Toivo Särkkä

Toivo Jalmari Särkkä (November 20 1890, Mikkeli – February 9 1975, Helsinki), born Toivo Hjalmar Silén, was a Finnish film producer and director. He was CEO of the production company Suomen Filmiteollisuus.

Before his career in filmmaking, Särkkä worked as a bank manager and CEO in Kotimainen Työ (Finnish Work). After the death of Erkki Karu, founder and owner of Suomen Filmiteollisuus, Särkkä became the CEO thus producing 233 and directing 49 feature films.

In 1965, when Finnish film industry was in difficulties due to the coming of television, Särkkä initiated bankruptcy of Suomen Filmiteollisuus. Films directed by Särkkä are e.g. Suomisen perhe, Helmikuun manifesti, Kulkurin valssi and Vaivaisukon morsian.

Särkkä married Russian-Lithuanian Margariitta Beljavsky in 1914. They had one daughter.