Biography
Paul Poom (born June 20, 1958) is a former Estonian actor who worked in stage, film, television, and radio. His career began in the late 1970s and ended in 1993 after an assault left him permanently disabled.
Born and raised in Tallinn, Poom completed his primary and secondary education there, graduating from Tallinn 37th Secondary School in 1976. He then enrolled in the Performing Arts Department of the Tallinn State Conservatory (now the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre), studying acting under Merle Karusoo, who taught the educational theory and practice of Soviet pedagogue Anton Makarenko.
Poom's stage debut came in 1978 as a runaway boy in Rein Saluri's play Poiste sõidud at the Estonian Drama Theatre, directed by Mikk Mikiver. He reprised this role in a 1980 Eesti Televisioon (ETV) television adaptation. He graduated in 1980, having performed in diploma productions such as Semjon Karabanov and Perets in Makarenko Colony (1979) at the Estonian State Youth Theatre (now Tallinn City Theatre), adapted from Anton Makarenko's 1933 novel The Pedagogical Poem, and as Don Juan in Molière's 1665 comedy Le Festin de Pierre (1980) at the Estonian Drama Theatre in Tallinn (then Viktor Kingissepp Tallinn State Drama Theatre) and the Ugala theatre in Viljandi. His graduating classmates included actors Roman Baskin, Guido Kangur, Arvo Kukumägi, Ain Lutsepp, Anne Veesaar, and Ülle Kaljuste.
Poom’s first feature film role was Peeter Viksur in the 1980 Tallinnfilm production Ideaalmaastik, a historical agitprop drama directed by Peeter Simm, set on an Estonian collective farm after World War II. This was followed by a minor role in the 1981 melodrama Pihlakaväravad, directed by Veljo Käsper. Over his career, Poom appeared in about twelve feature films. Notable roles include Peetrus in the 1983 Kaljo Kiisk-directed Nipernaadi, based on August Gailit’s 1928 novel Toomas Nipernaadi; Cown in the 1984 drama Kaks paari ja üksindus, directed by Tõnis Kask; Aadu Kaarjas in the 1988 short comedy Giordano, directed by Aare Tilk; Lembit in the 1989 drama Varastatud kohtumine, directed by Leida Laius; and Valter in the 1990 period drama Ainus pühapäev, directed by Sulev Keedus. His final film appearance was in the 1994 romantic drama Victoria (Ühe armastuse lugu), directed by Jüri Sillart and based on Knut Hamsun's 1898 novel Victoria. This film was shot before the 1993 assault that left him disabled.
