Esa Saario

Esa Saario (22 November 1931 – 26 September 2025) was a Finnish actor whose career spanned more than four decades on stage and screen. He began his studies at the Helsinki Theatre Academy in 1956. Recognizing his exceptional talent, headmaster Wilho Ilmari and the faculty allowed him to skip a full year of training, enabling him to graduate in just two years. Saario joined the Finnish National Theatre in 1956, where he remained until 1997. Over the course of his career, he performed in more than 100 productions at the theatre, taking on roles that ranged from classical interpretations to children’s plays, as well as modern dramas, musical performances, and recitations. His voice also became familiar to audiences through animated films and recordings, cementing his place as a versatile and much-loved figure in Finnish culture.

Life and career

Saario worked as an actor for the Finnish National Theatre from 1958 until his retirement in 1997. The first role he played was in 1954 and the last in 2001. Saario performed in over 200 different roles during his career. Some of his most memorable roles on stage were Orgon in Tartuffe, Malcolm in Macbeth, actor/priest in Hamlet and Amiens in As You Like It.

Some of Saario's most famous cinema roles included politician Janne Kivivuori in the movies Here, Beneath the North Star and Akseli and Elina. Saario's first roles on screen were seen in the movies Sven Tuuva the Hero and Kankkulan Kaivolla.

In the beginning of 1960s Saario recorded many children's songs, such as "Hottentottilaulu", together with actress Maikki Länsiö. Hottentottilaulu is originally a Norwegian children's song called Visen om vesle Hoa. It was translated into Finnish by Jukka Virtanen.

Saario had also been a member of the Finnish Actor Union (Finnish: Suomen Näyttelijäliitto, Swedish: Finlands Skådespelarförbund), the Board of the Actors of the Finnish National Theatre and the Board of the Finnish National Theatre. Honorary membership of Nummi-Seura Ry, the local Heritage association in Nummi, was given to Saario on 9 June 2020. The board of Nummi-Seura recognised Saario's significant and long lasting work for Nummi-Seura and for preserving the local heritage in Nummi for future generations.

Saario died on 26 September 2025, at the age of 93.

Theatre

Role Play Year One of the wise men Sleeping Beauty 1954 Fedótik/Rode Three Sisters 1956 Actor/Priest Hamlet 1957 Jupp Captain of Köpenick 1957 I Marquis/I Poet/Soldier Cyrano de Bergerac 1958 MP of the 3rd Party Mr. Party Secretary (Fin. Herra Puoluesihteeri) 1958 Jesper When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town 1958 Theramenes Phèdre 1959 IV Citizen/Pindarus Julius Caesar 1959 Pugovitsyn The Government Inspector 1959 Sung Ju Tsu Yuan 1959 I worker Miljoonavaillinki 1959 Father/Dean A Dream Play 1959 Naahar Nilkkarengas 1960 Doctor/General's friend L'Hurluberlu, ou Le Reactionnaire amoureux 1960 Pedersen Swedenhjelmit 1960 Herra Täyttyneiden Toiveiden Maa 1960 Mr. Fauques Ihana Seikkailu 1960 Don Sancho Cantar de Mio Cid 1960 Singer/Musician Suuri Rakkaus 1960 Gardener Sleeping Beauty 1960 Monsieur Marquis Der Talisman 1961 Meri-Jussi Rintatasku 1961 Benvolio Romeo and Julia 1961 Nicholas Gadspy A Touch of the Poet 1961 Ruprecht The Broken Jug 1961 One of the Elders of Argos Oresteia 1961 Ugo Narri 1962 Zépo Pique-nique en campagne 1962 Soldier Myrskylintu 1962 King Becket 1962 Sakeus Lea 1962 Hearse driver Palanut tontti (Swe. Brända Tomten) 1962 Toivo Uljas Totuuden Helmi 1962 Old Musician Caesar and Cleopatra 1963 Juoppi Naisten Hurmaaja 1963 Mekaanikko Kaksi Maanantaita 1963 Vincentio The Taming of the Shrew 1963 Galy Gay Man Equals Man 1963 Singer/Lyonnaise Danton's Death 1963 Into Viiriläinen Tuntematon Potilas 1964 Malcolm Macbeth 1964 Princess Grace The Hostage 1964 The Papal Nuncio of Berlin The Deputy 1964 Caius Caracchus Muuttohaukat 1965 Mickey Jälkeen syntiinlankeemuksen 1965 Velkavanki Jokamies 1965 Singer The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of Monsieur de Sade 1965 Lawyer Miss Alice 1965 Pekka Uudenvuodenyö 1966 Aigisthos Electra 1966 Chief of the society Päämajassa 1966 Sparky Serjeant Musgrave's Dance 1967 Intonen Herra Johtaja 1967 Matthews/captain Eckert/Wood the Death of the President 1968 Guard Antigone 1968 Captain Agenttilaiva 1968 Johtaja Judas, Koronkiskuri Omena Putoaa 1968 La Flèche The Miser 1969 Joas Lea 1969 Mäntti Peter Pan 1969 Peter Cauchon/Bishop of Beauvais Saint Joan 1970 Frans Nuorempi Veli 1970 Francois Naistenryöstäjät 1970 Kreivi Hufnagel Operetti 1971 Oskar Tales from the Vienna Woods 1971 Vasili Vasiljevitsh Soljonyi Three sisters 1971 Antoine Dear Antoine: or, the Love That Failed 1972 Valee Tukkijoella 1972 Kortesuo Anna-Liisa 1972 Krouvari Kristiina 1973 Orgon Taruffe 1973 Juhani, Niskavuoren isäntä Niskavuoren Heta 1973 Arje Miten Kalat Suutelevat 1974 Matti Aaltonen Puntilan Isäntä ja Hänen renkinsä Matti 1975 Haudy Sotilaat 1976 Jahvetti Arkielämää 1976 Glupp/Man with a bowler hat/Revolutionist Drums in the Night 1977 Count Les Fausses Confidences 1977 Captain Shotover Heartbreak House 1978 Törnskjöld Kanneviskaali Samuel Kröll 1978 Hoviherra Koipelin Hyrrä 1979 Hurttanen Mitta Mitasta 1979 Thesleff Jääkäri Ståhl 1979 Duke of Alba Don Carlos 1981 The Prospector The Madwoman of Chaillot 1981 Johan Ludvig Heiberg Rain snakes (Fin. Kastematojen elämästä) (Swe. Från regnormarnas liv) 1982 Malmberg, Niiles Kustaa, Lapuan apulaispappi Kolmekymmentä hopearahaa 1982 Jermolinski Punainen Virta 1983 Anton Tšehov Tšehov Jaltalla 1983 James Tyrone Long Day's Journey into Night 1984 Karri Nummisuutarit 1984 Nikolai Breaking the Silence 1986 Sheriff Talbott The Fugutive Kind 1987 Ville Omena Putoaa 1987 Captain Smollett Treasure Island 1988 Doctor Bradman Blithe Spirit 1988 J.K.Paasikivi Tie Talvisotaan 1989 Hieroja Särkelä itte 1989 Nimismies Pohjanmaa 1990 Tsyganov, Michail Nikolajevitsh, engineer Barbarians 1991 Iisakki Kiukoo Amerikan Morsian 1992 Grand Duke Aleksandr Mihailovits Keisarin perhe ja pyhä paholainen 1993 Adjutantti Presidentin Dementia 1994 Alonso - King of Naples The Tempest 1995 Kansleri Bestuzev Katariina Suuri 1996 Aadolf Tohvelisankarin rouva 1997 Oskari Mäntyranta se oli 1997 Leo Fairchild The Lady in the Van 2001

Filmography Film Year Title Role 1958 Sven Tuuva the Hero Jaeger 1960 Ida Aalbergin ja Lauri Kivekkään häät Leader of the undergraduates´ delegation 1960 Kankkulan kaivolla Esa Saario, song impressionist 1960 Oho, sanoi Eemeli the 1st constable 1962 Ihana seikkailu master Henrik Södersvans 1963 Totuus on armoton teacher Itkonen 1963 Aamiainen sotakentällä (Pique-nique en campagne) Zépo 1963 Karuselli 1964 Jouluvene - Tähtiparaati 1965 Suuren oppineen Wun päivä Lao Da 1966 Uusi jäsenkirja Siponen 1967 Agamemnon One of the Elders of Argos 1967 Ismo ystävineen 1967 Kantapaikka 1968 Kantapaikka Metellus 1968 Sirkku 1968 Here, Beneath the North Star Janne Kivivuori 1969 Oikeamieliset Boris Annekov 1970 Akseli and Elina Janne Kivivuori 1971 Kujanjuoksu Inspector Kurki 1973 Pohjantähti Janne Kivivuori 1973 Silta kaukaiseen yöhön Vitas 1973 Meiltähän tämä käy judge Ketonen 1976 Luottamus Kullervo Manner 1976 Outo 1978 Tuntematon ystävä Computer operator 1978 Amerikan Antti Priest 1979 Ruskan jälkeen Paavo Tyni 1983 Akaton Mies Huhtanen 1984 Niskavuori Kaarlo Niskavuori 1986 Liian iso keikka Depot varetaker of HKL 1986 Akallinen mies Syyskylän Arttu 1987 Farewell, Mr. President (Fin. Jäähyväiset Presidentille) Inspector Kairamo 1991 Uuno Turhapuro herra Helsingin Herra valtioneuvoston konttoripäällikkö 1994 The Men from the Ministry (Fin. Knalli ja sateenvarjo) sir Henry Pitkin

Books Saario wrote two books about the dialect of Nummi. In addition to telling about the Nummi dialect, the first book also tells about the poets and songwriters of the past in Nummi. The first book is called Nummilaist kiälentampaamist. Saario's second book, Sana on jalkava -se menee pian ja pitkält, is a dictionary between words that are only used in Nummi dialect and words in standard Finnish language. A short booklet was also written by Saario to add more words to the second book. The booklet is called Ei lisä pahitteeks ol, paitti velas ja selkään saamises.

The books were published by Esa Saario and Nummi-Seura, the Association of Nummi Local Area.

Title Publishing year and place Pages Nummilaist Kiälentampaamist 2013, Nummi 115 Sana on jalkava -se menee pian ja pitkält 2016, Nummi 134 Ei lisä pahitteeks ol, paitti velas ja selkään saamises 2016, Nummi 16

Voice acting Year Film/Series Role 1976 The Twelve Tasks of Asterix Julius Caesar/Panoramix 1982 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Magic Mirror 1984 Lady and the Tramp Jock Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure Jock 1985–1991 Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears (series) King Gregor 1988 Oliver & Company Bill Sykes 1988 Dino-Riders (series) 1988-1993 Count Duckula Igor/narrator 1989, 1999 The Little Mermaid King Triton 1990–1991 TaleSpin (series) Shere Khan 1991 Beauty and the Beast Narrator 1991–1992 Darkwing Duck (series) Taurus Bulba 1992 Batman (series) Commissioner Gordon/Dr. Bartholomew/Karl Rossum 1993 The Sword in the Stone sir Ector/Narrator 1993 The Jungle Book Shere Khan 1993 Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Carl Beaumont/James Gordon 1994 The Lion King Mufasa 1994 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Narrator 1994 The Aristocats Napoleon/Toulouse/Cyril/Edgar 1995 Babe Narrator 1995 Sleeping Beauty Narrator/King Hubert 1995 One Hundred and One Dalmatians Danny/Ara 1996 Santa Claus and the Magic Drum Santa Claus 1996–1998 Jungle Cubs (series) adult Shere Khan 1997 Hercules Zeus 1997 Flubber Chester 1997 Moomins and The Magician's Hat (Swe. Mumintrollen Jakten på Trollkarlens rubin) The Magician 1998 Babe: Pig in the City Narrator 1998 The Black Cauldron Narrator/Dallben 1998 Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero James Gordon 1998 The Batman/Superman Movie: World's Finest Perry White/James Gordon/Ceasar Carlini 2000 Dinosaur Yar 2000 The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea King Triton 2000 102 Dalmatians Dr. Pavlov/the judge 2001 Atlantis: The Lost Empire King Kashekim Nedakh 2001 Monsters, Inc. Henry J. Waternoose III 2001 Monsters, Inc. Scream Team Henry J. Waternoose III 2002 Peter Pan: Return to Never Land Narrator 2002 Treasure Planet Billy Bones 2002 The Cat Returns Narrator 2003 The Jungle Book 2 Shere Khan 2004 Home on the Range Sheriff Sam Brown 2007 Röllin sydän Narrator/The village elder/sauna bath spirit