller, as well as in the television series Rauta-aika [fi]. In the latter part of his career, Loiri appeared in several dramedies, including Tie pohjoiseen (Road North).

Loiri's comedic career began in collaboration with Spede Pasanen during the late 1960s. Together, they created the character Uuno Turhapuro, a slovenly antihero who entertained audiences and frustrated critics through his misadventures. Other comedic characters Loiri portrayed included Nasse-setä, Jean-Pierre Kusela, and Tyyne [fi], all of which were featured in television sketch shows in the 1980s and later expanded into films and music albums. Loiri, Pasanen, and Simo Salminen formed the popular comedy trio Spede, Vesku ja Simo.