Matti Pellonpää

Matti Pellonpää (28 March 1951 in Helsinki – 13 July 1995 in Vaasa) was a Finnish actor and a musician. He rose to international fame with his roles in both Aki Kaurismäki's and Mika Kaurismäki's films; particularly being a regular in Aki's films, appearing in 18 of them.
Career
He started his career in 1962 as a radio actor at the Finnish state-owned broadcasting company YLE. He performed as an actor during the 1970s in many amateur theatres, at the same time that he studied at the Finnish Theatre Academy, where he completed his studies in the year 1977.
He was nominated Best Actor by European Film Academy for his role as Rodolfo in La Vie de Boheme and won the Felix at the European Film Awards in 1992. He also starred in Jim Jarmusch's 1991 film Night on Earth.
His private life melded seamlessly with his acting work. He was considered a natural bohemian, and a genuine everyman without ego. He frequently used his own life as a basis for his acting, eschewing wardrobe provided, acting in his own clothes. He had a tattoo of Snoopy on his left bicep.
Pellonpää was the frontman for the band Peltsix (1989–1995). Peltsix gained cult following with its tragic, and at the same time, comic songs. Peltsix's songs were composed by Pale Saarinen, Kari Makkonen and Jukka Haikonen.
Matti Pellonpää died of a heart attack on 13 July 1995 at the age of 44. He was buried in the Malmi Cemetery.
In 1996, Pellonpää was one of the people commemorating 100 years of Finnish Cinema on a stamp.
A Finnish documentary film Boheemi elää/Bohemian Eyes on Pellonpää's life was made in 2011 (directed by Janne Kuusi).
Filmography
Pojat (1962), director Mikko Niskanen
Akseli and Elina (1970), director Edvin Laine
Kesän maku (1975), director Asko Tolonen
Antti Puuhaara (1976), director Katariina Lahti, Heikki Partanen, Riitta Rautoma
Viimeinen savotta (1977), director Edvin Laine
Ruskan jälkeen (1979), director Edvin Laine
The Liar (1981), director Mika Kaurismäki
Pedon merkki (1981), director Jaakko Pakkasvirta
Jackpot2 (1982), director Mika Kaurismäki
Arvottomat (1982), director Mika Kaurismäki
Regina ja miehet (1983), director Anssi Mänttäri
Huhtikuu on kuukausista julmin (1983), director Anssi Mänttäri
Crime and Punishment (1983), director Aki Kaurismäki
Klaani – tarina Sammakoitten suvusta (1984), director Mika Kaurismäki
Kello (1984), director Anssi Mänttäri
Aikalainen (1984), director Timo Linnasalo
Rakkauselokuva (1984), director Anssi Mänttäri
Viimeiset rotannahat (1985), director Anssi Mänttäri
Calamari Union (1985), director Aki Kaurismäki
Ylösnousemus (1985), director Anssi Mänttäri
Shadows in Paradise (1986), director Aki Kaurismäki
Rocky VI (1986), director Aki Kaurismäki
Kuningas lähtee Ranskaan (1986), director Anssi Mänttäri
Näkemiin, hyvästi (1986), director Anssi Mänttäri
Hamlet liikemaailmassa (1987), director Aki Kaurismäki
Ariel (1988), director Aki Kaurismäki
Cha cha cha (1989), director Mika Kaurismäki
Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989), director Aki Kaurismäki
Kiljusen herrasväen uudet seikkailut (1990), director Matti Kuortti
Räpsy ja Dolly (1990), director Matti Ijäs
Zombie ja kummitusjuna (1991), director Mika Kaurismäki
Night on Earth (1991), director Jim Jarmusch
Kadunlakaisijat (1991), director Olli Soinio
La Vie de Bohème (1992), director Aki Kaurismäki
Missä on Musette? (1992), director Veikko Nieminen
Papukaijamies (1992), director Veikko Nieminen
Det var väl själva fan också (1993), director Peter Östlund
The Last Border (1993), director Mika Kaurismäki
Hobitit (1993), director Timo Torikka
Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (1993), director Aki Kaurismäki
Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatiana (1993), director Aki Kaurismäki
Iron Horsemen (1995), director Gilles Charmant
Sirpaleita (1996), director Aku Louhimies
Albums
Peltsix / Lihaa Ja Leikkeleitä (Megamania Music, 1991)
Peltsix / Silkkaa Kryptoniittia (Flamingo Music, 1993)
References
Literature
Lähikuvassa Matti Pellonpää (Lauri Timonen, Otava 2009)
External links
Matti Pellonpää entry at IMDb
PELTSIX MySpace
Se minun töistäni — a documentary on Matti Pellonpää from 1984.
1951 births
1995 deaths
Male actors from Helsinki
European Film Award for Best Actor winners
20th-century Finnish male actors