Uuno Turhapuro is the protagonist of one popular Finnish comedy
movie series, produced (and mostly written) by Spede Pasanen. He's
played by Vesa-Matti Loiri.
Uuno is a more or less typical Finnish man: bad by appearance, more
than interesting by personality. He has dirty pants, mesh shirt, messed
hair, bad teeth and unshaved face; but he also has more than enough of
cunning and charm.
Uuno is married to Elisabet Tuura, who is daughter of Vuoristoneuvos ("Mountaineering
councellor") Tuura, a very rich and powerful man. Thus, Uuno
is entitled to massive inheritance one day.
Not that Uuno's forthcoming inheritance would matter, because he
seems to succeed in making lucky things that earn him money while
completely annoying the councellor Tuura. Tuura also always fails in trying to get Uuno to divorce from Elisabet.
For example, Uuno's luck earns
him a big countryside manor ("Uuno Turhapuro Muuttaa
Maalle", 1986), he succeeds in becoming a member of the
Parliament instead of the candidate he was supporting ("Uuno
Turhapuro - Herra Helsingin Herra", 1991), and he even became the
President ("Uuno Turhapuro - Suomen Tasavallan Herra
Presidentti", 1992).
His military career (chronicled in
"Uuno Turhapuro armeijan leivissä", 1984, the most popular of the Uuno
movies for obvious reason) was equally glorious: When he went to army,
he was there for one day (moved to reserves until company commander
got promoted), and when he returned, he advanced during short time to
rank of Major.
Uuno's best friends are Härski-Hartikainen (Spede Pasanen) and
Sörsselssön (Simo Salminen), two highly skilled engineers who
own a garage where they fix cars and make wonderful inventions.
Uuno Turhapuron Poika (1993), story about Uuno's lost son, was a
flop, and Spede, Ere Kokkonen (director of most Uuno movies) and
Loiri decided to take a creativity break. The latest movie was Johtaja
Uuno Turhapuro - pisnismies (1998), and admittedly it was a
bit better.
Uuno movies were actually popular enough that one computer game was
made about them - the game was Uuno Turhapuro Muuttaa Maalle.