Quick Facts
Biography
Kaljo Kiisk (3 December 1925 – 20 September 2007) was an Estonian actor, film director and politician. 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.
Early life
Kiisk was born and raised in Viru County. 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 Academy of Theatre Arts. Graduating in 1953, he returned to Estonia and joined the Estonian Drama Theatre.
Career
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). 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. 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 Ivanov in 1947. They had a daughter, Riina.
Poet Elo Viiding is his granddaughter.
Filmography
Film
| Title | Year | Functioned as | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Writer | Actor | Role | |||
| Yachts at Sea (Estonian: Jahid merel) | 1955 | Yes | Yes | Heino | Assistant director | |
| Andrus' Happiness (Estonian: Andruse õnn) | 1955 | Yes | Teder | |||
| The Turning Point (Estonian: Pöördel) | 1957 | Yes | Assistant director | |||
| June Days (Estonian: Juunikuu päevad) | 1957 | Yes | ||||
| Naughty Curves (Estonian: Vallatud kurvid) | 1959 | Yes | ||||
| One village men (Estonian: Ühe küla mehed) | 1961 | Yes | Raimond | |||
| Dangerous Curves (Estonian: Ohtlikud kurvid) | 1961 | Yes | ||||
| Ice drift (Estonian: Jääminek) | 1962 | Yes | ||||
| Traces (Estonian: Jäljed) | 1963 | Yes | ||||
| We were 18 years old (Estonian: Me olime 18 aastased) | 1965 | Yes | ||||
| What Happened to Andres Lapeteus? (Estonian: Mis juhtus Andres Lapeteusega?) | 1966 | Yes | Ants Pajuviidik | |||
| Midday ferryboat (Estonian: Keskpäevane praam) | 1967 | Yes | ||||
| Madness (Estonian: Hullumeelsus) | 1968 | Yes | Yes | Harmonica man | ||
| Spring (Estonian: Kevade) | 1969 | Yes | Yes | Kristjan Lible | ||
| Old Toomas has been stolen (Estonian: Varastati Vana Toomas) | 1970 | Yes | Old Thomas | Musical film | ||
| Windy coast (Estonian: Tuuline rand) | 1971 | Yes | ||||
| To Step Ashore (Estonian: Maaletulek) | 1972 | Yes | Yes | Harald | ||
| Unusual story (Estonian: Tavatu lugu) | 1973 | Yes | Kaur, experienced detective | |||
| Red violin (Estonian: Punane viiul) | 1974 | Yes | Yes | Commander | ||
| Indrek | 1975 | Yes | Voitinski | |||
| Death under sail (Latvian: Nāve zem buras) | 1976 | Yes | Detective-Sergeant Aloysius Birrell | |||
| Summer (Estonian: Suvi) | 1976 | Yes | Kristjan Lible | |||
| Ask the Dead About the Price of Death (Estonian: Surma hinda küsi surnutelt) | 1977 | Yes | Yes | Doctor | ||
| Wild violets (Estonian: Metskannikesed) | 1980 | Yes | ||||
| Arabella, the Pirate's Daughter (Estonian: Arabella, mereröövli tütar) | 1982 | Yes | Firefighter | Adaption of Aino Pervik's short story. | ||
| Nipernaadi | 1983 | Yes | ||||
| There Were the Trees... (Estonian: Puud olid...) | 1985 | Yes | Pakk-Rätsep | |||
| In One Hundred Years in May (Estonian: Saja aasta pärast mais) | 1986 | Yes | Yes | Viktor Kingissepp's interrogator | ||
| Vernanda | 1988 | Yes | Old gentleman | |||
| Regina | 1989 | Yes | ||||
| Upside Down (Russian: Наизнанку) | 1989 | Yes | Tamm | Short | ||
| Alarm (Estonian: Äratus) | 1989 | Yes | Jaan | |||
| Autumn (Estonian: Sügis) | 1990 | Yes | Kristjan Lible | |||
| Rahu street (Estonian: Rahu tänav) | 1991 | Yes | Eugen | |||
| Prompter (Estonian: Suflöör) | 1993 | Yes | ||||
| Victoria (Estonian: Victoria (Ühe armastuse lugu)) | 1994 | Yes | Guest | |||
| Jüri Rumm | 1994 | Yes | Old stableman | |||
| Roller coaster (Estonian: Ameerika mäed) | 1994 | Yes | Albert | |||
| I'm tired of hating (Estonian: Ma olen väsinud vihkamast) | 1995 | Yes | Carpenter | |||
| Letters from the East (Estonian: Kirjad idast) | 1995 | Yes | Old farmer | |||
| Ladybirds' Christmas (Estonian: Lepatriinude jõulud) | 2001 | Yes | Imanuel (voice) | Animated film | ||
| The Visit of the Old Lady (Estonian: Vana daami visiit) | 2006 | Yes | Doctor | Adaption of The Visit. | ||
| Hostage (Estonian: Koer, lennuk ja laulupidu) | 2006 | Yes | Old man | |||
Television
| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| My wife became a grandmother (Estonian: Minu naine sai vanaemaks) | 1976 | Friend | Movie |
| Two couples and loneliness (Estonian: Kaks paari ja üksindus) | 1984 | Farmer | Movie adaption of O. Henry's short story. |
| The Dance around the Steam Boiler (Estonian: Tants aurukatla ümber) | 1987 | Taavet Aniluik | Movie adaption of Mats Traat's novel. |
| Doctor Stockmann (Estonian: Doktor Stockmann) | 1988 | Father | Movie |
| An old man is missing his home (Estonian: Vana mees tahab koju) | 1991 | Toomas Simmo | Movie |
| Õnne 13 | 1993–2007 | Johannes Saarepera | 14 seasons |
Honours
3rd Class Order of the White Star- PÖFF Lifetime Achievement Award
3rd Class Order of the White Star