Ere Kokkonen
Biography
Erkki Olavi "Ere" Kokkonen (7 July 1938 – 16 October 2008), born in Savonlinna, was a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He worked closely with Spede Pasanen all the way from the 1960s until Spede's death, as a director, writer and also an actor. Kokkonen's feature film debut was Millipilleri (1966), co-directed with Spede Pasanen and Jukka Virtanen. In later decades, when Turhapuro films were made less frequently, Kokkonen scripted and directed the Vääpeli Körmy series of films His career as a director also includes filming of Arto Paasilinna's books, including The Ten Graters and A Charming Mass Suicide. Kokkonen worked for both YLE and MTV3, where he served as entertainment director from 1974 to 1984. Kokkonen was the founder of the Comedy Theater Arena in 1995. He was the theatre's artistic director, director and screenwriter for most of the theater's performances. His wife Anna-Maija Kokkonen is the CEO of Arena. With his ex-wife Titta Jokinen, Kokkonen has daughter Kiti Kokkonen who is an actress. In 1991 Ere Kokkonen founded a film production company, Ere Kokkonen Oy, which is still working. In 2007 he wrote his memoirs, titled Memories return in Fragments. Kokkonen died at the age of 70 in 2008 after a prolonged illness.
Known For & Full Filmography14 Titles
Movie - 1973, 2h 15m • as Kertoja / papin ääni (voice)
Uuno Turhapuro is a lazy man who abhors manual labor, but has the ability to talk himself out of any sticky situation, usually with his long-suffering wife. In this, his first feature film appearance, Uuno embarrasses his wife in public, tricks his best friend, accidentally goes on a diet, and becomes a famous violinist.
Movie - 1967, 2h 15m • as Erkki Sormio alias Top Secret Agent 2 OE Q
A film that pushes every stereotype imaginable about Finland, and then some. Indeed, coming in the same year as Finland’s 50th anniversary, the film’s whole premise is about presenting Finland in hilarious fashion to foreigners and perhaps also making fun of some of the myths of Finnish culture for Finns themselves.
Movie - 1971, 2h 15m • as (uncredited)
Pave, Hese, Timppa, and Viiksi have ended up in Hell, where the heat makes them feel as comfortable as in a sauna. The bosses there don't like this, so they send the boys on vacation to their home country, Finland. They are given a briefcase full of money to live a life of luxury. The only condition is that they are not allowed to do honest work, and to make matters worse, they are told that alcohol will not go to their heads.
Movie - 1970, 2h 15m • as Teatteriohjaaja (uncredited)
Jussi, a student admired by all women, is inadvertently selected to represent both left-wing and right-wing parties in the parliamentary elections. All Jussi cares about is the beautiful, blonde Irmeli.
Movie - 1966, 2h 15m • as Iso
Tarmo, a failed student, tries to win over his uncle, Consul Ă–, in the hope of receiving an advance on his inheritance. His stingy uncle threatens to donate his entire fortune to the Antiquities Preservation Society if Tarmo does not earn a million marks within a month. Tarmo's friend Hannu begins to motivate Tarmo to get rich by feeding him placebo "energy pills." The situation is complicated by a criminal gang getting involved in the inheritance hunt.
Movie - 1986, 2h 15m • as Mies bensa-asemalla
OK, imagine four men in their 40s and 50s. You there? OK, now imagine them wearing suits and playing on a sandbox as characters aged 4, 5 and 6. Pasanen even has his trademark beard, for Christ's sake!
Movie - 1985, 2h 15m • as Valokuvaaja
The film is based on characters from the Mänttien TV-asema sketches featured on the Spede Show.
Movie - 1991, 2h 15m • as Lehtilööpin asettava mies (uncredited)
Sergeant Friman is developing an automatic submarine detector that piques the interest of both, Swedish and Russian spies.
Movie - 1997, 2h 15m • as Posteljooni (uncredited)
New takeover plans and Russian art thief looking for Mannerheim's portraits keep Sergeant Körmy busy.
Movie - 1968, 2h 15m • as Pitkä-Jussi
The greedy lord of the manor, von Wurstburg, lives lavishly on his estate, heavily taxing the local peasants, when the official heir to the estate, the noble Sir William, arrives. At the same time, the mysterious outlaw Robin Hood, who helps the poor, sets up camp in the nearby woods. When the estate threatens to fall into Sir William's hands and the peasants rise up against von Wurstburg's excesses in Robin Hood's footsteps, the lord finds himself in a double bind.
Movie - 1975, 2h 15m • as Kuvaaja
Uuno is unemployed and his friends try to arrange a job for him. With his imagination, though, and the help of Härski Hartikainen (Spede Pasanen), he somehow manages to avoid all work, until he becomes what he has always dreamt of being - a film star. Uuno's father-in-law has other plans for his occupation, though: since Uuno knows the Dandelion, he has potential for a professor of botany.
Movie - 1983, 2h 15m • as Kielikurssin vetäjä
Uuno Turhapuro has lost his memory and thinks he's a woman. His friend Sörsselssön has lost his memory too and Härski Hartikainen tries to help them.
Movie - 1990, 2h 15m • as mies nakkikioskilla
The colonel's wife's tin pints need to be cleaned up, and Sergeant First Class Körmy tasks two privates to do so.
Movie - 1969, 2h 15m • as Set decorator Pöyhönen
Triangle comedy about a movie crew shooting a no-budget artsy film. Director Pohja is a clumsy beginner, cinematographer Törrönen an old pro, and the leading actors Igor and Merju first detest each other although the script is supposed to make them lovers. The two gradually grow closer even in real life, but the director too has set his eyepiece on Merju.