# Esa Saario

Esa Saario (born 22 November 1931) is a Finnish actor. He started studying in Helsinki Theatre Academy in 1956. The headmaster of the academy, Wilho Ilmari, and other teachers allowed Saario to skip one year of school due to Saario's giftedness. Saario ended up graduating in only two years.

## Career

Saario worked as an actor for the Finnish National Theatre from 1958 until his retirement in 1997. The first role he played was in 1954 and the last in 2001. Saario performed in over 200 different roles during his career. Some of his most memorable roles on stage were Orgon in Tartuffe, Malcolm in Macbeth, actor/priest in Hamlet and Amiens in As You Like It.
Saario has also played in multiple radio dramas broadcast by the Finnish National broadcaster Yleisradio. His radio drama roles include Police officer Karhunen (Fin. Poliisi Karhunen) in Noita Nokinenä, Marvin in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and several roles in The Men from the Ministry.
Some of Saario's most famous cinema roles are politician Janne Kivivuori in the movies Here, Beneath the North Star and Akseli and Elina. Saario's first roles on screen were seen in the movies Sven Tuuva the Hero and Kankkulan Kaivolla.
In the beginning of 1960s Saario recorded many children's songs, such as "Hottentottilaulu", together with actress Maikki Länsiö. Hottentottilaulu is originally a Norwegian children's song called Visen om vesle Hoa. It was translated into Finnish by Jukka Virtanen.
Saario has also been a member of the Finnish Actor Union (Finnish: Suomen Näyttelijäliitto, Swedish: Finlands Skådespelarförbund), the Board of the Actors of the Finnish National Theatre and the Board of the Finnish National Theatre. Honorary membership of Nummi-Seura Ry, the local Heritage association in Nummi, was given to Saario on the 9th of June 2020. The board of Nummi-Seura recognised Saario's significant and long lasting work for Nummi-Seura and for preserving the local heritage in Nummi for future generations.

## Theatre

| Role | Play | Year |
| One of the wise men | Sleeping Beauty | 1954 |
| Fedótik/Rode | Three Sisters | 1956 |
| Actor/Priest | Hamlet | 1957 |
| Jupp | Captain of Köpenick | 1957 |
| I Marquis/I Poet/Soldier | Cyrano de Bergerac | 1958 |
| MP of the 3rd Party | Mr. Party Secretary (Fin. Herra Puoluesihteeri) | 1958 |
| Jesper | When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town | 1958 |
| Theramenes | Phèdre | 1959 |
| IV Citizen/Pindarus | Julius Caesar | 1959 |
| Pugovitsyn | The Government Inspector | 1959 |
| Sung Ju | Tsu Yuan | 1959 |
| I worker | Miljoonavaillinki | 1959 |
| Father/Dean | A Dream Play | 1959 |
| Naahar | Nilkkarengas | 1960 |
| Doctor/General's friend | L'Hurluberlu, ou Le Reactionnaire amoureux | 1960 |
| Pedersen | Swedenhjelmit | 1960 |
| Herra | Täyttyneiden Toiveiden Maa | 1960 |
| Mr. Fauques | Ihana Seikkailu | 1960 |
| Don Sancho | Cantar de Mio Cid | 1960 |
| Singer/Musician | Suuri Rakkaus | 1960 |
| Gardener | Sleeping Beauty | 1960 |
| Monsieur Marquis | Der Talisman | 1961 |
| Meri-Jussi | Rintatasku | 1961 |
| Benvolio | Romeo and Julia | 1961 |
| Nicholas Gadspy | A Touch of the Poet | 1961 |
| Ruprecht | The Broken Jug | 1961 |
| One of the Elders of Argos | Oresteia | 1961 |
| Ugo | Narri | 1962 |
| Zépo | Pique-nique en campagne | 1962 |
| Soldier | Myrskylintu | 1962 |
| King | Becket | 1962 |
| Sakeus | Lea | 1962 |
| Hearse driver | Palanut tontti (Swe. Brända Tomten) | 1962 |
| Toivo Uljas | Totuuden Helmi | 1962 |
| Old Musician | Caesar and Cleopatra | 1963 |
| Juoppi | Naisten Hurmaaja | 1963 |
| Mekaanikko | Kaksi Maanantaita | 1963 |
| Vincentio | The Taming of the Shrew | 1963 |
| Galy Gay | Man Equals Man | 1963 |
| Singer/Lyonnaise | Danton's Death | 1963 |
| Into Viiriläinen | Tuntematon Potilas | 1964 |
| Malcolm | Macbeth | 1964 |
| Princess Grace | The Hostage | 1964 |
| The Papal Nuncio of Berlin | The Deputy | 1964 |
| Caius Caracchus | Muuttohaukat | 1965 |
| Mickey | Jälkeen syntiinlankeemuksen | 1965 |
| Velkavanki | Jokamies | 1965 |
| Singer | The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of Monsieur de Sade | 1965 |
| Lawyer | Miss Alice | 1965 |
| Pekka | Uudenvuodenyö | 1966 |
| Aigisthos | Electra | 1966 |
| Chief of the society | Päämajassa | 1966 |
| Sparky | Serjeant Musgrave's Dance | 1967 |
| Intonen | Herra Johtaja | 1967 |
| Matthews/captain Eckert/Wood | the Death of the President | 1968 |
| Guard | Antigone | 1968 |
| Captain | Agenttilaiva | 1968 |
| Johtaja Judas, Koronkiskuri | Omena Putoaa | 1968 |
| La Flèche | The Miser | 1969 |
| Joas | Lea | 1969 |
| Mäntti | Peter Pan | 1969 |
| Peter Cauchon/Bishop of Beauvais | Saint Joan | 1970 |
| Frans | Nuorempi Veli | 1970 |
| Francois | Naistenryöstäjät | 1970 |
| Kreivi Hufnagel | Operetti | 1971 |
| Oskar | Tales from the Vienna Woods | 1971 |
| Vasili Vasiljevitsh Soljonyi | Three sisters | 1971 |
| Antoine | Dear Antoine: or, the Love That Failed | 1972 |
| Valee | Tukkijoella | 1972 |
| Kortesuo | Anna-Liisa | 1972 |
| Krouvari | Kristiina | 1973 |
| Orgon | Taruffe | 1973 |
| Juhani, Niskavuoren isäntä | Niskavuoren Heta | 1973 |
| Arje | Miten Kalat Suutelevat | 1974 |
| Matti Aaltonen | Puntilan Isäntä ja Hänen renkinsä Matti | 1975 |
| Haudy | Sotilaat | 1976 |
| Jahvetti | Arkielämää | 1976 |
| Glupp/Man with a bowler hat/Revolutionist | Drums in the Night | 1977 |
| Count | Les Fausses Confidences | 1977 |
| Captain Shotover | Heartbreak House | 1978 |
| Törnskjöld | Kanneviskaali Samuel Kröll | 1978 |
| Hoviherra Koipelin | Hyrrä | 1979 |
| Hurttanen | Mitta Mitasta | 1979 |
| Thesleff | Jääkäri Ståhl | 1979 |
| Duke of Alba | Don Carlos | 1981 |
| The Prospector | The Madwoman of Chaillot | 1981 |
| Johan Ludvig Heiberg | Rain snakes (Fin. Kastematojen elämästä) (Swe. Från regnormarnas liv) | 1982 |
| Malmberg, Niiles Kustaa, Lapuan apulaispappi | Kolmekymmentä hopearahaa | 1982 |
| Jermolinski | Punainen Virta | 1983 |
| Anton Tšehov | Tšehov Jaltalla | 1983 |
| James Tyrone | Long Day's Journey into Night | 1984 |
| Karri | Nummisuutarit | 1984 |
| Nikolai | Breaking the Silence | 1986 |
| Sheriff Talbott | The Fugutive Kind | 1987 |
| Ville | Omena Putoaa | 1987 |
| Captain Smollett | Treasure Island | 1988 |
| Doctor Bradman | Blithe Spirit | 1988 |
| J.K.Paasikivi | Tie Talvisotaan | 1989 |
| Hieroja | Särkelä itte | 1989 |
| Nimismies | Pohjanmaa | 1990 |
| Tsyganov, Michail Nikolajevitsh, engineer | Barbarians | 1991 |
| Iisakki Kiukoo | Amerikan Morsian | 1992 |
| Grand Duke Aleksandr Mihailovits | Keisarin perhe ja pyhä paholainen | 1993 |
| Adjutantti | Presidentin Dementia | 1994 |
| Alonso - King of Naples | The Tempest | 1995 |
| Kansleri Bestuzev | Katariina Suuri | 1996 |
| Aadolf | Tohvelisankarin rouva | 1997 |
| Oskari | Mäntyranta se oli | 1997 |
| Leo Fairchild | The Lady in the Van | 2001 |

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1958 | Sven Tuuva | Jaeger |
| 1960 | Ida Aalbergin ja Lauri Kivekkään häät | Leader of the undergraduates´ delegation |
| 1960 | Kankkulan kaivolla | Esa Saario, song impressionist |
| 1960 | Oho, sanoi Eemeli | the 1st constable |
| 1962 | Ihana seikkailu | master Henrik Södersvans |
| 1963 | Totuus on armoton | teacher Itkonen |
| 1963 | Aamiainen sotakentällä (Pique-nique en campagne) | Zépo |
| 1963 | Karuselli | |
| 1964 | Jouluvene - Tähtiparaati | |
| 1965 | Suuren oppineen Wun päivä | Lao Da |
| 1966 | Uusi jäsenkirja | Siponen |
| 1967 | Agamemnon | One of the Elders of Argos |
| 1967 | Ismo ystävineen | |
| 1967 | Kantapaikka | |
| 1968 | Kantapaikka | Metellus |
| 1968 | Sirkku | |
| 1968 | Here, Beneath the North Star | Janne Kivivuori |
| 1969 | Oikeamieliset | Boris Annekov |
| 1970 | Akseli and Elina | Janne Kivivuori |
| 1971 | Kujanjuoksu | Inspector Kurki |
| 1973 | Pohjantähti | Janne Kivivuori |
| 1973 | Silta kaukaiseen yöhön | Vitas |
| 1973 | Meiltähän tämä käy | judge Ketonen |
| 1976 | Luottamus | Kullervo Manner |
| 1976 | Outo | |
| 1978 | Tuntematon ystävä | Computer operator |
| 1978 | Amerikan Antti | Priest |
| 1979 | Ruskan jälkeen | Paavo Tyni |
| 1983 | Akaton Mies | Huhtanen |
| 1984 | Niskavuori | Kaarlo Niskavuori |
| 1986 | Liian iso keikka | Depot varetaker of HKL |
| 1986 | Akallinen mies | Syyskylän Arttu |
| 1987 | Farewell, Mr. President (Fin. Jäähyväiset Presidentille) | Inspector Kairamo |
| 1991 | Uuno Turhapuro herra Helsingin Herra | valtioneuvoston konttoripäällikkö |
| 1994 | The Men from the Ministry (Fin. Knalli ja sateenvarjo) | sir Henry Pitkin |

## Books

Saario has written two books about the dialect of Nummi. In addition to telling about the Nummi dialect, the first book also tells about the poets and songwriters of the past in Nummi. The first book is called Nummilaist kiälentampaamist. Saario's second book, Sana on jalkava -se menee pian ja pitkält, is a dictionary between words that are only used in Nummi dialect and words in standard Finnish language. A short booklet has also been written by Saario to add more words to the second book. The booklet is called Ei lisä pahitteeks ol, paitti velas ja selkään saamises.
The books are published by Esa Saario and Nummi-Seura, the Association of Nummi Local Area.
| Title | Publishing year and place | Pages |
| Nummilaist Kiälentampaamist | 2013, Nummi | 115 |
| Sana on jalkava -se menee pian ja pitkält | 2016, Nummi | 134 |
| Ei lisä pahitteeks ol, paitti velas ja selkään saamises | 2016, Nummi | 16 |

## Voice acting

| Year | Film/Series | Role |
| 1976 | The Twelve Tasks of Asterix | Julius Caesar/Panoramix |
| 1982 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Magic Mirror |
| 1984 | Lady and the Tramp | Jock |
| | Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure | Jock |
| 1985-1991 | Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears (series) | King Gregor |
| 1988 | Oliver & Company | Bill Sykes |
| 1988 | Dino-Riders (series) | |
| 1988-1993 | Count Duckula | Igor/narrator |
| 1989, 1999 | The Little Mermaid | King Triton |
| 1990-1991 | TaleSpin (series) | Shere Khan |
| 1991 | Beauty and the Beast | Narrator |
| 1991-1992 | Darkwing Duck (series) | Taurus Bulba |
| 1992 | Batman (series) | Commissioner Gordon/Dr. Bartholomew/Karl Rossum |
| 1993 | The Sword in the Stone | sir Ector/Narrator |
| 1993 | The Jungle Book | Shere Khan |
| 1993 | Batman: Mask of the Phantasm | Carl Beaumont/James Gordon |
| 1994 | The Lion King | Mufasa |
| 1994 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Narrator |
| 1994 | The Aristocats | Napoleon/Toulouse/Cyril/Edgar |
| 1995 | Babe | Narrator |
| 1995 | Sleeping Beauty | Narrator/King Hubert |
| 1995 | One Hundred and One Dalmatians | Danny/Ara |
| 1996 | Santa Claus and the Magic Drum | Santa Claus |
| 1996-1998 | Jungle Cubs (series) | adult Shere Khan |
| 1997 | Hercules | Zeus |
| 1997 | Flubber | Chester |
| 1997 | Moomins and The Magician's Hat (Swe. Mumintrollen Jakten på Trollkarlens rubin) | The Magician |
| 1998 | Babe: Pig in the City | Narrator |
| 1998 | The Black Cauldron | Narrator/Dallben |
| 1998 | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | James Gordon |
| 1998 | The Batman/Superman Movie: World's Finest | Perry White/James Gordon/Ceasar Carlini |
| 2000 | Dinosaur | Yar |
| 2000 | The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea | King Triton |
| 2000 | 102 Dalmatians | Dr. Pavlov/the judge |
| 2001 | Atlantis: The Lost Empire | King Kashekim Nedakh |
| 2001 | Monsters, Inc. | Henry J. Waternoose III |
| 2001 | Monsters, Inc. Scream Team | Henry J. Waternoose III |
| 2002 | Peter Pan: Return to Never Land | Narrator |
| 2002 | Treasure Planet | Billy Bones |
| 2002 | The Cat Returns | Narrator |
| 2003 | The Jungle Book 2 | Shere Khan |
| 2004 | Home on the Range | Sheriff Sam Brown |
| 2007 | Röllin sydän | Narrator/The village elder/sauna bath spirit |