Lasse Pöysti

Lasse Pöysti
Lasse Pöysti in a moomin troll costume in 1960
Born	(1927-01-24) 24 January 1927 (age 90) Sortavala, Finland

Lasse Erik Pöysti (born 24 January 1927) is a Finnish actor, director, theatre manager and writer. He was born in Sortavala.

Pöysti began his career as a child actor, becoming known to the Finnish public as Olli Suominen in the "Suominen family" films. The first of these films as Suomisen perhe (1941). Pöysti was 14 years old at the time of the film. Pöysti matriculated in 1945 in the Helsinki Normal Lyceum.

From 1967 to 1974, Pöysti served as manager of the Lilla Teatern, with his current ex-wife Birgitta Ulfsson, and also acted in many roles in Swedish. During 1974–1981 he was the manager of the Tampere Workers' Theatre, and during 1981–1985 the manager of the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. In his later career he has had many speaking roles in musical plays. He has had many roles on television, including the leading roles in the Strindberg plays Gustav III (Finnish: Kustaa III) and Erik XIV. Another performance was the title role in the stage play Galileo by Bertold Brecht, which won critical acclaim. He has also read bedtime stories in children's programs.

In addition to his stage career, Pöysti has written several books, including his own memoirs. In 2002, Pöysti chose the book Juoksuhaudantie by Kari Hotakainen as the winner of the Finlandia Prize. Pöysti has lived in Paris, but later lived in Lauttasaari, Helsinki. Pöysti's son Tom Pöysti has also acted in many film and theatre roles. In 2010, Lasse received the Concrete-Jussi for lifetime achievement (the Jussi Awards are the equivalent to the Oscars in Finland).