 
FAMOUS PORINIANS Here I have listed people who are somewhat nationally/internationally famous and who have either born or lived in Pori. Those who are born in Pori I've marked with (*). Under construction...(At right, director Timo Koivusalo) ALAMÄKI, MATTI (*) Rally driver (1956-) Matti Alamäki in Wikipedia ARSTILA, PIRKKO News anchor for TV-channel MTV3 Moved to Pori when she was young. Very fond of Pori. Lives in Helsinki nowadays. Pirkko Arstila in Wikipedia DANNY (a.k.a. Lipsanen, Ilkka) (*) Singer (1942-) Very popular pop singer. Started his career in the sixties and still is going. Ilkka Lipsanen in Wikipedia EDELMANN, SAMULI (*) Actor/singer (1968-) Nationally famous actor/singer. Acted in many movies and released many albums. Lives nowadays in Malta. Samuli Edelmann in Wikipedia FRIMAN, RAINER (*) Singer (1958-) Nationally famous tango etc. singer. Gypsy by ethnic background. Was chosen three times as the Porinian Of The Year by local newspaper Porin Sanomat. Rainer Friman in Wikipedia GALLEN-KALLELA, AKSELI (*) Painter (1865-1931) Internationally famous painter who was born in Pori in 1865. Akseli Gallen-Kallela in Wikipedia GRÖN, EINO (*) Singer/Entertainer (1939-) Very famous tango-singer born in Pori. Nowadays lives in Florida. Eino Grön in Wikipedia GRÖNDAHL, KELPO (*) Wrestler (1920-1994) Won gold medal in olympic games in 1952. Also silver at London 1948. He also had 14 Finnish championships and 17 TUL championships. Kelpo Gröndahl in Pori-Tieto HARKIMO, LEENA-KAISA (*) Member of Parliament (1963-) Little sister of Matti Alamäki. Nowadays is a member of parliament. Leena-Kaisa Harkimo in Wikipedia HOTAKAINEN, KARI (*) Writer (1957-) Nationally famous writer. Lives nowadays in Helsinki. Kari Hotakainen in Wikipedia JAVANAINEN, ARTO (*) Ice Hockey player (1959-) Holds the record for most scored goals in one season (47 goals at 1987-88). Also has more hat-tricks than any other (39). Arto Javanainen in Wikipedia JUKKOLA, HELI Orienteering competitor. Originally from Noormarkku and lives nowadays at Helsinki. Her team is Porin Rastikarhut. Markus Majaluoma in Wikipedia JUNNELIUS, ROBERT Pharmacist/Banker/etc. Born in Oulu but moved to Pori in 1876 and bought Pori's first Pharmacy. Built Junnelius Palace which is nowadays the New Town Hall. Died in 1900. Robert Junnelius in Pori-Tieto JUSELIUS, FRITZ ARTHUR (*) Tradesman. Was a wealthy tradesman. His daughter Sigrid died when she was 11 and Fritz built a mausoleum (Juselius Mausoleum) for her to Käppärä cemetery. He also was one of the tradesmen to form Pori Cotton Factory in 1898. He was buried at the same mausoleum where his daughter was. Fritz Arthur Juselius in Pori-Tieto KANGAS, JYRKI (*) The Art Director of Pori Jazz Festivals/Musician. Being at Pori Jazz Festivals since it was formed in 1966. Jyrki Kangas in Pori-Tieto KANGASNIEMI, KAARLO Weightlifter (1941-) Olympic gold medalist (Mexico City 1968). Was born in Kullaa (20 km from Pori to east). Nowadays is the manager of FBT Pori (Floorball team). Kaarlo Kangasniemi in Wikipedia KANTOLA, EIJA (*) Singer (1966-) Was chosen as the Tango Queen in 1992. Albums since 1988. Eija Kantola in Wikipedia KARAMZIN, AURORA Philanthropist (1808-1902) Aurora Karamzin in Wikipedia KETOLA, VELI-PEKKA (*) Ice Hockey player (1948-) One of the greatest stars of ice hockey team Ässät. Has won three championship titles in Pori. Veli-Pekka Ketola in Wikipedia KJÄLL, JYRI (*) Boxer (1969-) Olympic medalist (bronze, Barcelona 1992). Jyri Kjäll in Wikipedia KOIVUSALO, TIMO (*) Movie director (1963-) Lives in Pori. Has made about 10 movies + tv-show "Tuttu Juttu" + many many other shows and performances. Very clever verbally, very witty. Timo Koivusalo in Wikipedia KOUKI, MARJA-LEENA (*) Actress (1945-) Marja-Leena Kouki in Wikipedia KUISMA, HANNA-RIIKKA (*) Writer (1978-) Hanna-Riikka Kuisma in Wikipedia KUUSILUOMA, MARIA (*) Actress (1969-) Maria Kuusiluoma in Wikipedia LEPOMÄKI, MAARIT (*) Skeet shooter. Maarit Lepomäki in wikipedia. LEVOLA, KARI (*) Writer (1957-) Kari Levola in Wikipedia LINDHOLM, OLLI (*) Singer (1964-) Singer of very popular group called Yö. Olli Lindholm in Wikipedia LUOTI, MIRA (*) Singer (1978-) The other half of PMMP-pop group. Mira Luoti in Wikipedia MAJALUOMA, MARKUS (*) Writer of chilfren's books/illustrator. Has been away from Pori since 1980 but still is proud that he's born in the town. Wrote a children's book about the history of Pori. Markus Majaluoma in Wikipedia MÄKINEN, VISA (*) Movie director (1945-) Nowadays his movies are considered as cult movies although in the eighties the reception wasn't that good. Thanks to Mäkinen, only in Helsinki has been filmed more movies than in Pori. Visa Mäkinen in Wikipedia NEUMANN (*) Singer (1959-) The singer of possibly the nationally most famous band in Finland (Dingo). Had similar kind of hysteria in the eighties like The Beatles had in the sixties. Neumann in Wikipedia NIEMI, RITA (*) Aeorobic athlete. Very succesful athlete. Won gold medal at European Championships and silver medal at World Championships in 2007. Rita Niemi website NYMAN, JONI (*) Boxer (1962-) Olympic medalist (bronze, Los Angeles 1984). Joni_Nyman in Wikipedia PALMGREN, SELIM (*) Composer/Pianist/Conductor (1878-1951) Palmgren wrote about 300 tunes for piano. He was called as "The Chopin of North". Pori has a conservatory named after him. Selim Palmgren in Wikipedia PIHLAJAMAA, LASSE Musician (1916-2007) Lasse Pihlajamaa in Wikipedia RAITA, MARJATTA (*) Actress (1944-2007) Was very popular actress. Marjatta Raita in Wikipedia RANTASILA, JUHA (*) Ice Hockey player (1945-) Won gold at Porin Karhut in 1965. Also has played for national team. His sister is Mari Rantasila. Juha Rantasila in Wikipedia RANTASILA, MARI (*) Actress (1963-) Mari Rantasila in Wikipedia RINTALA, JUKKA (*) Designer (1952-) Jukka Rintala in Wikipedia ROSENLEW, CARL FREDRIK Tradesman/Ship-owner/etc. Born in Vehmaa 1797. Father of Fredrik Wilhelm. Formed Björkman & Rosenlew. Also had many ships. Died in 1852. Carl Fredrik Rosenlew in Pori-Tieto ROSENLEW, FREDRIK WILHELM (*) Plant manager/tradesman/etc. Son of Carl Fredrik. Very innovative person who's formed Rosenlew Oy factories and also formed the Swedish school in Pori and was first to use electric bulbs in Pori in 1882. Also was the chief of the second oldest voluntary fire department in Finland (Pori VPK). Died in 1892. Fredrik Wilhelm Rosenlew in Pori-Tieto SAARI, HENRY (*) Adult entertainer (1964-) Henry Saari in Wikipedia SALIN, EETU Politician (1866-1919) Influenced a lot in his days to Finnish politics. Eetu Salin in Wikipedia SALONEN, SYLVI Actress (1920-2003) Was very popular actress who was born in neighbouring Ulvila. Sylvi Salonen in Wikipedia SEPPÄLÄ, JUHA Writer (1956-) Was born in Karvia but lives in Pori nowadays. Juha Seppälä in Wikipedia SUMIALA, ANTTI (*) Football player (1974-) Has played in many teams in Europe and 36 national games. Now at second division team PoPa (Porin Palloilijat). Antti Sumiala in Wikipedia TARKAS, AARNE (*) Movie director. Aarne Tarkas in wikipedia TARVAINEN, PAULA (*) Javelin thrower. Paula Tarvainen in wikipedia TEERIAHO, TAINA Writer Taina Teeriaho website TUURE, LEILA (*) Writer Porinian writer who has written many novels about Pori. Leila Tuure website TÄHTI, LEO-PEKKA (*) Athlete (paralympic) (1983-) Very succesful athlete. Has won many gold medals in various paralympic games. Leo-Pekka Tähti in Wikipedia Leo-Pekka Tähti website UOTINEN, JORMA (*) Dancer (1950-) Very popular modern dancer. Jorma Uotinen in Wikipedia VAARA, TERO (*) Musician (1965-) Tero Vaara in Wikipedia |