His acting career started in 1962 with a role in the movie Pojat ("Boys"), directed by Mikko Niskanen. He played dozens of roles, both comedic and dramatic, but is best known for his comical character of Uuno Turhapuro, whom he played in 19 films.

Besides being a singer, Loiri was also a professional flutist. His first album "4+20" came out in 1971, and after that he released nearly 30 albums, including collaborations with other artists.
Brother of Pekka Loiri