Pertti Olavi "Spede" Pasanen was a Finnish film director and producer, comedian, and inventor. During his career he directed, wrote, produced or acted in about 50 movies and participated in numerous TV productions, including the comedy Spede Show and the game-show Speden Spelit. Much of his more commercial work was in collaboration with Vesa-Matti Loiri and Simo Salminen. Pasanen's films and TV shows, often made quickly and on a low budget, usually received little critical recognition but were popular among Finnish audiences from the 1960s onwards. He was the owner of his own film production company, Filmituotanto Spede Pasanen Ky.
Spede Pasanen, 1990.
Young Pasanen in his student apartment in the 1950s
Pertti Pasanen (left) with Aune Haarla and Antero Alpola at Yleisradio's entertainment division in 1960.
Pasanen and Jaakko Pakkasvirta in the scene of the 1964 film X-Paroni
Vesa-Matti "Vesku" Loiri was a Finnish actor, musician and comedian, best known for his role as Uuno Turhapuro, whom he portrayed in a total of 20 movies between the years 1973 and 2004.
Loiri in 2011
Vesa-Matti Loiri in 1969
Vesa-Matti Loiri as Uuno Turhapuro (character) in 1985
Vesa-Matti Loiri in 2009
