
Mikko Niskanen
Biography
Mikko Niskanen was a Finnish film director and actor. He was born in Äänekoski, Central Finland in 1929. 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.
Known For(31 works)

The Age of Iron
1982The Age of Iron
1982

Eight Deadly Shots
1972Eight Deadly Shots
1972

Sodan ja rauhan miehet
1978Sodan ja rauhan miehet
1978

The Unknown Soldier
1955The Unknown Soldier
1955

Isaskar Keturin ihmeelliset seikkailut
1960Isaskar Keturin ihmeelliset seikkailut
1960

Älä nuolase…
1962Älä nuolase…
1962

Eight Deadly Shots
1972Eight Deadly Shots
1972

Here, Beneath the North Star
1968Here, Beneath the North Star
1968

Autuas eversti
1958Autuas eversti
1958

Köyhä laulaja
1950Köyhä laulaja
1950

Tähtisilmä
1955Tähtisilmä
1955

Pekka ja Pätkä sammakkomiehinä
1957Pekka ja Pätkä sammakkomiehinä
1957

Herra sotaministeri
1957Herra sotaministeri
1957

Verta käsissämme
1958Verta käsissämme
1958

Skin, Skin
1966Skin, Skin
1966

Ryysyrannan Jooseppi
1955Ryysyrannan Jooseppi
1955

Hän varasti elämän
1962Hän varasti elämän
1962

Pekka ja Pätkä Suezilla
1958Pekka ja Pätkä Suezilla
1958

Gotta Run!
1982Gotta Run!
1982

Kahden ladun poikki
1958Kahden ladun poikki
1958

Kaunis Kaarina
1955Kaunis Kaarina
1955

Nuoruuteni savotat
1988Nuoruuteni savotat
1988

1918
19571918
1957

Tanssi yli hautojen
1950Tanssi yli hautojen
1950

Naiset, jotka minulle annoit
1962Naiset, jotka minulle annoit
1962

Pulakapina
1977Pulakapina
1977

Elämän vonkamies
1986Elämän vonkamies
1986

Girl of Finland
1967Girl of Finland
1967

Laulu tulipunaisesta kukasta
1971Laulu tulipunaisesta kukasta
1971

Mona ja palavan rakkauden aika
1983Mona ja palavan rakkauden aika
1983

Syksyllä kaikki on toisin
1978Syksyllä kaikki on toisin
1978