Timo Johannes Koivusalo
(born 31 October 1963
in Pori
, Finland) is a Finnish
actor,
director, writer, columnist, composer
and musician. His most successful
film to date was
Rentun Ruusu, which
debuted in the movie theaters in 2001.
He has directed, written and acted in a number of films and is also
an accomplished composer and musician.
Pekko Aikamiespoika
The 6ft 5½ inch (197 cm) Koivusalo rose to fame with his
character
Pekko Aikamiespoika,
which he had developed while working as a
stand-up comedian. As Pekko Aikamiespoika,
he has also twice won the Finnish joketelling championships and
made two cassettes with Pekko material. In 1992, Koivusalo appeared
in the
TV series Pekko
Aikamiespoika, followed by a full-length movie called
Pekko Aikamiespojan poikamiesaika the next year. All in
all, five Pekko movies were made and already while making those,
Koivusalo showed his desire to master all of the subareas of making
movies: he produced, directed and wrote the script for his movies
in addition to playing the lead.
Film director
After the movie
Pekko ja unissakävelijä (1997), Koivusalo
hung up Pekko's hat and moved behind the camera full-time. His next
films were biographies:
Kulkuri ja
joutsen (1999), about
Tapio
Rautavaara and
Reino Helismaa,
Rentun ruusu (2001) about
Irwin Goodman and
Sibelius (2003), which was the
first full-length biographical movie about
Jean Sibelius. Koivusalo's second-to-last
movie
Kaksipäisen kotkan
varjossa (2005), which is an adventure and
musical set in Finland during the period of its
russification. Koivusalo and his
common-law wife, Susanna Palin, composed the soundtrack for the
movie.
Finnish movie critics have not appreciated Koivusalo's movies; for
example, nearly all of them lambasted
Kaksipäisen kotkan
varjossa. The Finnish public, however, loves them and they have
come in droves to see his movies.
The name of Koivusalo's latest movie is
Kalteva Torni (The Leaning
Tower), which debuted in Finland on
20
October 2006.
Kalteva torni is the
story of a benevolent man who does not know he has multiple
personalities.
His greatest fear is that he will not be able
to see the Leaning Tower
of Pisa
before it falls. The leading roles in the
movie are played by
Martti Suosalo,
Seela Sella,
Liisa Kuoppamäki,
Siiri Suosalo,
Esko
Nikkari,
Mats Långbacka,
Laura Jurkka,
Jemina Sillanpää and
Risto Salmi.
TV host
Timo Koivusalo also has considerable experience as a
TV host. From 1992 to 2002, he co-hosted the
popular couple's show on
TV2 called
Tuttu Juttu Show with
Joel Hallikainen. Hallikainen left the
show, however, already in the spring of 2000, after which Koivusalo
co-hosted the show with various presenters.
The Tuttu Juttu Show
originated from a set that was called Elämäntoveri that Hallikainen
and Koivusalo used to perform on the ships between Finland and Sweden
. The
theme song of the Tuttu Juttu Show,
Kuurankukka, has become a classic and
which made Hallikainen one of Finland's most popular artists at the
beginning of the 1990s. From 2002 to 2006, Koivusalo hosted another
show on TV2; this game show was called
Leikin
varjolla.
Writer
Koivusalo has also written 2 books:
Pekko ja outolintu in 1997 and
Rysän
päältä - siikahyvä ruokakirja in 2005. The latter he wrote
with restaurateur Jani Lehtinen and reporter Mikko Peltola. He has
also had a column in the
Helsingin
Sanomat.
Miscellaneous
Despite Timo Koivusalo's long career in the arts, he has been
educated as a
chef and a
mental nurse. He owns
a restaurant called Trattoria Bucco in Pori together with Jani
Lehtinen. They also used to own a restaurant together in Rauma,
which open only a short time.
Koivusalo has been married once; this marriage ended in divorce. He
has three children from this marriage: Severi (b. 31 October 1990,
sharing the same birthday as his father), Merika (b. 24 November
1992) and Samuli (b. 7 August 1997). Koivusalo is currently
engaged.
Filmography
Television
Notes
- http://www.artistafilmi.fi/
External links
Wikis
Quiz
Map
Search
