Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Tapio Rautavaara

Role / Field:

Iconic Finnish singer, actor, and athlete known for his powerful voice and working-class roots.

Born:

1915-03-08

Died:

1979-09-25

Century / Era:

1915s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Kaj Tapio Rautavaara (8 March 1915 – 25 September 1979) was a Finnish singer (bass-baritone), athlete and film actor. Tapio Rautavaara was born in the municipality of Pirkkala (now Nokia), a suburb of the industrial city of Tampere, as the son of Henrik Kerttula and Hilda Rautavaara. Just three weeks later, his mother moved to the Helsinki suburb of Oulunkylä, where she had lived before. Rautavaara's father was rarely at home, and soon left the family permanently.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1921, Tapio and his mother moved to Tampere. Rautavaara used to have conflicts with his conservative teachers due to his working-class background. Tapio earned pocket money by selling socialist papers for local workers of the Finlayson textile factory. Four years later, the family returned Oulunkylä, where Rautavaara lived the rest of his life. In the late 1920s, Rautavaara joined the local working-class sports club Oulunkylän Tähti (″Oulunkylä Star″) for practicing athletics.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Rautavaara's formal education ended at the elementary level. By the outbreak of the Finnish Winter War in 1939, he had worked as a newspaper boy, roadworker, lumberjack and as a storeman at a co-operative mill. His national...

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• 1915 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1915
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Frequently Asked Questions about Tapio Rautavaara