Urho Somersalmi

Somersalmi worked in the Finnish National Theatre from 1908 to 1958. He was often cast in the roles of masculine heroes or first-time lovers. His physical appearance was very suitable for such roles, and in the beginning of his career, he was often criticized for superficiality. Somersalmi was awarded the Pro Finlandia medal in 1948.{{cite web |title=Myönnetyt Pro Finlandia -mitalit |url=https://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/art-2000003106704.html |publisher=Helsingin Sanomat |access-date=17 July 2022 |language=Finnish}}

Somersalmi was involved in the Finnish film industry from the beginning. In 1913, he had his first small film role in a Teuvo Puro film Sylvi, the first Finnish drama film. His final appearance was in the Finnish-Soviet co-production film Sampo (1959) in which he played the role of Väinämöinen.{{cite web |last1=Rytinki |first1=Pasi |title=Suomalainen elokuvatähti murhasi sohvalla levänneen vaimonsa raa’asti – tällainen oli salaperäisen parin hirvittävä kohtalo |url=https://www.is.fi/tv-ja-elokuvat/art-2000008520127.html |publisher=Ilta-Sanomat |access-date=17 July 2022 |language=Finnish}}

Somersalmi married actress Aili Somersalmi in 1912.{{cite book|last=Koskimies|first=Rafael|title=Suomen Kansallisteatteri 1902/1917|year=1953|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava}} In April 1962, he killed her with an axe he had received as a gift from Finnish Actors' Union and stabbed her in the chest, after which he hanged himself.{{cite web |last1=Rimaila |first1=Elisa |title=Näyttämötaiteilija Urho Somersalmi surmasi vaimonsa eläkelahjaksi saamallaan kirveellä, eikä jättänyt Kansallisteatteria kuolemankaan jälkeen – Uusi kirja kokoaa Helsingin hirveät kummitustarinat |url=https://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/art-2000005795179.html |publisher=Helsingin Sanomat |access-date=17 July 2022 |language=Finnish}}

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• {{IMDb name|0813876}}

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Category:1888 births

Category:1962 deaths

Category:Male actors from Helsinki

Category:Actors from Uusimaa Province (Grand Duchy of Finland)

Category:Finnish male film actors

Category:Finnish male silent film actors

Category:20th-century Finnish male actors

Category:Murder–suicides in Finland

Category:Suicides by hanging in Finland

Category:1962 suicides

Category:Uxoricides

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