Kaljo Kiisk
Born(1925-12-03)3 December 1925
Vaivina, Ida-Viru County, Estonia
Died20 September 2007(2007-09-20) (aged 81)
Tallinn, Estonia
Alma materRussian Institute of Theatre Arts
Occupation(s)Actor, film director, screenwriter, politician
Years active1953–1993
Spouse
Zinaida Kiisk
​
(m. 1947)​
Children1

Kaljo Kiisk (3 December 1925 – 20 September 2007) was a Soviet and Estonian actor, film director, screenwriter and politician.[1] He was best known for his roles as Kristjan Lible from Spring (Estonian: Kevade), Summer (Suvi) and Autumn (Sügis), film adaptations of Oskar Luts' novels, and as Johannes Saarepera from ETV's long-running Õnne 13. His career spanned over half a century from 1953 to 2007.[2][3]

Early life

Kiisk was born and raised in Vaivina. In 1944, aged 18, he served in the anti-aircraft unit of the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian), and took part in the Battle of Tannenberg Line. After World War II, he managed to obscure his military service from the Soviet occupiers. In 1946, he graduated from the Rakvere 1st Secondary School and enrolled at the Tallinn University of Technology. He switched the next year to the ESSR State Theatre Institute and in 1948, to the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts. Graduating in 1953, he returned to Estonia and joined the Estonian Drama Theatre.[2][3]

Career

Monument in memoriam to Kaljo Kiisk in Jõhvi.

Stage, film and television

His first play was an adaptation of Oskar Luts' novel Spring (Estonian: Kevade), staged together with Kulno Süvalep in 1954, in which Kiisk played the part of the bright yet restless Joosep Toots. From 1955 to 1990, he worked as an actor and director at Tallinnfilm. His most notable works as a director included Naughty Curves (1959) and Dangerous Curves (1961), Madness (1969) and Nipernaadi (1983) He wrote the screenplay of the 1969 film Spring, an adaptation of Oskar Luts' popular novel, in which he also starred as Paunvere's bell-ringer Kristjan Lible. The film became an Estonian classic.[2][3] From 1993 to 2007 (his death), he starred in Õnne 13 as Johannes Saarepera.

Politics

From 1980 to 1990, Kiisk was a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR and from 1989 to 1991, a member of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union. In 1995 and 1999, he was elected to the Riigikogu as a member of the Estonian Reform Party.

Personal life

Kiisk married his classmate Zinaida Ivanova in 1947. They had a daughter, Riina, who married actor and poet Juhan Viiding.[2] Poet Elo Viiding is his granddaughter.

Filmography

Film

Title Year Functioned as Notes
Director Writer Actor Role
Yachts at Sea (Jahid merel) 1955 Yes Yes Heino Assistant director
Andrus' Happiness (Andruse õnn) 1955 Yes Teder
The Turning Point (Pöördel) 1957 Yes Assistant director
June Days (Juunikuu päevad) 1957 Yes
Naughty Curves (Vallatud kurvid) 1959 Yes
One village men (Ühe küla mehed) 1961 Yes Raimond
Dangerous Curves (Ohtlikud kurvid) 1961 Yes
Ice drift (Jääminek) 1962 Yes
Traces (Jäljed) 1963 Yes
We Were 18 Years Old (Me olime 18-aastased) 1965 Yes
What Happened to Andres Lapeteus? (Mis juhtus Andres Lapeteusega?) 1966 Yes Ants Pajuviidik
Midday Ferryboat (Keskpäevane praam) 1967 Yes
Madness (Hullumeelsus) 1968 Yes Yes Harmonica man
Spring (Kevade) 1969 Yes Yes Kristjan Lible
Old Toomas Has Been Stolen (Varastati Vana Toomas) 1970 Yes Old Thomas Musical film
Windy Coast (Tuuline rand) 1971 Yes
To Step Ashore (Maaletulek) 1972 Yes Yes Harald
Unusual story (Tavatu lugu) 1973 Yes Detective Kaur
Red violin (Punane viiul) 1974 Yes Yes Commander
Indrek 1975 Yes Voitinski
Death under sail (Nāve zem buras) 1976 Yes Detective-Sergeant Aloysius Birrell
Summer (Suvi) 1976 Yes Kristjan Lible
Ask the Dead About the Price of Death (Surma hinda küsi surnutelt) 1977 Yes Yes Doctor
Wild violets (Metskannikesed) 1980 Yes
Arabella, the Pirate's Daughter (Arabella, mereröövli tütar) 1982 Yes Firefighter Adaption of Aino Pervik's short story.
Nipernaadi 1983 Yes
There Were the Trees... (Puud olid ...) 1985 Yes Pakk-Rätsep
In One Hundred Years in May (Saja aasta pärast mais) 1986 Yes Yes Viktor Kingissepp's interrogator
Vernanda 1988 Yes Old gentleman
Regina 1989 Yes
Upside Down (Наизнанку) 1989 Yes Tamm Short
Awakening (Äratus) 1989 Yes Jaan
Autumn (Sügis) 1990 Yes Kristjan Lible
Rahu street (Rahu tänav) 1991 Yes Eugen
Prompter (Suflöör) 1993 Yes
Victoria (Victoria (Ühe armastuse lugu)) 1994 Yes Guest
Jüri Rumm 1994 Yes Old stableman
Roller coaster (Ameerika mäed) 1994 Yes Albert
I'm tired of hating (Ma olen väsinud vihkamast) 1995 Yes Carpenter
Letters from the East (Kirjad idast) 1995 Yes Old farmer
Ladybirds' Christmas (Lepatriinude jõulud) 2001 Yes Imanuel (voice) Animated film
The Visit of the Old Lady (Vana daami visiit) 2006 Yes Doctor Adaption of The Visit.
Hostage (Koer, lennuk ja laulupidu) 2006 Yes Old man

Television

Title Year Role Notes
My Wife Became a Grandmother (Minu naine sai vanaemaks) 1976 Friend Movie
Two Couples and Loneliness (Kaks paari ja üksindus) 1984 Farmer Movie adaption of O. Henry's short story.
The Dance Around the Steam Boiler (Tants aurukatla ümber) 1987 Taavet Aniluik Movie adaption of Mats Traat's novel.
Doctor Stockmann (Doktor Stockmann) 1988 Father Movie
An Old Man is Missing His Home (Vana mees tahab koju) 1991 Toomas Simmo Movie
Õnne 13 1993–2007 Johannes Saarepera 14 seasons

Honours

References

  1. ↑ Peter Rollberg (2009). Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema. US: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 354–355. ISBN 978-0-8108-6072-8.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Kaljo Kiisk". Eesti Filmi Andmebaas. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Kaljo Kiisk". Eesti Filmi Andmebaas. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
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