Uuno Turhapuro

Uuno Turhapuro ("Numbskull Emptybrook") is a Finnish comedy character created by Spede Pasanen and played by Vesa-Matti Loiri. Originally appeared in "Spede Show" during 1971–1973, the character gained popularity through the Uuno Turhapuro films.

Dramatis Personae

Uuno is a ragged man, characterised by his tattered wifebeater, sparse row of teeth and untidy face, perhaps depicting a stereotype of a Finnish loser. His wife Elisabeth Turhapuro (played by Marjatta Raita) is the daughter of rich mining Councillor Tuura (Tapio Hämäläinen). In the beginning of the first film, in the couple's wedding, Uuno is tidy and cleanly, but gets ragged and lazy immediately after getting married to a rich woman. Uuno's main pastime is lying on the couch, overeating and being after his father-in-law's legacy. His biggest virtue is his gift for speech, which he uses in settling marital problems, cadging free hot dogs from the stand and seducing other women.

The conventional plot for the films is based on the tension between Uuno and his father-in-law: the mining Councillor Tuura, disgusted by his dirty son-in-law, faces constant misfortune on his career, when Uuno pops up in the wrong places. When Tuura, just appointed as defence minister, orders Uuno into the army ("Uuno Turhapuro armeijan leivissä"), he becomes major in a couple of days. When Tuura takes part in the presidential election ("Uuno Turhapuro - herra Helsingin herra"), Uuno becomes President of Finland by accident. Uuno's regular helpers are his car repairer friends Härski-Hartikainen (Spede Pasanen) and Sörsselssön (Simo Salminen). The films also contain numerous cameo appearances by Finnish politicians and celebrities, often as themselves.

A total of twenty Uuno Turhapuro films were made during 1973–2004. Originally there were plans for only one film, but due to its success, the film got 19 sequels. The two latest Uuno films are directed, produced and written by Ere Kokkonen. The most popular Uuno film is "Uuno Turhapuro armeijan leivissä" (1984), seen by more than 700,000 people in the theatres - an impressive figure in a country of 4.9 million inhabitants [ [http://www.stat.fi/til/vaerak/2005/vaerak_2005_2006-03-21_tie_001.html Tilastokeskus, Väestö iän mukaan vuosina 1980-2005] ] . It remains Finland's most seen domestic film made since 1968 [ [http://www.ses.fi/en/alltimetop10.asp The Finnish Film Foundation, Top 10 Films of All Time in Finland] ] .

Uuno Turhapuro films

* "Uuno Turhapuro" (1973)
* "Professori Uuno D.G. Turhapuro" (1975)
* "Lottovoittaja UKK Turhapuro" (1976)
* "Häpy Endkö? Eli kuinka Uuno Turhapuro sai niin kauniin ja rikkaan vaimon" (1977)
* "Rautakauppias Uuno Turhapuro - presidentin vävy" (1978)
* "Uuno Turhapuron aviokriisi" (1981)
* "Uuno Turhapuro menettää muistinsa" (1982)
* "Uuno Turhapuron muisti palailee pätkittäin" (1983)
* "Uuno Turhapuro armeijan leivissä" (1984)
* "Uuno Epsanjassa" (1985)
* "Uuno Turhapuro muuttaa maalle" (1986)
* "Uuno Turhapuro – kaksoisagentti" (1987)
* "Tupla-Uuno" (1988)
* "Uunon huikeat poikamiesvuodet maaseudulla" (1990)
* "Uuno Turhapuro - herra Helsingin herra" (1991)
* "Uuno Turhapuro - Suomen tasavallan herra presidentti" (1992)
* "Uuno Turhapuron poika" (1994)
* "Johtaja Uuno Turhapuro - pisnismies" (1998)
* "Uuno Turhapuro – This Is My Life" (2004) (A tribute film to Spede Pasanen, who died in 2001)

Other film appearances

* "Koeputkiaikuinen ja Simon enkelit" (1979)
* "Tup-akka-lakko" (1980)
* "Vääpeli Körmy ja vetenalaiset vehkeet" (1991)

TV series

* "Uuno Turhapuro armeijan leivissä" (1986) (The film as a seven-part, extended TV series)
* "Uuno Turhapuro (television series)" (1996)
* "Johtaja Uuno Turhapuro – pisnismies" (1999) (The film as a five-part, extended TV series)
* "Uuno Turhapuro - This is my Life" (2006) (The film as a five-part, extended TV series)

Unofficial films

* "Uuno Turhapuron veli" (1994)
**Uuno Turhapuro is not seen in this film ("Uuno Turhapuro's Brother"). Spede was having a falling-out with Loiri, and so Loiri wouldn't act in it. Later Spede considered the film a mistake, and has commented it by saying "forget the whole film".

Other related products

* "Uuno Turhapuro muuttaa maalle" (1986) (a game for the Commodore 64 home computer, based on the movie with the same name)

References

External links

* [http://www.uunoturhapuro.fi/ekasivu.htm Official homepage] (in Finnish)