Juha Laitila

Juha Kullervo Laitila is a Finnish performing artist, impressionist, stand-up comedian, singer, actor, screenwriter, composer and lyricist, born on 24 August 1953 in Helsinki. He grew up in the Maunula district in a working-class family and made his first paid stage appearance at age 14 as part of a singing group. He developed his skill for impressions during his military service in the early 1970s while playing in his battalion's band, learning from guitarist Tom Pyynonen and later from pioneering Finnish impressionist Reijo Salminen.

In the early 1990s Laitila appeared alongside fellow impressionists Jukka Laaksonen, Joonas Myllyveraja and Jukka Puotila in the Yle TV1 sketch series "Kiitos ja hyvasti." The same core group, without Puotila, continued the format later in the decade on Nelonen's "Huuliveikot." Laitila has also appeared in Finnish films including "Pekko ja muukalainen" (1996), "Kulkuri ja joutsen" (1999), "Risto Rappaaja ja liukas Lennart" (2014) and "Ski Girls" (2023). He continues to tour with his solo show "Saa Nauraa!," combining impressions of Finnish and international public figures with stand-up, sketches, music and audience interaction.