Uuno Turhapuro

Uuno Turhapuro may even be the most beloved Finnish character in the field of comedy, at least the movies still hang in there among the top Finnish comedies ever seen. Well over a dozen films on one character sounds amazing, but somehow Uuno never lost the touch and people wanted to see him again and again. He was the basic bum, didn't work, loved his couch and fridge, and thought he was a real ladies' man--in his torn, dirty undershirt and with his messy hair and teeth badly in need of dental work. But he was sooo lovable, even with his somewhat disgusting looks he was funny as could be, and he could talk his way through anything. I have never seen a better composed comedy character on screen. These are the only movies I've gone to see and missed half the dialogue, because people were laughing so hard. I wish they were available abroad, the Finnish humor might translate well through this character.

In 1973 Ere Kokkonen directed and Spede Pasanen wrote the first Uuno Turhapuro movie which was followed with many others.Vesa-Matti Loiri plays this character who looks like a bum with his dirty undershirt, messy hair and bad teeth.Marjatta Raita is his wife Elisabeth Turhapuro.Tapio Hämäläinen and Marita Nordberg were later seen as her parents but were missing in this first movie.Spede Pasanen plays Härski Hartikainen and Simo Salminen engineer Sörsselssön. Uuno movies may not be the greatest comedy movies ever made but they still are very enjoyable to watch.The Finnish persons have enjoyed watching these movies for nearly 30 years.Uuno is part of the culture of Finland.Unfortunately the maker and actor of Uuno movies Pertti "Spede" Pasanen died on a heart attack last Friday the 7th day of September at the golf club.He was 71 years old.With him we lost a genius of Finnish comedy and many people miss him. The first Uuno Turhapuro is a Finnish comedy classic which is filled with funny moments.The latest Uuno movie was made in 1998 and it was called Johtaja Uuno Turhapuro-pisnismies.It didn't do as good as the earlier Uunos.Maybe the people had gotten a little tired with this character.I hope they get their interest back and Uuno Turhapuro comes back someday.But there would be something missing in these movies.And that would be Spede Pasanen.