Ago Roo (born 11 May 1946) is an

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

n stage, television, voice, and film actor who began his career in theatre in 1968. Roo has been employed at several notable theatres in Estonian during his career and has appeared in film and television. He has been a member of the Estonian Theatre Association since 1969 and the Estonian Actors' Union since 1993.

Early life and education

Ago Roo was born in the small village of

Visusti Visusti is a village in Jõgeva Parish, Jõgeva County in eastern Estonia. Prior to the Administrative reform in Estonia, 2017 administrative reform of local governments in Estonia, the village belonged to Palamuse Parish. (retrieved 28 July 2021 ...

Järva County Järva County ( et, Järva maakond or ''Järvamaa''; german: Jerwen; la, Jervia) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in the central part of the country and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Jõgeva County to the south-east, ...

. His father was a forestry technician and his mother mother was an accountant. He attended schools in

Elva Elva may refer to: Places *Elva, Estonia, town in Tartu County, Estonia *Elva Parish, municipality in Estonia *Elva (river), a river in Estonia *Elva, Illinois, unincorporated community in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States *Elva, Manitoba, u ...

, graduating from secondary school in 1964. Afterward, he enrolled in the theatre department of the Tallinn State Conservatory (now, the

Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (''Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia'') began as a mixed choir of the Estonia Society Musical Department (EMD) on the eve of World War I. The assembly of the Estonia Society created the Tallinn Higher Musi ...

) to study acting, under stage direction of actor and theatre pedagogue

Voldemar Panso Voldemar Panso (30 November 1920 Tomsk, Russia – 27 December 1977 Tallinn) was Estonian stage director, actor and theatrical teacher. 1941 he graduated from Tallinn Conservatory State Stage Art School and 1955 Moscow State Theatre Art Instit ...

, graduating in 1968. Among his graduating classmates were:

Helle-Reet Helenurm Helle-Reet Helenurm (26 January 1944 – 23 February 2003) was an Estonian actress whose career began in 1968 in theatre. She also performed as a radio, television, and film actress until her death, aged 59, of cancer. Early life and education ...

Peeter Jakobi Peeter Jakobi (15 October 1940 — 21 September 2014) was an Estonian actor. Jakobi was born in Tallinn. In 1968 he graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory's Performing Arts Department. From 1973 until 2008, he was an actor at the Rakvere Th ...

Katrin Karisma Katrin Karisma (also Katrin Karisma-Krumm; born on 21 August 1947) is an Estonian actress, singer and politician. She was a member of XI Riigikogu. Karisma born in Tallinn. She was married first to actor Peeter Jakobi and then to opera singer Hend ...

Enn Klooren Enn Klooren (21 June 1940 – 26 March 2011) was an Estonian actor. Klooren was born in Tallinn and grew up in Türi. After graduating the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in 1968 Klooren worked in the Estonian Drama Theatre. Since 1989 he ...

Kalju Komissarov Kalju Komissarov (8 March 1946 Võru – 6 March 2017) was an Estonian actor, theatre and film director, and theatre pedagogue. In 1968 he graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory. 1968-1974 he worked as a film director at Tallinnfilm. 1974-198 ...

Jaan Tooming Jaan Tooming (born 28 March 1946 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actor, theatre and film director and writer. In 1968 he graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory (now, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre). From 1969 to 2009 he was an actor a ...

Mari Lill Mari Lill (born 21 December 1945) is an Estonian stage, film and television actress whose career began onstage in the late 1960s. Early life and education Mari Lill was born in Tallinn to Felix Lill and Asta Lill (''née'' Multer) just after th ...

, and

Raivo Trass Raivo Trass (12 March 1946 – 7 June 2022) was an Estonian actor, director and theatrical pedagogue. Career Trass graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory's Performing Arts Department in 1968. From 1968 until 1977, he was an actor at Estoni ...

. Among Roo's diploma production roles was that of Baron in

Maxim Gorky Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and social ...

's ''

The Lower Depths ''The Lower Depths'' (russian: На дне, translit=Na dne, literally: ''At the bottom'') is a play by Russian dramatist Maxim Gorky written in 1902 and produced by the Moscow Arts Theatre on December 18, 1902 under the direction of Konstantin ...

''.

Career

Stage

In 1968, following his graduation from the Tallinn State Conservatory, Roo began a year-long engagement as a stage actor at the

Rakvere Theatre Rakvere Theatre is a professional theatre in Rakvere, Estonia. History Rakvere Theatre was established in the fall of 1921, when ''Rakvere Näitlejate Ring'' was formed. The building of the Rakvere Theatre was opened with a public ceremony on 2 ...

, IN 1969, he left the Rakvere Theatre and began an engagement at the

Lydia Koidula Lydia Emilie Florentine Jannsen, ( – ), known by her pen name Lydia Koidula, was an Estonian poet. Her sobriquet means 'Lydia of the Dawn' in Estonian. It was given to her by the writer Carl Robert Jakobson. She is also frequently referred to ...

Pärnu Drama Theatre (now, the

Endla Theatre Endla ( et, Endla teater) is a professional theatre in city of Pärnu, Estonia. The theatre was opened in 1911. The first performance was "Libahunt" ("Werewolf") by Estonian writer August Kitzberg. The Estonian Declaration of Independence was p ...

) in

Pärnu Pärnu () is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet o ...

. Roo would be employed at the Endla Theatre for nine years, leaving in 1978 to join the Estonian SSR State Youth Theatre (since 1994, the

Tallinn City Theatre Tallinn City Theatre ( et, Tallinna Linnateater) is a repertory theatre located in the medieval old town of Tallinn, Estonia. Tallinn City Theatre was established in 1965 as Estonian SSR State Youth Theatre. In 1992, after the reindependence of ...

). In 2009, following budgetary cuts to the theatre, Roo, along with actresses

Ene Järvis Ene Järvis (born 26 October 1947) is an Estonian stage, film, radio, and television actress. Early life and education Ene Järvis was born in Kiidjärve, Põlva County to parents Paul and Amanda Elfriede Järvis. She was the second to youngest ...

and

Marje Metsur Marje Metsur ( Marje Mihhailova; born on 27 June 1941) is an Estonian actress. In 1965 she graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory Stage Art Department. 1965-2009 she worked at Tallinn City Theatre. Since 2009 she is a freelance actress. Her mo ...

, were dismissed. After departing the Tallinn City Theatre, Roo became a freelance actor.

Film

In 1970, Roo made his feature film debut in the small role of Olev in the

Tallinnfilm Tallinnfilm is the oldest surviving film studio in Estonia. It was founded as Estonian Culture Film in 1931, and was nationalized in 1940 after Estonia was forced into the Soviet Union. During the first year of Soviet Occupation During Worl ...

drama ''Valge laev'', directed by Tallinn State Conservatory classmate Kalju Komissarov. In 1972, he appeared in a larger role as Jürgen in the Madis Ojamaa directed historical Tallinnfilm adventure film ''Verekivi'', followed by the role of Sergeant Major in the

Veljo Käsper Veljo Käsper (13 May 1930 Tallinn – 16 March 1982 Tallinn) was an Estonian film director and scenarist. In 1964 he graduated from Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. Since 1960 he worked at Tallinnfilm. Filmography * 1974 " Dangerous Ga ...

directed World War II period drama ''Ohtlikud mängud'' in 1974, also for Tallinnfilm. Prominent film roles of the 1980s include that of Baron Rennenkampf in the 1980 Mark Soosaar directed Tallinnfilm period drama ''Jõulud Vigalas''; Röövel, in the 1984 Helle Murdmaa directed Tallinnfilm fantasy film ''Karoliine hõbelõng''; and as Ordumeister, in the 1984

Olav Neuland Olav Neuland (often spelled wrongly ''Olev Neuland''; 29 April 1947 Viljandi – 21 May 2005 Anija) was an Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north b ...

directed Tallinnfilm fantasy film ''Hundiseaduse aegu''. Notable film roles in the 1990s, include that of Death in the 1991

Tõnu Virve Tõnu Virve (18 June 1946 Rõuge – 1 October 2019 Tallinn) was an Estonian theatre and film designer and artist, producer and director. In 1974 he graduated from the Estonian State Art Institute in theatre decoration speciality. 1975–1980 h ...

directed historical epic ''Surmatants'' for Freyja Film; Von Stock's servant, in the historical

Jaan Kolberg Jaan Kolberg (born 21 November 1958) is an Estonian film director and producer. Jaan Kolberg was born in Pärnu, where he attended primary and secondary schools. In 1976, he enrolled at Tartu State University, majoring in English. While at unive ...

directed adventure film ''Jüri Rumm'', based on the life of the 19th-century Estonian itinerant outlaw of the same name; and as Pensioner the 1999 Valentin Kuik directed Onfilm drama ''Lurjus'', adapted from the 1927 short-story ''The Scoundrel'' (also known as ''An Affair of Honour'') by

Vladimir Nabokov Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (russian: link=no, Владимир Владимирович Набоков ; 2 July 1977), also known by the pen name Vladimir Sirin (), was a Russian-American novelist, poet, translator, and entomologist. Bo ...

. In 2005, Roo appeared as Pope Innocent III in the joint

ETV ETV may stand for: Television * e.tv, a South African terrestrial television channel * Educational Television (Hong Kong), a television series * Educational television, the use of television in education * Enhanced TV, an interactive television ap ...

Exitfilm Exitfilm is an Estonian movie studio established in 1992 that produces and distributes feature films, short films and documentaries. Exitfilm's international co-productions include Lilja 4-Ever by Lukas Moodysson (Sweden), ''Unforgettable'' by A ...

, Õ-Fraktsioon historic comedy film '' Malev'', directed by Kaaren Kaer. This was followed by the role of a cleric in the

Rainer Sarnet Rainer Sarnet (born March 3, 1969) is an Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the ...

directed Exitfilm drama ''Kuhu põgenevad hinged'' in 2007, based on the 2007

Aidi Vallik Aidi Vallik (born 11 May 1971) is an Estonian children's author, poet, playwright, translator, columnist and screenwriter. Biography She graduated from University of Tartu The University of Tartu (UT; et, Tartu Ülikool; la, Universitas T ...

novel ''Mis sinuga juhtus, Ann?''. In 2012, he appeared as Boss in the Andres Kõpper and Arun Tamm directed thriller ''Vasaku jala reede'', for Tallinn Skyline Productions.

Television

In addition to film, Ago Roo has appeared in various roles in

teleplays A teleplay is a screenplay or script used in the production of a scripted television program or series. In general usage, the term is most commonly seen in reference to a standalone production, such as a television film, a television play, or an ...

, telefilms, television series, and miniseries. Some of Roo's most notable roles on television include that of Jüri Roll in the 1984

Peeter Urbla Peeter Urbla (born 2 June 1945 in Türi) is an Estonian film director, producer and screenwriter. In 1969 he graduated from University of Tartu in art history speciality. In 1977 he finished his two-year courses for screenwriters and directors in ...

directed

Eesti Televisioon Eesti Televisioon (ETV) ( en, Estonian Television) is an Estonian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by Estonian Public Broadcasting. It made its first broadcast on 19 July 1955. History Eesti Televisioon (''Estonian Televisi ...

(ETV) World War II television film ''Võõra nime all'', and the recurring role of Nikifor Kessner on the ETV comedy series ''ENSV'', which ran from 2010 until 2019 and humourously reflected on life in the 1980s during the era of the

Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic The Estonian SSR,, russian: Эстонская ССР officially the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic,, russian: Эстонская Советская Социалистическая Республика was an ethnically based adminis ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Roo, Ago 1946 births People from Jõgeva Parish Estonian male film actors Estonian male television actors Estonian male radio actors 20th-century Estonian male actors 21st-century Estonian male actors Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni