Ruut Tarmo (26 April 1896 – 28 January 1967)Parve, Ralf R. ''Nädala juubilar: Ruut Tarmo 110'' 26 April 2006. Kesknädal
/ref> 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 actor and stage director whose career spanned more than five decades.

Early life

Ruut Tarmo was born Harald Rudolf Klein 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 ...

in 1896 to Julius Klein and Sohvi Klein (''née'' Anja) and he began his career on stages in his hometown in 1912. In 1914 he began an engagement at the prestigious

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 and would later travel the world's stages (including at least two appearances on London stages with fellow countryman

Ants Eskola Ants Eskola (until 1935 Erhard-Voldemar Esperk;Eskola 1986: 7 17 February 1908 in Tallinn – 14 December 1989 in Tallinn) was a Soviet Union, Soviet and Estonian actor, singer and artist. He appeared in 25 films from 1930 to 1979. People's Artist ...

),SIRP: ''Näitleja on ajastu lühikroonika'' 8 August 2008
/ref> as well as at 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 ...

and 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 1927 he would make his film debut in the

Aksella Luts Aksella Luts (born Aksella Hildegard Kapsta; 10 October 1905 – 8 January 2005)Theodor Luts Theodor Luts ( in Palamuse – 24 September 1980 in São Paulo) was an Estonian film director and cinematographer, brother of classic writer Oskar Luts. Theodor Luts was the first major figure of Estonian cinematography His '' Noored kotkad'' ...

-penned and directed silent film drama '' Noored kotkad'' (English: ''Young Eagles''), which chronicled Estonian soldiers fighting in the

Estonian War of Independence The Estonian War of Independence ( et, Vabadussõda, literally "Freedom War"), also known as the Estonian Liberation War, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Bolshevik westwa ...

from 1918 to 1920.

Arrest

Following the invasion and annexation of Estonia during World War II by the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

, Tarmo was arrested by Soviet authorities, along with many other artists and intellectuals such as his wife, actress Mari Möldre and author Heiti Talvik, and sentenced to prison.Museum of Occupations
/ref> Upon his release, he was forbidden to participate in the arts until the death of

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secreta ...

. Upon the ban being lifted, Tarmo returned to the stage and screen. In 1955, he made his first post-ban film appearance in a comedic short titled ''Värav nr. 2'', directed by Oleg Lentsius.''Eesti Päevaleht'', 2 June 2010
/ref>

Death and legacy

Tarmo would remain a popular stage and film actor until his death in Tallinn in 1967. In 1971, his wife would write a posthumous biography of the actor; ''Ruut Tarmo'', published by Eesti Raamat 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 ' ...

.Open Library
/ref> In 2010, a play titled ''Mari ja Ruut'' was performed at the

which chronicled the lives of Tarmo and wife Mari Möldre during Tarmo's imprisonment.

Awards

* Honored Artist of the Estonian SSR (1959)Cinema Theatre.ru
/ref> *

People's Artist People's Artist is an honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states (and communist states in general), as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the USS ...

of the

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

(1966)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tarmo, Ruut 1896 births 1967 deaths Male actors from Tartu Estonian male stage actors Estonian male film actors Estonian male silent film actors Estonian prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of the Soviet Union 20th-century Estonian male actors