Mikhail Zharov
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov was a Russian
actor.
He studied under the prominent director Theodore Komisarjevsky
and debuted in Yakov Protazanov
's Aelita
(1924). Later he became a Protazanov regular, appearing in The Man from the Restaurant (1927) together with Mikhail Chekhov.
In the 1930s he was a leading actor of Alexander Tairov
's Chamber Theatre, before moving to the Malyi Theatre where he was engaged from 1938 till the rest of his life and most fully unfolded his actor’s gift, mainly playing classical repertoire parts (in Wolves and Sheep, The Inspector-General, Heart is not a Stone, The Thunderstorm, etc.)
Mikhail Zharov gained wide popularity thanks to the role of Zhigan in Nikolai Ekk
’s world-known drama Road to Life (1931). Playing a chieftain of a thieves' gang, the actor made use of the opportunities of the first sound-film: he endowed his character with a specific accent, played the guitar and sang songs with his peculiar charm. In 1933 he played in Boris Barnet's Okraina
.
The most acclaimed of his sound films were Peter the Great (1938), in which he played Prince Menshikov, and Sergei Eisenstein
's Ivan the Terrible
(1942–44), in which he played Malyuta Skuratov
. His last and probably the most popular role was that of Aniskin, an amusing and witty village militiaman in the television series The Village Detective (1968), Aniskin & Fantomas (1974) and Aniskin Again (1978).
Zharov was awarded three Stalin Prizes: twice in 1941 and in 1942.
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
actor.
He studied under the prominent director Theodore Komisarjevsky
Theodore Komisarjevsky
Fyodor Fyodorovich Komissarzhevsky or Theodore Komisarjevsky, as he is better known in the West, was a Russian theatrical director and designer. He began his career in Moscow, but had his greatest influence in London...
and debuted in Yakov Protazanov
Yakov Protazanov
Yakov Alexandrovich Protazanov was Russian and Soviet film director and screenwriter, and one of the founding fathers of cinema of Russia....
's Aelita
Aelita
Aelita , also known as Aelita: Queen of Mars, is a silent film directed by Soviet filmmaker Yakov Protazanov made on Mezhrabpom-Rus film studio and released in 1924. It was based on Alexei Tolstoy's novel of the same name...
(1924). Later he became a Protazanov regular, appearing in The Man from the Restaurant (1927) together with Mikhail Chekhov.
In the 1930s he was a leading actor of Alexander Tairov
Alexander Tairov
Alexander Tairov was one of the leading innovators of theatrical art, and one of the most enduring theatre directors in Russia, and through the Soviet era.-Childhood:...
's Chamber Theatre, before moving to the Malyi Theatre where he was engaged from 1938 till the rest of his life and most fully unfolded his actor’s gift, mainly playing classical repertoire parts (in Wolves and Sheep, The Inspector-General, Heart is not a Stone, The Thunderstorm, etc.)
Mikhail Zharov gained wide popularity thanks to the role of Zhigan in Nikolai Ekk
Nikolai Ekk
Nikolai Vladimirovich Ekk , real name Ivakin , was a Soviet film director and screenwriter.Born in Riga, he studied acting and directing in the theater of Vsevolod Meyerhold...
’s world-known drama Road to Life (1931). Playing a chieftain of a thieves' gang, the actor made use of the opportunities of the first sound-film: he endowed his character with a specific accent, played the guitar and sang songs with his peculiar charm. In 1933 he played in Boris Barnet's Okraina
Okraina (1933 film)
Okraina is a 1933 Soviet film directed by Boris Barnet.-See also:* Okraina , a film by Pyotr Lutsik loosely based on the 1933 film...
.
The most acclaimed of his sound films were Peter the Great (1938), in which he played Prince Menshikov, and Sergei Eisenstein
Sergei Eisenstein
Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein , né Eizenshtein, was a pioneering Soviet Russian film director and film theorist, often considered to be the "Father of Montage"...
's Ivan the Terrible
Ivan the Terrible (film)
Ivan the Terrible is a two-part historical epic film about Ivan IV of Russia made by Russian director Sergei Eisenstein. Part 1 was released in 1944 but Part 2 was not released until 1958 due to political censorship...
(1942–44), in which he played Malyuta Skuratov
Malyuta Skuratov
Grigory Lukyanovich Skuratov-Belskiy , better known as Malyuta Skuratov was one of the most odious leaders of the Oprichnina during the reign of Ivan the Terrible....
. His last and probably the most popular role was that of Aniskin, an amusing and witty village militiaman in the television series The Village Detective (1968), Aniskin & Fantomas (1974) and Aniskin Again (1978).
Zharov was awarded three Stalin Prizes: twice in 1941 and in 1942.
Selected filmography
- AelitaAelitaAelita , also known as Aelita: Queen of Mars, is a silent film directed by Soviet filmmaker Yakov Protazanov made on Mezhrabpom-Rus film studio and released in 1924. It was based on Alexei Tolstoy's novel of the same name...
(1924) - His CallHis CallHis Call is a 1925 Soviet film directed by Yakov Protazanov. It was also released as 23 January in the Soviet Union and as Broken Chains in the United States.-Plot:...
(1925) - Chess FeverChess FeverChess Fever is a 1925 Soviet silent comedy film directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin and Nikolai Shpikovsky. Chess Fever is a comedy about Moscow 1925 chess tournament, made by Pudovkin during the pause in the filming of Mechanics of the Brain...
(1925) - Man from the RestaurantMan from the RestaurantMan from the Restaurant is a 1927 Soviet film directed by Yakov Protazanov based on the story by Ivan Shmelyov. The main role was wrote for Ivan Moskvin, but he was changed for Chekov because of illness.-Cast:* Michael Chekhov * Vera Malinovskaya...
(1927) - OkrainaOkraina (1933 film)Okraina is a 1933 Soviet film directed by Boris Barnet.-See also:* Okraina , a film by Pyotr Lutsik loosely based on the 1933 film...
(1933) - MarionettesMarionetkiNiemen Vol.1 and Niemen Vol.2 - Czesław Niemen's double album released in two separate issues in 1973...
(1934) - The Return of MaximThe Return of MaximThe Return of Maxim is a 1937 Soviet film directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg, the second part of trilogy about the life of a young factory worker, Maxim....
(1937) - The Vyborg SideThe Vyborg SideThe Vyborg Side is a 1939 Soviet film directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg, the final part of trilogy about the life of a young factory worker, Maxim. The film was also released in the United States under the title New Horizons....
(1939) - The Young FritzThe Young FritzThe Young Fritz is a 1943 Soviet film directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg based on a short satiric poem by Samuil Marshak. The film was banned by censors, never released, and is believed to be lost.-Cast:* Mikhail Zharov - Fritz...
(1943) - In the Name of the FatherlandIn the Name of the FatherlandIn the Name of the Fatherland is a 1943 Soviet film directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin and Dmitriy Vasilyev based on the play Russian People by Konstantin Simonov.-Cast:* Nikolai Kryuchkov - Safonov * Yelena Tyapkina - Safonova* Mikhail Zharov - Globa...
(1943) - Ivan the TerribleIvan the Terrible (film)Ivan the Terrible is a two-part historical epic film about Ivan IV of Russia made by Russian director Sergei Eisenstein. Part 1 was released in 1944 but Part 2 was not released until 1958 due to political censorship...
(1943) - MichurinMichurin (film)Michurin is a 1948 Soviet film directed by Alexander Dovzhenko about the life of Russian practitioner of selection Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin...
(1948) - Kain XVIIIKain XVIIIKain XVIII is a 1963 film from the Soviet Union, adapted from Evgeny Shvarts' tale Two friends. The Soviet film industry reported that 21.7 million spectators saw the film.-Plot:...
(1963)