19 Facts About Salme Reek

Salme Helene Reek was an Estonian stage, film, radio, and television actress and stage director whose career spanned nearly seventy years; sixty-six of which were spent as an actress at the Estonian Drama Theatre.

Salme Helene Reek was the oldest of three siblings born to paper pulp factory worker Juhan Reek and housewife Julia Reek in Parnu.

Salme Reek began her primary school studies in Parnu before the family relocated to Tallinn, then returning to Parnu approximately four years later.

The family subsequently returned once more to Tallinn, where Salme Reek attended secondary school at Tallinn 2nd Girls' Gymnasium, graduating in 1927.

Salme Reek performed well in history and language classes and excelled in gymnastics.

Just after graduation in 1927, Salme Reek enrolled in studies at the Drama Theatre Studio School in Tallinn, founded in 1920 by actor and theatre pedagogue Paul Sepp, graduating in 1930.

Salme Reek was renowned for her versatility as an actress, and often performed in stage roles as young boys.

Salme Reek became a member of the Estonian Actors' Union in 1934 and a member of the Estonian Theater Union in 1949.

In 1949, Salme Reek made her radio theatre debut as Charley in a production of Valentina Lyubimova's 1948 play The Snowball.

Between 1949 and 1993, Salme Reek would appear in approximately one hundred and forty radio plays and radio monologues.

Salme Reek made her feature film debut in a small role in the 1969 Soviet-Estonian comedy-drama Hullumeelsus, directed by Kaljo Kiisk for Tallinnfilm.

Salme Reek appeared in a number of other small roles in films during the 1970s, including the Veljo Kasper directed dramaTuulevaikus in 1971 and the Kaljo Kiisk directed romantic-drama Maaletulek in 1973.

In 1981, Salme Reek appeared in the role of the character Tuiska's wife in the Arvo Kruusement directed period drama Karge meri; a film adaptation of the 1938 novel of the same name by August Gailit about the lives of seal hunters in a small village on the Baltic Sea.

Salme Reek appeared in a large number of teleplays and television films beginning in the 1970s.

In 1973, Salme Reek appeared in the Sulev Nommik directed and Jaan Rannap penned comedy television film Mishuk.

In 1988, Salme Reek played the role of Siina Aunvark in the Vladimir Beekman penned and Kerge directed comedy Narva Kosk.

In 1993, Salme Reek had a small role in the Maximilian Schell directed American television drama film Candles in the Dark.

Salme Reek married stage designer and actor Paaren Raudvee in 1930.

In 1941, Salme Reek began a long-term relationship with actor and theatre director Oskar Polla which lasted until Polla's death in 1955.