Image of Mikko Niskanen

Mikko Niskanen

Mikko Niskanen was born in Äänekoski, Central Finland. He was the third of six children, and his father worked as a timber barge pilot. His mother too had a job outside the home, so the children often spent summers with their grandmother in Viitasaari. At the age of 13, Mikko Niskanen started working in timber felling and floating. Two years later he enrolled in a vocational school in Jyväskylä to become a car mechanic. He took a serious interest in amateur theatre and was accepted to study at the Finnish Theatre Academy in Helsinki from 1947 until 1950. He then acted in Jyväskylä and Kuopio theatres until 1954 when he landed an actor's job at the film studios of Suomen Filmiteollisuus in Helsinki. One of his first film roles was in Edvin Laine's The Unknown Soldier (1955). Between 1958 and 1961 Niskanen studied at the Moscow Film School in the Soviet Union. Niskanen's 1962 film The Boys was entered into the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival. He continued his directing career focusing on themes such as rural life and youth. His second breakthrough was Under Your Skin (Käpy selän alla, 1966), a story of two young couples spending a weekend camping in the countryside. The film received six Jussi Awards and was followed by another story about young lovers, Asfalttilampaat (1968). Niskanen's tour de force as both actor and director was the five-hour television drama Eight Deadly Shots which was also released as a 145-minute theatrical version edited by Jörn Donner. Based on a true story from late 1960s Finland, it is a naturalistic drama about a poor farmer struggling to make a living for his family. He gradually becomes a violent alcoholic who goes on killing spree when the police arrive to calm him down. Besides directing, Niskanen gave a powerful and intense performance in the leading role. The film, like many of Niskanen's works were shot on locations around his home province north of Jyväskylä. Mikko Niskanen died of cancer at the age of 61.


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Born:
Jan 31, 1929 In Äänekoski, Finland
Movie/TV Credits:
32
First Appeared:
In the movie Köyhä laulaja 1950-04-28
Latest Project:
Movie Nuoruuteni savotat 1988-11-18
Known For
Poster of Pulakapina
Poster of Eight Deadly Shots
Poster of Pekka ja Pätkä sammakkomiehinä
Poster of Ryysyrannan Jooseppi
Filmography
Movie Nuoruuteni savotat (uncredited) 1988-11-18
Movie Elämän vonkamies Auku-eno 1986-10-31
Movie The Unknown Soldier Salo 1985-12-06
Movie Mona ja palavan rakkauden aika Martti, Monan äidin esimies 1983-12-23
Series Hamsterit Jallu 1982-12-27
Series The Age of Iron Tiera 1982-02-28
Movie Syksyllä kaikki on toisin Kalervo Haapanen 1978-10-06
Movie Pulakapina Heikki Niskanen 1977-01-26
Movie Eight Deadly Shots Pasi 1972-09-15
Series Eight Deadly Shots Pasi 1972-03-29
Movie Laulu tulipunaisesta kukasta Palsami / Rehentelevä tukkilainen 1971-10-29
Movie Here, Beneath the North Star 1968-09-13
Movie Girl of Finland luennoitsija 1967-12-01
Movie Elokuva jalostavasta rakkaudesta Netsajev 1967-09-06
Movie Skin, Skin Man on Dance Floor (uncredited) 1966-10-21
Movie Älä nuolase… 1962-02-09
Movie Naiset, jotka minulle annoit 1962-08-17
Movie Hän varasti elämän (uncredited) 1962-08-03
Movie Isaskar Keturin ihmeelliset seikkailut (uncredited) 1960-02-24
Movie Pekka ja Pätkä Suezilla (uncredited) 1958-04-25
Movie Kahden ladun poikki (uncredited) 1958-02-28
Movie Autuas eversti (uncredited) 1958-09-05
Movie Verta käsissämme 1958-11-21
Movie Herra sotaministeri (uncredited) 1957-08-09
Movie 1918 (uncredited) 1957-09-20
Movie Pekka ja Pätkä sammakkomiehinä UN-soldier #2 1957-12-20
Movie Ryysyrannan Jooseppi Villager (uncredited) 1955-04-08
Movie Tähtisilmä artist Sumppu 1955-04-15
Movie Kaunis Kaarina (uncredited) 1955-11-18
Movie The Unknown Soldier Mielonen 1955-12-23
Movie Köyhä laulaja (uncredited) 1950-04-28
Movie Tanssi yli hautojen 1950-08-11