Martti "Masa" Elis Niemi was a Finnish actor, comedian, musician and entertainer.
22 Facts About Masa Niemi
1.
2.
Masa Niemi is best known from his role as Patka in the Pekka and Patka films.
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Martti Elias Niemi was the youngest of the nine children of house painter and decorator Matti Niemi and Johanna Niemi.
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Martti "Masa" Niemi soon became a jack of many trades: he worked as an acrobat and a magician at a circus he had founded with his siblings.
5.
Masa Niemi is said to have taken magic lessons in Germany, but according to an interview of his nephew in Ilta-Sanomat this is only an urban legend.
6.
Masa Niemi played bandy in the team Sudet, Vyborg despite his short stature and worked as the goalkeeper and captain of the team.
7.
Masa Niemi's main profession was a car driver at the Viipurin Makkara Oy sausage factory up to the war.
8.
In 1938 Masa Niemi married Helvi Kilpelainen and the marriage lasted until Masa Niemi's death.
9.
Masa Niemi worked as a manager for the Musical Club of Vyborg.
10.
Masa Niemi's main profession was an office assistant at a state office and as the editor and part-owner of the Matkatoveri magazine.
11.
Masa Niemi later started a career as a musician and an actor.
12.
Masa Niemi started his career as a drummer, but became popular as a comedian.
13.
Masa Niemi is most famous for his role as "Patka" in all thirteen original Pekka and Patka movies, with Esa Pakarinen as Pekka Puupaa, Patka's best friend.
14.
Masa Niemi had made his first film role in the Fenno-Filmi film Suviyon salaisuus but at the time, this had been a one-off experiment.
15.
Masa Niemi since made frequent appearances in selection castings for seven years, but never got a part.
16.
Masa Niemi appeared in an average of three films per year, went on gigs and appeared throughout Finland together with Esa Pakarinen, Reino Helismaa, Olavi Virta, Tapio Rautavaara and other popular actors and artists.
17.
Masa Niemi worked as a drummer in Vili Vesterinen's and Arttu Suuntala's bands.
18.
Masa Niemi earned a large salary from each Puupaa film, but spent all his money on alcohol and got in financial difficulties.
19.
Masa Niemi is said to have drunk at least a bottle and a half of Koskenkorva hard liquor every day.
20.
Masa Niemi committed suicide in the outdoor hut of the Pyynikki swimming pool in Tampere by taking an overdose of sleeping pills on 30 April 1960.
21.
Masa Niemi died a couple of days later in hospital.
22.
Masa Niemi was buried at the urn area of the Hietaniemi Cemetery.