Masa Niemi
Encyclopedia
Martti "Masa" Elis Niemi (20 July 1914 – 3 May 1960) was a Finnish
actor
. Niemi started his career as a drummer
, but became popular as a comedian
. He is most famous for his role as "Pätkä" (in English: Stub) in all thirteen original Pekka ja Pätkä
movies.
He committed suicide
in Tampere
, after frustration because of lack of roles. He took an overdose of sleeping pills
and died of intoxication. He left a suicide note written in verse form saying: "Hyvä on olla, kun on nolla. Hyvästi. -T. Masa" ("Life is a lull / when you're a null. Good bye, Masa.") Some people suppose his death could have been an accident. Masa Niemi suffered from disturbance of mental health and alcoholism
.
Masa Niemi was only 154 cm tall (about 5 feet ½ inch), but he is said to have drunk at least a bottle and a half of Koskenkorva hard liquor every day. By careful examination of the films, several scenes can be spotted where Niemi was drunk on set. For example, Niemi would never have agreed to do the scene where Pätkä is lifted up 10 metres with a crane
up if he hadn't drunk a bottle of Koskenkorva just before.
A few years after Niemi's death, there was an attempt to search for a new Pätkä to accompany Pekka. The producer even had a new script ready. The attempt was cancelled, because they could not find a suitable replacement. After a couple of decades, Visa Mäkinen
made two more Pekka Puupää
films, with Jaakko Kallio playing Pätkä.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Niemi started his career as a drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, but became popular as a comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
. He is most famous for his role as "Pätkä" (in English: Stub) in all thirteen original Pekka ja Pätkä
Pekka ja Pätkä
Pekka and Pätkä is the name of several comedy films produced by Suomen Filmiteollisuus in the 1950s in Finland, based on the popular Finnish comic characters Pekka Puupää and Pätkä , who can be said to be the Finnish version of Stan and Ollie...
movies.
Life
Niemi was born in Viipuri. His films include Majuri maantieltä. Masa Niemi's signature phrase in his role as Pätkä was "I know it's none of my business, but..."He committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
, after frustration because of lack of roles. He took an overdose of sleeping pills
Hypnotic
Hypnotic drugs are a class of psychoactives whose primary function is to induce sleep and to be used in the treatment of insomnia and in surgical anesthesia...
and died of intoxication. He left a suicide note written in verse form saying: "Hyvä on olla, kun on nolla. Hyvästi. -T. Masa" ("Life is a lull / when you're a null. Good bye, Masa.") Some people suppose his death could have been an accident. Masa Niemi suffered from disturbance of mental health and alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
Masa Niemi was only 154 cm tall (about 5 feet ½ inch), but he is said to have drunk at least a bottle and a half of Koskenkorva hard liquor every day. By careful examination of the films, several scenes can be spotted where Niemi was drunk on set. For example, Niemi would never have agreed to do the scene where Pätkä is lifted up 10 metres with a crane
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
up if he hadn't drunk a bottle of Koskenkorva just before.
A few years after Niemi's death, there was an attempt to search for a new Pätkä to accompany Pekka. The producer even had a new script ready. The attempt was cancelled, because they could not find a suitable replacement. After a couple of decades, Visa Mäkinen
Visa Mäkinen
Visa Mäkinen is a Finnish film director, film producer, actor and screen writer.He has directed and produced films such as the 1983 James Bond spoof Agentti 000 ja kuoleman kurvit which featured actors Ilmari Saarelainen and Tenho Sauren.He has also acted and written for several films.-Feature...
made two more Pekka Puupää
Pekka Puupää
Pekka Puupää is a Finnish comic and film character, created by Ola "Fogeli" Fogelberg. The character appeared 1925–1975 in the popular comic Pekka Puupää and 1952–1960 in thirteen films produced by Suomen Filmiteollisuus...
films, with Jaakko Kallio playing Pätkä.
Filmography
- Suviyön salaisuus (Secret of summer night) (1945)
- Kipparikvartetti (Four skippers) (1952)
- Lentävä kalakukko (1953)
- Pekka Puupää (Peter Woodhead) (1953)
- Me tulemme taas (Here we come again) (1953)
- Pekka Puupää kesälaitumilla (Pekka and Pätkä on a summer holiday) (1953)
- Hei rillumarei! (1954)
- Pekka ja Pätkä lumimiehen jäljillä (1954)
- Taikayö (Magical night) (1954)
- Majuri maantieltä (The major from the roadside) (1954)
- Pekka ja Pätkä puistotäteinä (1955)
- Kiinni on ja pysyy eli Pekan ja Pätkän uudet seikkailut (1955)
- Pekka ja Pätkä pahassa pulassa (1955)
- Pekka ja Pätkä ketjukolarissa (1957)
- Pekka ja Pätkä salapoliiseina (1957)
- Pekka ja Pätkä sammakkomiehinä (1957)
- Pekka ja Pätkä Suezilla (On the Suez) (1958)
- Pekka ja Pätkä miljonääreinä (As millionaires) (1958)
- Ei ruumiita makuuhuoneeseen (No bodies in the bedroom) (1959)
- Yks' tavallinen Virtanen (Just an ordinary Finn) (1959)
- Pekka ja Pätkä mestarimaalareina (1959)
- Isaskar Keturin ihmeelliset seikkailut (Isaskar Keturi's wonderful adventures) (1960)
- Pekka ja Pätkä neekereinä (1960)
- Kaks' tavallista LahtistaKaks' tavallista LahtistaKaks' tavallista Lahtista is a 1960 Finnish drama film directed by Ville Salminen. It was entered into the 10th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Eemeli - Janitor Vepsäläinen* Vesa Enne - Janitor's son* Hannu Halonen* Paavo Hukkinen...
(Two ordinary Finns) (1960)