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, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

n stage and film actor and stage director whose career spanned more than five decades.

Biography

Ruut Tarmo was born Harald Rudolf Klein in

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,759 (as of 2024). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the ...

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 is the first Estonian language, Estonian-language theatre. Stemming from the Vanemuine Society (1865), the theatre's first performance was Lydia Koidula's ''Saaremaa Onupoeg'' ("The cousin from S ...

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

Ants Eskola Ants Eskola (17 February 190814 December 1989, known until 1935 as Erhard-Voldemar Esperk)Eskola 1986: 7 was a Soviet and Estonian actor, singer and artist. He appeared in 25 films from 1930 to 1979. People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist ...

),.SIRP: ''Näitleja on ajastu lühikroonika'' 8 August 2008
/ref> Ruut Tarmo was the stage manager of the ''Apollo'' miniature theater in Tallinn from 1917 to 1922. Tarmo worked at the

Estonian Drama Theatre The Estonian Drama Theatre () 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 originally built for the ...

in 1922–25, 1928–41, 1949–51, at the

in 1925–26, at the theater ''Rändteater'' in 1926–28, and in the

Estonia Theatre Estonia Theatre is an historic landmark building in central Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finl ...

in 1941–49 as a drama actor. In 1927 he would make his film debut in the Aksella Luts and

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 ''Noored kotkad'' (The Young Eagles, released in 1927) is an Estonian silent film about the Estonian War of Independence that was fought between 1918 and 1920. It was filmed in 1927 in Tartu, Mustvee, Värska, and Tartu County. The film was d ...

'' (English: ''Young Eagles''), which chronicled Estonian soldiers fighting in the

Estonian War of Independence The Estonian War of Independence, also known as the War of Freedom in Estonia, was a defensive campaign of the Estonian Army and its allies, most notably the United Kingdom, against the Soviet Russian westward offensive of 1918–1919 and the ...

from 1918 to 1920. In November 1951, Tarmo and his wife, actress Mari Möldre, were arrested on charges of performing anti-Soviet repertoire and for anti-Soviet jokes and opinions. Although the reasoning was not very watertight, they were sentenced to ten years in prison with the deprivation of all rights and the confiscation of all property. Tarmo's wife was released after

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

's death in July 1954, Tarmo was released from prison in January 1955. After his release, he was forbidden to participate in the arts. 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> From 1955 to 1967, Ruut Tarmo worked again at the Estonian Drama Theater. He played also in several television productions and many Estonian films. His last film role was in the feature film ''

Keskpäevane praam ''Keskpäevane praam'' (English: ''The Midday Ferry'') is a 1967 Soviet drama film directed by Kaljo Kiisk. Awards, nominations, participations: * 1968: All-Union Film Festival, jury special diploma to the actor Uno Loit * 1968: Baltic republics ...

'' (English: ''Midday Ferry''). 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 Eesti Raamat (Eesti Raamat OÜ) is an Estonian publisher which is located in Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the s ...

.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.

Personal life

Tarmo was 157 cm tall. His wife was Mari Möldre from 1926, his daughter was actress Lia Tarmo. He was of part Baltic German descent on his father's side.

Awards

Honored Artist Merited Artist, Honored Artist, etc., is an honorary title in the Soviet Union, Russian Federation, Union Republics, and autonomous republics, also in some other Eastern Bloc states, as well as in a number of post-Soviet states. In Russian language ...

of the

Estonian SSR The Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, (abbreviated Estonian SSR, Soviet Estonia, or simply Estonia ) was an administrative subunit ( union republic) of the former Soviet Union (USSR), covering the occupied and annexed territory of Estonia ...

(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 U ...

of the

(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 Estonian people imprisoned in the Soviet Union 20th-century Estonian male actors