Acting

Mikhail Zharov

Born 27 October 1899 · Moscow, Russia · Died 15 December 1981 at 82

Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov is a Soviet theater and film actor. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1944) and People's Artist of the USSR (October 26, 1949). In 1920, he graduated from the studio at the theater of the Artistic and Educational Union of Workers' Organization. He acted in theaters No. 1 of the Revolutionary Military Union of the Republic, the Safonov Theater, the Baku Workers' Theater, the Realistic Theater, and the Moscow Chamber Theater. From 1938, he was an actor and director at the Maly Theater. He made his film debut in 1915 with a tiny, practically unnoticeable role as an oprichnik in the film "Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible." He played his first major role, that of Red Army soldier Yegor, in 1925 in the film "The Road to Happiness." In those years, Zharov was considered an unrivaled master of the episodic genre (Don Diego and Pelageya, The Man from the Restaurant, The White Eagle, The Living Corpse, Outskirts, and Puppets). He found expressive, distinctive details and rich, vibrant colors for his characters, imbuing them all—both villains and heroes—with a common quality: they are all great lovers of life, charming, confident, and in control of life. His heroes know how to enjoy everything: food, billiards, wine, women, the simple songs they often hum, a sunny day, or an unexpected win. Zharov combined absolute authenticity and vivid psychological characterization with a sometimes grotesque portrayal of the role, enlivening any plot, even the most serious, with his presence. In the 1930s, thanks to cinema, Zharov achieved national popularity. The artist was in great demand. He was invited by the most famous directors. With Nikolai Ekk he played one of his most famous roles - the bandit Zhigan (A Start in Life), with Grigory Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg - the smug clerk Dymba (The Return of Maxim and The Vyborg Side), with Vladimir Petrov - the cheerful prankster Kudryash (The Storm) and the good-natured, cheerful courtier Menshikov (Peter the Great), with Isidor Annensky - the loud, healthy landowner Smirnov (The Bear), the cheerful teacher Kovalenko (The Man in the Case) and the carefree landowner Artynov (Anna on the Neck), with the Vasiliev brothers - the daring Cossack Perchikhin (The Defense of Tsaritsyn), with Sergei Eisenstein - Malyuta Skuratov, a cunning, cruel, "smart" peasant, who managed to become the Tsar's right hand ("Ivan the Terrible"). In 1944, he was awarded "For successful work in the field of Soviet cinematography during the Patriotic War and the release of highly artistic films." In total, M.I. Zharov starred in more than 60 films. Over the years, the courage of his characters diminished; they became calmer, wiser, and more grounded. His last film character was the rural policeman Aniskina ("The Village Detective," "Anikina and Fantomas," "And Again Aniskina"). The role was a signature one for the actor: his Aniskina is a village philosopher, a sage, insightful, unfussy, and attentive to all matters. A hero who affirms the belief that our lives depend on our own decision to live correctly and wisely. As a film director, Zharov made three films: “Troublesome Economy”, “Aniskine and Fantomas” (together with V.A. Rappoport), “And Again Aniskine” (together with V.I. Ivanov).