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Salme Helene Reek (10 November 1907 – 9 June 1996) was an stage, film, radio, and television actress and stage director whose career spanned nearly seventy years; sixty-six of which were spent as an actress at the Estonian Drama Theatre.
Reek began her primary school studies in Pärnu before the family relocated to Tallinn, then returning to Pärnu approximately four years later. The family subsequently returned once more to Tallinn, where Reek attended secondary school at Tallinn 2nd Girls' Gymnasium (now, Tallinn Kristiine Gymnasium), graduating in 1927. Reek performed well in history and language classes and excelled in gymnastics. Õhtuleht «Surmaks valmistus Salme põhjalikult.» 9 June 2016. Retrieved 02 April 2017.
Just after graduation in 1927, Reek enrolled in studies at the Drama Theatre Studio School in Tallinn, founded in 1920 by actor and theatre pedagogue Paul Sepp, graduating in 1930. From 1929 until 1933, Reek studied dance with Estonian choreographer and dance teacher Gerd Neggo who, because of Reek's difficult financial situation, taught Reek without charge. Õhtuleht «Surmaks valmistus Salme põhjalikult.» 9 June 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017. Kultuurileht, nr. 22, 14 June 1996. Retrieved 02 April 2017.
Reek's engagement at the theatre would last sixty-six years, from age twenty-two in early 1930 until her death in at age eighty-eight in 1996, appearing in roles in nearly four hundred stage plays, making her one of Estonia's most prolific stage actresses. Her many years with the Estonian Drama Theatre spanned the interwar period of Estonia following independence the Russian Empire, World War II and the Soviet occupation and annexation in 1940, the German occupation of 1941 until 1944, the Soviet occupation from 1944 until 1991 when Estonia regained its independence. Postimees Salme ongi teatrisajand! 10 November 2007. Retrieved 02 April 2017. Eesti Päevaleht Salme Reek oleks täna saanud 90-aastaseks 10 November 1997. Retrieved 02 April 2017. Vikerraadio Ringhääling 90. Salme Reek 2 November 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
Salme Reek became a member of the Estonian Actors' Union in 1934 and a member of the Estonian Theater Union in 1949. Eesti Päevaleht Salme Reek oleks täna saanud 90-aastaseks 10 November 1997. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
In 1981, Reek appeared in the role of the character Tuiska's wife in the Arvo Kruusement directed period drama Karge meri; a film adaptation of the 1938 Karge meri by August Gailit about the lives of seal hunters in a small village on the Baltic Sea. In 1984, she appeared in the Helle Karis directed fantasy-family film Karoliine hõbelõng. In 1989, she appeared in the Igor Voznesensky directed Russian language science fiction film Idealnoe prestuplenie, and in 1991 appeared in a small role in another Russian language film, the Aleksandr Polynnikov directed adventure-comedy Obnazhyonnaya v shlyape. Eesti rahvusbibliograafia Karoliine hõbelõng Retrieved 02 April 2017. buried.com Idealnoe Prestuplenie Retrieved 02 April 2017.
Other films include the 1992 Jüri Sillart directed period drama film Noorelt õpitud, the 1992 Lembit Ulfsak directed family-comedy film Lammas all paremas nurgas, and the 1993 Ilkka Järvi-Laturi directed dark comedy Tallinn pimeduses. Throughout her career, Reek also appeared in a number of short films. kultuur.err.ee Supernova kinoülikoolis linastub "Tallinn pimeduses" 21 February 2017. Retrieved 02 April 2017. Eesti Filmi Andmebaas Salme Reek Retrieved 02 April 2017.
In 1973, Reek appeared in the Sulev Nõmmik directed and Jaan Rannap penned comedy television film Mishuk. In 1981, she appeared as Liina in the Ago-Endrik Kerge directed comedy television film Pisuhänd, followed by the role of Juula in the 1982 Ago-Endrik Kerge directed Musta katuse all, adapted from the 1960 Juhan Smuul penned drama Lea; and the same year in the Leo Karpin directed musical-comedy romantic television film Teisikud. In 1983, she appeared in the comedy television film Püha Susanna ehk meistrite kool, penned by Enn Vetemaa and again directed by Ago-Endrik Kerge. In 1988, Reek played the role of Siina Aunvärk in the Vladimir Beekman penned and Kerge directed comedy Narva Kosk. arhiiv.err.ee Narva Kosk Retrieved 2 April 2017. arhiiv.err.ee Pisuhänd Retrieved 02 April 2017.
In 1993, Reek had a small role in the Maximilian Schell directed American television drama film Candles in the Dark. This would be Reek's only appearance in an American television film. In 1995, she appeared in another small role in the German television drama film Nadja - Heimkehr in die Fremde, directed by Thorsten Näter, which would be Reek's last television film role. Variety Review: ‘Candles in the Dark’ 02 December 1993. Retrieved 02 April 2017. Õhtuleht Saksa megastaar Ulrich Mühe ühes filmis eesti näitlejatega 22 December 2007. Retrieved 02 2017.
In 2016, Estonian authors Lea Arme and Eike Värk wrote a biography titled Salme Reek. Noor Vana Daam (English: Salme Reek. Young Old Lady), published by Tänapäev in 2017. Salme Reek. Noor vana daam Retrieved 02 April 2017.
In 1997, actor and director Rein Oja established the Salme Reek Award; a theatre award granted by a jury to stage directors, actors, and artists who create or excel in performances of remarkable artistic and child-friendly works. Eesti Teatriliit Salme Reegi nimeline auhind. 02 December 2013. Retrieved 02 April 2017.
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