Leida Rammo

Leida Rammo has had a prolific career as a stage actress; in 1950, she began her first engagement at the Tallinn State Drama Theatre (now, the Estonian Drama Theatre). Throughout her over seventy-year career, she has held engagements at nearly every major theatre in Estonia, including the Estonian National Opera, Endla Theatre, Estonian SSR State Youth Theatre (now, the Tallinn City Theatre), and Rakvere Theatre, and has appeared as an actress on the stages of numerous other theatres throughout the country. She has also worked as a theatre director, notably at the A. H. Tammsaare Folk Theater between 1958 and 1963 and again from 1972 until 1984, the Paul Pinna Folk Theatre from 1963 until 1965, and at the Noorus Folk Theatre from 1966 until 1968.[5]

In 2015, the Estonian National Culture Foundation helped establish the Leida Rammo City Theatre Foundation with the aim of recognizing and supporting the creative endeavors of individuals within the Tallinn City Theatre. A scholarship has been awarded annually to those associated with the theatre. Past recipients include Külli Teetamm and Indrek Ojari (2016), Epp Eespäev (2017), Alo Kõrve (2018),[9][10] Hele Kõrve (2019),[11] and Kaspar Velberg (2021).[12]

In addition to her roles on stage, Leida Rammo had an extensive film career, appearing in over thirty feature films. Her first significant film role was that of Lisete in the 1964 Grigori Kromanov and Jüri Müür-directed Tallinnfilm epic-drama Põrgupõhja uus Vanapagan, based on the 1939 novel of the same name by A. H. Tammsaare.[13] Rammo, however, was initially displeased when she saw herself in film dailies and was overly-critical of her appearance and acting,[1] but the following year accepted a smaller role in the Tallinnfilm drama Mäeküla piimamees, directed by former Estonian State Theatre Institute classmate Leida Laius, and adapted from the 1916 novel of the same name by Eduard Vilde.[14] In 1967, she appeared as Klara Kukk in the popular Veljo Käsper-directed Tallinnfilm comedy Viini postmark and followed with the role of Hermiine in the 1968 Kaljo Kiisk-directed Tallinnfilm historic-thriller Hullumeelsus.[15]

Rammo worked steadily in films throughout the 1970s. Some notable performances of the era include the roles of Elve in the 1972 Kaljo Kiisk-directed drama Maaletulek, and as Laine in the 1972 Sulev Nõmmik-directed comedy television film Noor pensionär for Eesti Telefilm.[16] In 1983, she appeared in the Kaljo Kiisk-directed Nipernaadi, an adaptation of August Gailit's 1928 novel Toomas Nipernaadi.[17] In 1985, she appeared in the role of Anna on the Eesti Televisioon (ETV) series Rudolf ja Irma, based on the 1934 novel Elu ja armastus by A. H. Tammsaare.[18] In 1988, she played the role of Marta Tooming in the Leida Laius-directed drama Varastatud kohtumine.[19]

Rammo continued to appear in films throughout the 1990s, albeit often in smaller roles. Some notable performances of the era include the 1992 Lembit Ulfsak-directed family-comedy film Lammas all paremas nurgas, the 1995 Andrew Grieve-directed English and Estonian language drama Kirjad idast, and the 1998 Rao Heidmets-directed family film Kallis härra Q, which was an adaptation of story of the same name by children's author Aino Pervik. Rammo's film roles continued into the 2000s and 2010s, with her last film role at age ninety-one in the 2015 Klaus Härö-directed Golden Globe Award-nominated[20] historic-drama Vehkleja, starring Märt Avandi.[21]

In her eighties and nineties, Rammo also appeared in a number of small roles or guest roles on Estonian television in the late 2000s and 2010s: the Kanal 2 crime series Kelgukoerad in 2007, the TV3 comedy-crime series Kättemaksukontor in 2010, the TV3 comedy series Ment in 2012, and the TV3 comedy series Padjaklubi in 2014.[22][23]