Kalju Orro (born 27 March 1952)Tallinna Linnateater
''Kalju Orro'' 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018. 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, film and television actor, acting instructor, lecturer, theatre producer, and pedagogue.

Early life and education

Kalju Orro was born in

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after the Northern European country's political and financial capital, Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 91,407 (as of 2021). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of ...

, where he attended primary and secondary schools. He is a 1970 graduate of Tartu 17 Vocational School. Afterward, he enrolled in the

Vanemuine Vanemuine () is a theatre in Tartu, Estonia. It was the first Estonian language theatre. History ''1870–1906 The Beginning of the Beginning. Koidula’s Theatre, Wiera’s Theatre.'' On June 24, 1870 was the first day in Estonian theatre ...

Drama Studios in Tartu, graduating in 1971. In 1972, he enrolled in the Performing Arts Department of 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 ...

) under instruction 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 1976. Among his graduating classmates were Merle Karusoo, Ago-Endrik Kerge,

Urmas Kibuspuu Urmas Kibuspuu (5 December 1953 in Tallinn – 13 June 1985) was an Estonian actor. In 1976 he graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory Stage Art Department. Since 1976 he worked at Estonian Drama Theatre, intermittently also in Estonia Theatre. ...

Lembit Peterson Lembit Peterson (born on 18 August 1953 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actor, theatre director and theatre pedagogue. In 1971 he graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory's Stage Art Department. From 1976 to 1979 and 1985 to 1988 he worked at Estonia ...

Aare Laanemets Aare Laanemets (6 February 1954 – 28 October 2000) was an Estonian actor and theatre director, who is possibly best recalled for his role as Joosep Toots in three film adaptations of novels penned by author Oskar Luts: '' Kevade'' (1969), ''S ...

, Jüri Krjukov,

Anne Paluver Anne Paluver (born 4 November 1952 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actress. Paulver was born in Tallinn, the daughter of mathematician Nikolai Paluver. She attended schools in Tallinn, graduating from Tallinn No. 22 Secondary School in 1970 (now the ...

, Külliki Tool,

Priit Pedajas Priit Pedajas (born 21 January 1954 in Tallinn) is an Estonian actor and theatre director. In 1976, he graduated from the Tallinn State Conservatory' Performing Arts Department. From 1979 until 1985, he was an actor and director at Ugala Theatre. ...

Eero Spriit Eero Spriit (born 4 September 1949), is an Estonian actor, theatre producer and director, and film and television producer. Spriit's career as an actor began in the early 1970s. Early life and education Eero Spriit was born as one of two children ...

, and

Peeter Volkonski Prince Peeter Volkonski (born 12 September 1954 in Tallinn) is an Estonian rock-musician, composer, actor, and theatre director. Biography He became famous with the punk band Propeller, founded in 1978. In 2015 Volkonski was Free Party's can ...

.Eesti Päevaleht
''Ago-Endrik Kerge (69): enne jagasid jalad ja siis pea'' (in

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

) 5 April 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2018.

Career

Stage

From 1976 until 1978, he was engaged at the

Viktor Kingissepp Viktor Eduard Kingissepp ( in Karmel (now ) – 4 May 1922 in Tallinn) was an Estonian communist politician, the leader of the Estonian Communist Party. The son of a factory worker, he joined a Marxist circle as a schoolboy in Arensburg (now ...

Tallinn State Academic Drama Theatre (now, the

Estonian Drama Theatre The Estonian Drama Theatre ( et, Eesti Draamateater) is a theatre in Tallinn, Estonia. It has the role of a national theatre for Estonia. The Estonia Theatre is located next door. History The building that houses the Estonian Drama Theatre was or ...

) in Tallinn, before departing to the Estonian SSR State Youth Theatre (since 1992, 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 ...

), where he has been engaged as an actor and producer since 1978. Among his more memorable international roles during his long career at the Tallinn City Theatre include those in works by such authors and playwrights as:

Lyudmila Petrushevskaya Lyudmila Stefanovna Petrushevskaya (russian: Людмила Стефановна Петрушевская; born 26 May 1938) is a Russian writer, novelist and playwright. She began her career writing and putting on plays, which were often cens ...

Dale Wasserman Dale Wasserman (November 2, 1914 – December 21, 2008) was an American playwright, perhaps best known for his book for Man of La Mancha. Early life Dale Wasserman was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, the child of Russian immigrants Samuel W ...

, Celestino Gorostiza,

Aleksis Kivi Aleksis Kivi (; born Alexis Stenvall; 10 October 1834 – 31 December 1872) was a Finnish author who wrote the first significant novel in the Finnish language, ''Seitsemän veljestä'' ("Seven Brothers") in 1870. He is also known for his 1864 p ...

David Pownall David Pownall FRSL (19 May 1938 – 21 November 2022) was a British playwright and prolific radio dramatist performed internationally, and novelist translated into several languages. Life and career David Pownall was born in Liverpool on 19 May ...

Luchino Visconti Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo (; 2 November 1906 – 17 March 1976) was an Italian filmmaker, stage director, and screenwriter. A major figure of Italian art and culture in the mid-20th century, Visconti was one of the fat ...

Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...

Dario Fo Dario Luigi Angelo Fo (; 24 March 1926 – 13 October 2016) was an Italian playwright, actor, theatre director, stage designer, songwriter, political campaigner for the Italian left wing and the recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Literature. I ...

, Terry Johnson,

Brecht Eugen Berthold Friedrich Brecht (10 February 1898 – 14 August 1956), known professionally as Bertolt Brecht, was a German theatre practitioner, playwright, and poet. Coming of age during the Weimar Republic, he had his first successes as a pl ...

and Weill,

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has p ...

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...

Thomas Mann Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novella ...

David Storey David Malcolm Storey (13 July 1933 – 27 March 2017) was an English playwright, screenwriter, award-winning novelist and a professional rugby league player. He won the Booker Prize in 1976 for his novel ''Saville''. He also won the MacMillan ...

Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires ''Decli ...

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power ...

, Peter Barnes, David Hair,

Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...

Marina Carr Marina Carr is an Irish playwright who has written almost thirty plays, including '' By the Bog of Cats'' (1998). Early life and education Carr was born in Dublin, Ireland, but spent the majority of her childhood in Pallas Lake, County O ...

, William Boyd,

Nikolai Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...

Dorota Masłowska Dorota Masłowska (Polish pronunciation:; born 3 July 1983) is a Polish writer, playwright, columnist and journalist. Life and work Masłowska was born in Wejherowo, and grew up there. She applied for the University of Gdańsk's faculty of psy ...

, and

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 ...

. Notable roles in works by Estonian authors and playwrights include those of:

A. H. Tammsaare Anton Hansen (18 (O.S.)/30 January 1878 – 1 March 1940), better known by his pseudonym A. H. Tammsaare and its variants, was an Estonian writer whose pentalogy '' Truth and Justice'' (''Tõde ja õigus''; 1926–1933) is considered one of ...

Hugo Raudsepp Hugo Raudsepp (10 July 1883 – 15 September 1952) was an influential and prolific Estonian playwright and politician. Cody, Sprinchorn 2007, p. 428. In 1951 he was deported to the Irkutsk region by the Soviet authorities, where he died. Raun 2001 ...

, Jaanus Rohumaa,

Jaan Tätte Jaan Tätte (born 24 March 1964 in Viljandi Viljandi (, german: Fellin, sv, Fellin) is a town and municipality in southern Estonia with a population of 17,407 in 2019. It is the capital of Viljandi County and is geographically located betw ...

Madis Kõiv Madis Kõiv (5 December 1929, Tartu, Estonia – 24 September 2014, Tartu, Estonia) was an Estonian writer, philosopher and physicist. Education Kõiv attended school in Tartu after the second World War, graduating in the early 1950s with a d ...

, and Paavo Piik. Orro has also worked as a

theatrical producer A theatrical producer is a person who oversees all aspects of mounting a theatre Stagecraft, production. The producer is responsible for the overall financial and managerial functions of a production or venue, raises or provides financial backin ...

on a number of stage productions during his career with the Tallinn City Theatre, beginning with a 1981 production of

Ödön von Horváth Edmund Josef von Horváth (9 December 1901, Sušak, Rijeka, Austria-Hungary – 1 June 1938, Paris France) was an Austro-Hungarian playwright and novelist who wrote in German, and went by the name of ''nom de guerre'' Ödön von Horváth. He was ...

's 1938 novel ''Youth Without God''.

Film, television, and radio

Kalju Orro's first prominent feature-film role was as Markar in the 1977 Peeter Simm, Toomas Tahvel, and Peeter Urbla-directed romantic drama ''Karikakramäng'' for

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 ...

.Eesti filmi andmebaas
''Karikakramäng: Salakütt '' (in

...

). Retrieved 30 December 2018. Other notable film roles include that of Volt in the 1992 Lembit Ulfsak-directed comedy family film ''Lammas all paremas nurgas'', author

August Kitzberg August Kitzberg ( in Laatre Parish, Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire – 10 October 1927 in Tartu) was an Estonian writer. Life Until 1863, August Kitzberg was known as August Kits. He grew up in Niitsaadu farmstead in Penuja village, A ...

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 2005 thriller ''Libahundi needus'', and as Uugu in the

Elmo Nüganen Elmo Nüganen (born on date 15 February 1962 in Jõhvi) is an Estonian theatre director, film director, and actor. He has been the artistic Director of the Tallinn City Theatre since 1992. He was a graduate of the Estonian Academy of Music a ...

-directed 2006 comedy ''

Meeletu ''Mindless'' () is a 2006 Estonian comedy film directed by Elmo Nüganen and starring Rain Simmul. It tells the story of a 40-year-old businessman who moves to the countryside. It is based on the play with the same name by Jaan Tätte. The film w ...

'', which was based on the play of the same name by

. In 2017, he made a cameo appearance as a hospital patient in the

Andres Puustusmaa Andres Puustusmaa (born 19 July 1971) is an Estonian film director, actor, screenwriter, professor, and photographer who began his career in the early 1990s. He has worked extensively in his native Estonia, as well as in Russia. Early life and e ...

-directed comedy ''Rohelised kassid''.Eesti filmi andmebaas
''Kalju Orro'' (in

...

). Retrieved 30 December 2018. Orro's first prominent role on Estonian television was as Kilian in the 1976 Elvi Koppel-directed family film ''Kuidas kuningas kuu peale kippus''. arhiiv.err.ee
''Kuidas kuningas kuu peale kippus'' (in

...

) 8 November 1976. Retrieved 30 December 2018. Other notable television roles were as Karl in the 1984 Ago-Endrik Kerge-directed and

Enn Vetemaa Enn Vetemaa (June 20, 1936March 28, 2017) was an Estonian writer sometimes referred to as a "forgotten classic",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) comedy television film ''Püha Susanna ehk meistrite kool'', Constable Tults in the 1995 ETV historical drama miniseries '' Wikmani poisid'', Hardi Tiidus in the Jaak Kilmi-directed 2005 ETV comedy-fantasy television film ''Kohtumine tundmatuga'', and as Hendrik Soopalu in the

Kanal 2 Kanal 2 is a privately owned Estonian television channel. Its literal name in English is "Channel 2". The channel was established by Ilmar Taska. The channel began broadcasting on 1 October 1993. History The channel started broadcasting on O ...

crime series ''Kelgukoerad'' in 2012. In 2013, he joined the cast of the Kanal 2 comedy series ''Naabriplika'' as the character Insener. KAVA.ee
''Naabriplika'' (in

...

) 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2018. In 2017 he joined the cast of the ETV ten-part drama series ''Pank'', which follows the rise and subsequent misfortunes of a new bank that which emerges in Estonia in the 1990s. In 2020, he appeared in the

Peeter Simm Peeter Simm (born 24 February 1953 in Kiviõli) 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 ...

directed coming-of-age period drama '' Vee peal''. Kalju Orro has also worked extensively as a voice actor and radio performer. In 1999, he was awarded the Estonian Radio Actor's Prize.Õhtuleht
''Eesti Raadio näitlejapreemia saab Kalju Orro '' (in

...

). 26 March 1999. Retrieved 30 December 2018.

Educator

From 1976 until 1994, Kalju Orro worked as a lecturer and drama instructor at the Performing Arts Department of the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. From 1995 until 1999, he was a lecturer and instructor at Tallinn Pedagogical University (now,

Tallinn University Tallinn University (TLU; et, Tallinna Ülikool, ''TLÜ'') is a public research university in Estonia. Located in the centre of Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn University is one of the three largest institutions of higher education ...

), and returning as a lecturer to the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre in 1998.

Literature and photography

In addition to acting, Orro has written, compiled, and contributed to a number of published books on the history of Estonian theatre, including the two-volume ''Lavakooliraamat'' (2007 and 2010). Eesti Teatriliit
''Lavakooliraamat. 2'' (in

...

) 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2018. ''Vana album'', a collection of photographs taken by Orro of people and events associated with Estonian theatre, was published in 2002.Raamatukoi
''Vana album'' (in

...

). Retrieved 30 December 2018.

Personal life

Kalju Orro was married to theatre scholar, editor, and critic Reet Neimar who died in 2008.Sirp
''Hüvasti-hüvasti, sõber ja õpetaja!'' (in

...

). 1 August 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2018. Their son Oliver Orro, an architect, author, and professor, was born in 1982.Eesti Rahvusbibliograafia
''Orro, Oliver, 1982-, teksti autor!'' (in

...

). Retrieved 30 December 2018.

Acknowledgements

* Estonian Radio Actor Prize (1999) *

Order of the White Star The Order of the White Star ( et, Valgetähe teenetemärk; french: Ordre de l'Etoile Blanche) was instituted in 1936. The Order of the White Star is bestowed on Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic ...

, IV Class (2005) * Karl Ader Award (2007)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Orro, Kalju 1952 births Living people Estonian male stage actors Estonian male film actors Estonian male television actors Estonian male voice actors Male actors from Tartu People from Tartu Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 4th Class 20th-century Estonian male actors 21st-century Estonian male actors