Lia Laats (2 February 1926 – 24 April 2004) 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 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 and film actress whose career spanned over forty years.
Early life
Lia Laats was born in
Tallinn
Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...
to Karl René Laats and Helmi Karin Laats (''née'' Tähe), who both worked as domestic servants. She had two older half-siblings from her father's previous marriage. She studied at the National 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, but left her studies in 1946 without graduating.
Stage career
From 1946 until 1948 (and again, from 1976 until 1980), Laats performed at the
Estonia Theatre
Estonia Theatre is an historic building in Tallinn, Estonia, which houses the Estonian National Opera and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
The original Jugendstil building was designed by Finnish architects Armas Lindgren and Wivi L ...
, in dramatic roles, comedies, operettas and musicals with the
Estonian National Opera
Estonian National Opera (''Rahvusooper Estonia'') is the national opera company of Estonia. The company is based at the Estonia Theatre in Tallinn. The theatre has had several names throughout its existence. The latest one being "The Estonian Nati ...
. From 1948 until 1951 (and again, from 1951–1960; and from 1980-1981) she was engaged at 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 ...
. From 1960 until 1976, she was engaged at 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 ...
theatre. One of her most memorable roles at the Vanemuine was that of
Jocasta
In Greek mythology, Jocasta (), also rendered Iocaste ( grc, Ἰοκάστη ) and also known as Epicaste (; ), was a daughter of Menoeceus, a descendant of the Spartoi Echion, and queen consort of Thebes. She was the wife of first Laius, t ...
in
Sophocles
Sophocles (; grc, Σοφοκλῆς, , Sophoklễs; 497/6 – winter 406/5 BC)Sommerstein (2002), p. 41. is one of three ancient Greek tragedians, at least one of whose plays has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or co ...
' ''
Oedipus Rex
''Oedipus Rex'', also known by its Greek title, ''Oedipus Tyrannus'' ( grc, Οἰδίπους Τύραννος, ), or ''Oedipus the King'', is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed around 429 BC. Originally, to the ancient Gr ...
'' in 1963. From 1952 until the mid-1960s, she also performed in variety theatre with stage partner Helmut Vaag; the two often performing in comedic works.
[Õhtuleht](_blank)
''Lia Laats võitleb raske tõvega'' 20 November 2001. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
Laats' work on the stage was prolific during her career, lasting over four decades.
Film
Lia Laats made her screen debut in the 1947
Herbert Rappaport
Herbert Rappaport (1908–1983), known in the Soviet Union as Gerbert Moritsevich Rappaport, was an Austrian-Soviet screenwriter and film director.
Rappaport was born in 1908 in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, to Jewish parents from Lemberg (now Lv ...
directed Soviet-
Estonian language
Estonian ( ) is a Finnic language, written in the Latin script. It is the official language of Estonia and one of the official languages of the European Union, spoken natively by about 1.1 million people; 922,000 people in Estonia and 160,0 ...
drama ''Elu tsitadellis'' (English: ''Life in a Citadel'') for
Lenfilm
Lenfilm (russian: link=no, Ленфильм) is a Russian production company with its own film studio located in Saint Petersburg (the city was called Leningrad from 1924 to 1991, thus the name). It is a corporation with its stakes shared betwee ...
, based on the 1946 play of the same name by Estonian author and communist politician
August Jakobson
August Jakobson (2 September 1904 – 23 May 1963) was an Estonian writer and politician. He was one of the few Estonian playwright among his contemporaries whose plays were untouched by Soviet censorship and reached other Soviet states. He h ...
. ''Elu tsitadellis'' was the first post-World War II Estonian feature film, following the
annexation
Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
of Estonia into the Soviet Union.
The plot largely revolves around the arrival of the Soviets following the
German occupation of Estonia in 1944 and justice being meted out to Estonians who had collaborated with German occupying forces. The film ends with jubilant Estonians celebrating their "liberation" and inclusion into the Soviet Union; accepting the
communist ideology
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
. Both the film and Laats were awarded the
Stalin Prize Stalin Prize may refer to:
* The State Stalin Prize in science and engineering and in arts, awarded 1941 to 1954, later known as the USSR State Prize
The USSR State Prize (russian: links=no, Государственная премия СССР, ...
.
[Sakala Postimees](_blank)
''Lia Laats: noorena kogusin filminäitlejate pilte ja kleepisin albumisse, see oli minu jaoks kättesaamatu maa. Siis äkki mängisin ise filmis!'' 10 August 2002. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
Following several more dramas, Lia Laats was paired with Estonian singer
Georg Ots
Georg Ots (21 March 1920 – 5 September 1975) was an Estonian singer, actor and People's Artist of the USSR (1960).
Biography
Before studying singing with the Estonian baritone Aleksander Rahnel in Yaroslavl in the rear of the Eastern Fro ...
in the 1961 Viktor Nevežin directed light comedy ''Juhuslik kohtumine''. Laats' most memorable roles are arguably in three comedies directed by
Sulev Nõmmik
Sulev Nõmmik (11 January 1931, in Tallinn – 28 July 1992, in Kuressaare) was an Estonian theatre and movie director, actor, humorist and comedian. He's mostly associated with the comical character of Kärna Ärni and the related fictional villa ...
and paired onscreen with actor
Ervin Abel
Ervin Abel (8 November 1929 Narva – 16 March 1984 Tallinn) was an Estonian actor.
In 1953 he graduated from GITIS' Estonian studio. 1953–1966 he worked at Estonian Drama Theatre and 1966-1984 at Estonian SSR State Philharmonic (nowadays Eesti ...
. The first of which was 1968's ''
Mehed ei nuta
''Mehed ei nuta'' (Estonian for ''Men Don't Cry'') is a 1969 Estonian television comedy movie directed by Sulev Nõmmik and written by himself and Enn Vetemaa.
Influence
Together with ''Viimne reliikvia'', '' Siin me oleme!'' and '' Noor pensi ...
'', followed by ''
Noor pensionär'' in 1972 and ''
Siin me oleme!'' in 1979. The three films proved to be very popular and are still often broadcast on Estonian television.
Personal life and death
Lia Laats was married to actor Kalju Vaha from 1947 until their divorce in 1962. The couple had two sons; Jaak (born 1948) and Madis (born 1951).
[delfi.ee](_blank)
''Lia Laats mattis poja'' 19 December 2003. Retrieved 6 December 2016. Following her divorce, she began a long-term relationship with actor Harry Karro. The couple had a daughter, Kadi, in 1965. Although the couple were often referred to as married by media and other sources, Laats and Karro never officially or legally wed.
The couple settled in the village of
Külitse in
Tartu County
Tartu County ( et, Tartu maakond or ''Tartumaa'') is one of 15 counties of Estonia.
It is located in eastern Estonia bordering Põlva County, Valga County, Viljandi County and Jõgeva County.
The area of Tartu County is , which covers 6.9% of t ...
for many years before moving to
Õismäe
Õismäe ( Estonian for ''"Blossom Hill"'') is a subdistrict ( et, asum) in the district of Haabersti, Tallinn
Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of ...
the year prior to Laats' death. They remained in a relationship until Laats' death. Karro died in 2009.
In the mid-1980s Laats began suffering a series of debilitating health issues. She had a heart attack, followed by a second heart attack in 1986 and was then required to have a pacemaker procedure. Later, she was diagnosed with and treated for cancer. In December 2003, her youngest son Madis was killed in an automobile accident.
On 1 April 2004, Laats suffered a
cerebral infarction
A cerebral infarction is the pathologic process that results in an area of necrotic tissue in the brain (cerebral infarct). It is caused by disrupted blood supply ( ischemia) and restricted oxygen supply ( hypoxia), most commonly due to thromboemb ...
that left her unable to speak and partially paralyzed. She was hospitalized in Tallinn, where she died on 24 April 2004, aged 78.
Acknowledgements
*
Merited Artist Estonian SSR (1968)
*
Meie Mats
Meie Mats, named after an Estonian folk song, is a prestigious yearly humour award issued since 1987 and originally initiated by Edgar Spriit, the chief editor of '' Pikker'', a long-time Estonian humour magazine.Maaleht 18 January 2001Kellest ...
Humour award (1990)
*
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 ...
, V Class
*Estonian Actors Union, Honorary Member
Legacy
On 2 February 2016, on what would have been Lia Laats' 90th birthday,
ETV2
ETV2 ( et, ETV kaks) is the second channel of the Estonian Public Broadcastin(Eesti Rahvusringhääling – ERR)focusing on children's programming during the day and providing cultural content in the evening.
ETV2 is known for its quality ar ...
broadcast a retrospective of Laats' career, featuring several of Laats' films, interviews and television appearances.
ETV2
''Teemaõhtu: Lia Laats 90. sünniaastapäev'' 2 February 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
Filmography
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laats, Lia
1926 births
2004 deaths
Actresses from Tallinn
Estonian stage actresses
Estonian musical theatre actresses
Estonian film actresses
Recipients of Meie Mats
Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 5th Class
20th-century Estonian actresses
21st-century Estonian actresses
20th-century comedians
Women humorists