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Isaac Asimov was born Isaak Judah Ozimov, on January 2, 1920, in Petrovichi shtetl, near Smolensk, Russia. He was the oldest of three children. His father, named Judah Ozimov, and his mother, named Anna Rachel Ozimov (nee Berman), were Orthodox Jews. Ozimov family were millers (the name Ozimov comes from the eponymous sort of wheat in Russian). In 1923 Isaac with his parents immigrated to the USA and settled in Brooklyn, New York. There his parents temporarily changed his birthday to September 7, 1919, in order to send him to school a year earlier. Their family name was changed from Ozimov to Asimov.
Asimov was an avid reader before the age of 5. He spoke Yiddish and English at home with his parents and spoke only a few word in Russian. He began his formal education in 1925 in the New York Public School system. From 1930-1932 he was placed in the rapid advance course. In 1935 he graduated from high school, in 1939 received a B.S. and in 1941 he earned his M. Sc. in Chemistry from Columbia University. From 1942-1945 Asimov was a chemist at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard's Naval Air experimental station. After the war ended, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and was transfered to the island of Oahu and was destined to participate in the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946. He narrowly avoided that by receiving an honorable discharge in May 1946. In 1948 he completed his post-graduate studies and earned his Ph. D. in Chemistry. In 1949 he began his teaching career at the Medical School of Boston University, becoming assistant professor in 1951, and associate professor in 1955. In 1958 Asimov became a full-time writer and gave up his teaching duties because his income from his literary works was much greater than his professor's salary. He was fired, but he retained his title and later returned as a lecturer and was promoted to the rank of full professor in 1979. Asimov was considered one of the best lecturers at Boston University.
Young Isaac Asimov was raised as a non-religious person. His parents observed the Orthodox Judaism, but did not force their belief upon young Asimov. He did not have affiliation with a temple, did not have a bar mizvah and called himself an atheist, then used the term "humanist" in his later life. He did not oppose genuine religious convictions in others but opposed superstitious or unfounded beliefs. Asimov defined his intellectual position as a Humanist and rationalist. He opposed the Vietnam war in the 1960s and was a supporter of the Democratic party. He embraced environmental issues, and supported feminism, joking that he wished women to be free "because I hate it when they charge". He was also humorous about many of his memberships in various clubs and foundations. Asimov did not approve exclusionary societies, he left Mensa after he found that many of the members were arrogant. He liked individuality and stayed in groups where he enjoyed giving speeches. As a free thinker, Asimov saw sci-fi literature serving as a pool where ideas and hypotheses are expressed with unrestricted intellectual freedom.
Young Asimov was fascinated with science fiction magazines which were sold at his parent's general store. Around the age of 11 he wrote eight chapters of a fiction about adventures of young boys in a small town. His first publication was "Marooned Off Vesta" in the Amazing Stories magazine in 1939. Asimov shot to fame in 1941 with 'Nightfall', a story of a planet where night comes once every 2049 years. 'Nightfall' has been described as one of the best science fiction stories ever written. Asimov wrote over five hundred literary works. He is credited for introducing the words "positronic", "psychohistory", and "robotics" into the English language. He penned such classics as "I, Robot" and the "Foundation" series, which are considered to be the most impressive of his writings. He also founded "Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine", which became a best-selling publication.
Asimov was afraid of needles and the sight of blood. Although he had the highest score on the intelligence test he had the lowest score on the physical-conditioning test. He never learned how to swim or ride a bicycle. The author who described spaceflights suffered from fear of flying. In his entire life he had to fly only twice during his military service. Acrophobia was revealed when he took his date and first love on a roller coaster in 1940, and was terrified. This phobia complicated the logistics and limited the range over which he traveled; it also found reflection in some of his literary works. He avoided traveling long distances. Instead he enjoyed cruise ships like the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, where he occasionally entertained passengers with his science-themed talks. He impressed public with his highly entertaining speeches as well as with his sharp sense of timing; he never looked at the clock, but he spoke for precisely the time allocated. Asimov's sense of time prevented him from ever being late to a meeting. Once he discovered that his parents changed his date of birth, he insisted that the official records of his birthday be corrected to January 2, 1920, the date he personally celebrated throughout his life.
Asimov met Gertrude Blugherman on a blind date on Valentine's Day in February of 1942, they got married in July of the same year. The Asimovs had two children, son David (born in 1951), and daughter Robyn Joan (born in 1955). Asimov had known Janet Opal Jeppson since 1959. She was a psychoanalyst and also a writer of science fiction for children. Correspondence with her convinced Asimov that she was the right kind of person for him. He and Gertrude were separated in 1970, and he moved in with Janet Jappeson almost at once. His first marriage ended in divorce in 1973. That same year he and Janet Jeppson were married at Janet's home by an official of Ethical Culture Society. Asimov had no children by his second marriage.
In 1983 Asimov contracted HIV infection from a tainted blood transfusion received during a triple bypass surgery. He eventually developed AIDS and wanted to go public about his AIDS but his doctors convinced Asimov to remain silent. The specific cause of death was heart and renal failure as complications of AIDS. He died on April 6, 1992, in Boston, Massachussets, and was cremated. His ashes were scattered.
Ten years after Asimov's death, his widow, Janet Jeppson Asimov, revealed that his death was a consequence of an unfortunately contracted AIDS.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Dina Korzun was born on 13 April 1971 in Smolensk, Smolenskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. She is an actress and writer, known for Last Resort (2000), Forty Shades of Blue (2005) and Country of the Deaf (1998). She has been married to Louis Franck since 2001. She was previously married to Aleksey Zuev and Ansar Khalilunin.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Yuri Nikulin was a Russian film actor, comedian, mime, and circus clown who was also Artistic Director of Moscow Circus and popular TV show host.
He was born Yuri Vladimirovich Nikulin on December 18, 1921, in the town of Demidov, Smolensk province, Central Russia. His father, Vladimir Andreevich Nikulin, was a writer and director who worked for theater and circus. Yuri Nikulin inherited his fathers talents and had a dream of becoming an actor. The Second World War changed his plans as he was drafted in the Soviet Army in 1939 and served in a tank unit until 1946. After the war he came out a changed man. He could not get in any Soviet acting school for a few years, until he went to the Moscow Circus. There he was admitted after presenting a pantomime as a clown. He graduated from the Circus School in 1950, and started his acting career as a clown at the Moscow State Circus.
Yuri Nikulin became best known for his roles in the comedies from director Leonid Gaidai. Their collaboration from 1961 to 1971 was one of the most productive actor-director partnerships in the history of Russian film. Their comedies were the highest-grossing box office hits ever in Russia and the former Soviet Union with the admissions of 222,800,000 in the first 15 months. The Diamond Arm (1969) was the #1 top grossing Russian box office hit ever with theatrical admissions over 76,700,000 in the Soviet Union in 1969. In a 1995 national poll in Russia, The Diamond Arm (1969), starring Yuri Nikulin was voted the best Russian comedy ever.
Nikulin's effortless style and precise delivery, as well as his mastery of timing and his hilarious masks made him an outstanding comedian, arguably the best Russian comedian ever. Nikulin showed his range in a variety of genres from slapstick comedy to romance and war drama. His most popular film partners were Georgiy Vitsin, Evgeniy Morgunov, Natalya Varley, Rolan Bykov, Anatoliy Papanov, Sergey Filippov, Mikhail Pugovkin, Aleksandr Demyanenko, Leonid Kuravlyov, Andrey Mironov, Evgeniy Evstigneev, Vasiliy Shukshin, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Sergey Bondarchuk, Nikolay Burlyaev, Viktor Pavlov, Boris Novikov, Vladimir Etush, Saveliy Kramarov, Nikolay Grinko, and many other notable Russian actors.
Yuri Nikulin received popular and critical acclaim for his leading and supporting roles in such films as 'Andrei Rublev' (1961) by director Andrei Tarkovsky, They Fought for Their Country (1975) by director Sergey Bondarchuk, 'Stariki-razboyniki' (1971) by director Eldar Ryazanov, 'Chuchelo' (1983) by director Rolan Bykov, 'Kogda derevya byli bolshimi' (1961) by director Lev Kulidzhanov, '12 stulev' by director Leonid Gaidai, 'Dvadtsat dney bez voiny' (1976) by director Aleksey German, and many other memorable works in film. Nikulin's recording of the theme song from The Diamond Arm (1969), especially his delivery of such lines as "We care less" and "We are fearless" made it a popular hit in the 60s and 70s Soviet Union.
Nikulin was among very few comedians who could continue laughing in the face of the Soviet system without any fear of being punished. Even the toughest hard-liners knew that without his humor the everyday life of many millions would be totally unbearable. His genuine talent endured the country's worst times with a smile. He could make people smile anytime and anywhere; even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the bloody communism was replaced with the no less bloody Russian capitalism. During the 1990s Nikulin hosted 'Bely Popugai' (aka.. White Parrot), a hilarious TV show where he gathered the crème de la crème of Russian comedians.
The Moscow State Circus on Tsvetnoi Bulevard was the main workplace for Yuri Nikulin, where he had a career spanning about 50 years. He was awarded the honorable title of the National Artist and received numerous decorations for his achievements as an actor. Yuri Nikulin died after an open heart surgery, on August 21, 1997, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in the Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery, among the tombs of Anton Chekhov, Mikhail A. Bulgakov, Nikolay Gogol, Nikita Khrushchev, Sergey Bondarchuk, Anatoliy Papanov, and other Russian culture luminaries and historic figures.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Marina Ladynina was born on 24 June 1908 in Skotinino, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Russia]. She was an actress, known for Cossacks of the Kuban (1950), They Met in Moscow (1941) and Six P.M. (1944). She was married to Ivan Pyrev. She died on 8 March 2003 in Moscow, Russia.- Waclaw Kowalski was born on 2 May 1916 in Gzhatsk, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Gagarin, Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. He was an actor, known for How I Unleashed World War II (1970), Prom (1970) and Adventure in Marienstadt (1954). He was married to Stanislawa Osikowska-Kowalska. He died on 27 October 1990 in Brwinów, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Julia Monteon is an actress, writer and producer from Ukraine. She started acting in musical theatre when she was fourteen. Later she got her Bachelor's Degree in the acclaimed National University Of Theatre, Film and Television in Kyiv and moved to California to study at The American Academy Of Dramatic Arts.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Anatoliy Dmitrievich Papanov was born on October 31, 1922, in Vyasma, Smolensk region, USSR. His father, named Dmitri Filippovich Papanov, was a Russian industrial worker. His mother, named Elena Bronislavovna Roskovskaya, was of Polish ancestry. Young Papanov moved to Moscow with his parents in 1929. After graduation from a secondary school in 1939, he worked as a metal worker at the 2nd Moscow Ball-bearing Factory. There Papanov was an amateur actor at the Worker's Club Theatre-studio named "Kauchuk".
In 1941 Papanov was drafted in the Red Army and served as an Artillery Sergeant. He was severely wounded in his legs in 1942, and spent six months in hospitals. At age 21, he became permanently disabled and used a cane for the rest of his life. Papanov was admitted to the acting class of the Moscow Theatre Institute (GITIS), from which he graduated in 1946. While a student, Papanov married his classmate actress Nadezhda Karataeva. From 1946-1948 he worked on stage at the Klaipeda Drama Theatre in Latvia. In 1948 Papanov was invited to the Moscow Theatre of Satire by director Andrei Goncharov. He became permanent member of the troupe and worked on stage for almost 40 years. His regular stage partners were Andrey Mironov, Tatyana Pelttser, Spartak Mishulin, Aleksandr Shirvindt, Mikhail Derzhavin, Vladimir Kozel, Olga Aroseva, Georgi Menglet, and other renown Russian actors.
Papanov made his film debut as an extra in 'Lenin v Oktyabre' (1937) by director Mikhail Romm. He played supporting roles in comedies by director Eldar Ryazanov - 'Chelovek niotkuda' (1961), where his partner was Sergey Yurskiy, and in 'Beregis avtomobilya' (1966), where his partners were Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Oleg Efremov, Andrey Mironov, Georgi Zhzhyonov, Donatas Banionis, Evgeniy Evstigneev, and others. Papanov became really famous after his impressive work in the role of General Sepilin in 'Zhivye i myortvye' (1963), for which he was awarded the Brothers Vasilyev State Prize in 1966.
Anatoli Papanov is best known for his roles in the comedies of director Leonid Gaidai. His satirical character - a gangster chief Lyolik in 'Brilliantovaya ruka' (The Diamond Arm, 1968) became one of the most popular characters in the Russian cinema. Papanov made an excellent acting ensemble with his film partners Andrey Mironov, Yuriy Nikulin, Nonna Mordyukova, Nina Grebeshkova, Svetlana Svetlichnaya, Leonid Kanevskiy, and other remarkable actors. 'Brilliantovaya ruka' was the all-time box-office leader with over 76,000,000 admissions in theaters of the Soviet Union. In a 1995 national poll in Russia, 'Brilliantovaya ruka' was voted the best Russian comedy ever.
Anatoli Papanov was awarded the Russian State Prize of Brothers Vasilyev (1966). He was designated People's Actor of the USSR (1973) and was awarded the USSR State Prize (1989, posthumously). Papanov died of a heart attack on August 7, 1987, at his Moscow apartment, a few days before the tragic collapse of his friend and partner Andrey Mironov. Anatoli Papanov's death caused a considerable mourning among his fans in the Soviet Union, he was laid to rest in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.- Alexei Jawdokimov was born in 1937 in Smolensk, USSR. He was an actor, known for Firefox (1982), The Eagle Has Landed (1976) and Game, Set, and Match (1988). He died in September 2019 in London, England, UK.
- Jorge Chesterking was born on 3 August 1918 in Smolensk, Russia. He was an actor, known for La sombra del Caudillo (1960) and Unknown Mariachi (1953). He was married to Celia Urtusástegui. He died on 21 October 1967 in Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
- Ivan Novoseltsev was born on 7 March 1906 in Andronovo, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Russia]. He was an actor, known for The Great Consoler (1933), Seven Brave Men (1936) and The Thirteen (1937). He died on 18 October 1942 in Przhevalsk, Issyk Kul Oblast, Kirghiz SSR, USSR [now Karakol, Issyk Kul Region, Kyrgyzstan].
- Director
- Writer
Nikolay Solodnikov was born on 20 January 1982 in Demidov, Smolensk Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a director and writer, known for Vo sne ty gorko plakal (2024), Eshenepozner (2018) and Evening Urgant (2012).- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Eduard Khil was born on 4 September 1934 in Smolensk, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He was an actor, known for Cell (2016), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) and Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault (2012). He was married to Zoya. He died on 4 June 2012 in St. Petersburg, Russia.- Masha Malinovskaya was born on 21 January 1981 in Smolensk, Smolenskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. She is an actress, known for All Inclusive ili Vsyo vklyucheno! (2011), Vsyo mogut koroli (2008) and Gena Beton (2014).
- Aleksandr Belyaev was born on 16 March 1884 in Smolensk, Russian Empire [now Russia]. He was a writer, known for The Amphibian, Amphibian Man (1961) and Zaveshchaniye professora Douelya (1984). He was married to Margarita Konstantinovna Belyaeva, Vera Belyaeva and Anna Iwanowna Stankevich. He died on 6 January 1942 in Pushkin, Leningrad, USSR.
- Director
- Writer
- Animation Department
Roman Kachanov was born on 25 February 1921 in Smolensk, Smolensk uyezd, Smolensk Governorate, RSFSR [now Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. He was a director and writer, known for The Mystery of the Third Planet (1981), Metamorphosis (1978) and Stories from My Childhood (1998). He died on 4 March 1993 in Moscow, Russia.- Lyudmila Ivanovna Kasatkina is a Soviet and Russian theater and film actress. People's Artist of the USSR (1975). While studying in the fifth grade, choreographer Igor Lentovskiy came to her school, who selected girls for classes at the Central Music School at the Moscow Conservatory (Shatskiy Studio). So Kasatkina entered the school's choreographic department. At age 14, she was forced to stop ballet classes due to poor health and a broken leg. She studied at the Studio of Artistic Words at the Palace of Pioneers by Anna Bovshek and Anna Schneider. In 1943, on the advice of Schneider, she entered the GITIS named after A.V. Lunacharskiy in the class of Iosif Rayevskiy and Grigori Konsky. In 1947, after graduation, she was accepted into the troupe of the Central Theater of the Soviet Army, where she worked all her life. Kasatkina played more than sixty roles on the stage, among which the most famous productions include Orpheus Goes Down to Hell by Tennessee Williams, Broadway Charades by Mary Orr and Reginald Denham, Your Sister and Captive by Lyudmila Razumovskaya.
In 1954 she made her film debut, starring in the main role in the comedy Tiger Girl (1955). In 1964, she starred in the first Soviet multi-part television movie Vyzyvaem ogon na sebya (1963). She also gained fame thanks to her work on voicing cartoons, in particular, the character of Bagheera in the series The Adventures of Mowgli (1973). In 1979, together with her husband, she created a workshop at the acting faculty of GITIS (professor since 1979), which lasted 12 years and gave the professional scene dozens of actors. - Gennadi Korolkov was born on 3 July 1941 in Roslavl, Smolensk Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He was an actor, known for The Fight in the Blizzard (1978), Nochnaya smena (1971) and Kto silnee ego (1984). He was married to Fatima Klado. He died on 23 February 2007 in Moscow, Russia.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Mikhail Yanshin was a Russian actor of Moscow Art Theatre.
He was born Mikhail Mikhailovich Yanshin on November 2, 1902, in Yukhnov, Smolensk province, Russian Empire (now Kaluga province, Russia). His father, Mikhail Yanshin, was a banking clerk. From 1909-1916 Yanshin studied at private Olkhovsky School in Moscow. From 1916-1919 he studied at Moscow Technical school, then entered the College of Technology, then joined the Red Army. He served in the Security Forces of the Red Army until 1922. That same year he was admitted to 2nd Studio of the Moscow Art Theatre where his teacher was Michael Chekhov. In 1924 he was promoted to leading roles by Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko.
Yanshin shot to fame in Moscow in 1926, with his successful performances as Lariosik in 'Dni Turbinykh' (The days of the Turbins) by Mikhail A. Bulgakov. The play ran more than two hundred performances and was attended by Joseph Stalin for at least fifteen times. In November of 1926 Yanshin married actress Veronika Polonskaya, who was just eighteen; writer Mikhail A. Bulgakov was his best man at the wedding. Polonskaya and Yanshin were friends of Vladimir Mayakovsky, who became involved in affair with Polonskaya. All three were together the night before Vladimir Mayakovsky killed himself by the gunshot.
From 1937-1941 Mikhail Yanshin was Artistic Director of Moscow Gipsy Theatre "Romen"; at that time he was married to the leading actress Lyalya Chyornaya (Nadezhda Kiseleva). Yanshin updated the repertoire by adding classic plays of Alexander Pushkin and Maxim Gorky to the traditional Gipsy show. In 1939 he also directed two plays by 'Federico Garcia Lorca', who was revered in Russia after his tragic execution in Franco's Spain. From 1941 to the end of his life Yanshin was again with the Moscow Art Theatre.
From 1950-1963 Yanshin was Artistic Director of the Stanislavsky Drama Theatre. There he met beautiful actress Nonna Meyer; they married in 1955 and remained together until his death. Yanshin was responsible for bringing new life to the struggling Stanislavsky Drama Theatre. He stimulated mature actors and encouraged young talents, such as Evgeniy Leonov, Evgeniy Vesnik, Evgeniy Urbanskiy, Boris Levinson, Pyotr Glebov, Liliya Gritsenko, Elizaveta Nikishchikhina, Vladimir Anisko and other notable Russian actors. After the death of Joseph Stalin, when the cultural "Thaw" was initiated by Nikita Khrushchev, Yanshin again staged 'Dni Turbinykh' (The days of the Turbins) by Mikhail A. Bulgakov. This time the legendary role of Lariosik was brilliantly played by Evgeniy Leonov.
In 1963 Yanshin was attacked by the Soviet Ministry of Culture. His effort to stage new contemporary plays was criticized by hard-line officials. Yanshin quit the Stanislavsky Drama Theatre and moved back to the troupe of Moscow Art Theatre, which was struggling after the death of both founders, Konstantin Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko. At that time, Yanshin was instrumental in bringing director Oleg Efremov to lead the struggling MKhAT to renewal and re-gaining popularity among the younger audiences. Yanshin together with Alla Tarasova were the strongest supporters of artistic innovations brought by Oleg Efremov to the Moscow Art Theatre.
Mikhail Yanshin was designated People's Artist of the USSR (1955), and was awarded State Prize of the USSR (1975). He was twice decorated with the Order of Lenin, and received other awards and decorations. He enjoyed a lasting film career spanning over 45 years, from silent films to Soviet comedies of the 60s and 70s. Yanshin died of a heart failure on July 17, 1976, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.- Writer
- Producer
Sergey Volkov was born on 2 August 1969 in Smolensk Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. Sergey is a writer and producer, known for Chikatilo (2021), Muzhskoe slovo (2024) and Simon.- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ilya Frez was born on 2 September 1909 in Roslavl, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Roslavlsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. He was a director and writer, known for Love and Lies (1981), Eto my ne prokhodili (1976) and Otryad Trubachyova srazhayetsya (1957). He died on 22 June 1994 in Moscow, Russia.- Music Department
- Writer
- Composer
Mikhail Glinka, the author of the first Russian Opera who suffered from abuse in his early childhood and barely survived the Napoleon's invasion of 1812, had lived most of his adult life outside of Russia and fused Spanish, Italian, French, and other influences in his own music.
He was born Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka on June 1, 1804 into a wealthy noble family, in Novospasskoe, Smolensk region, Russia. His early childhood development was disturbed by his emotionally unstable grandmother, who was manipulating his parents, until she died, when Glinka was 6 years old. In 1812 the invasion of Napoleon's Armies shook Russia, but the Glinka family and their estate survived. His loving mother hired help to mitigate the traumatizing memories.
Music was the best therapy for Glinka. He had a professional German teacher of music and a French instructor in languages living with the family and giving him lessons everyday. Glinka enjoyed the performances of a hired orchestra in their home. He wrote that orchestral music was a "special and happy impression". At age 12 he went to the Boarding School for Nobility in St. Petersburg. He took piano, violin, and voice lessons from the Italian, German, and Austrian celebrities of that time. His first love with a singer inspired him on writing his first compositions: Waltz for piano and Variations on the theme of Mozart for piano.
Glinka wrote most of his music while in Western Europe, where he lived and wandered for 23 years, absorbing the culture of the most artistically advanced European nations. He studied composition with Siegfrid Dehn in Berlin for 3 years and lived in Rome for 4 years. There he met Hector Berlioz and Giacomo Meyerbeer and the three composers remained good friends for many years. Glinka received critical acclaim from Hector Berlioz, who published an article about him in Paris. Such a publicity was well received and Glinka later promoted Hector Berlioz to the Russian Royalty and aristocracy, and helped him to sign and to accomplish a lucrative concert tour in Russia.
Glinka was inspired by the operas of Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, and Christoph Willibald Gluck. In 1845 he moved to Spain for 3 years and seriously studied Spanish culture, falling in love with flamenco. "Spain could cure the wounds of my heart", wrote Glinka to his mother. There he wrote two symphonic "Spanish Ouvertures". His music was performed in European capitals and was praised by Hector Berlioz. Such composers as Felix Mendelssohn and Giacomo Meyerbeer came to meet Glinka after his concerts. His personal favorites were Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, and Frédéric Chopin.
"A Life for the Tsar" (the feat of Ivan Susanin), became the first Russian opera, based on eclectic mix of music from Russian, Ukrainian, and Polish folk-tunes and other European influences. Premiered in 1836 in the presence of the Tsar, the opera became a model for some Russian composers. From 1837-1839 Glinka was the Emperor's Kapellmeister of the Imperial Choral Capella in St. Petersburg. In 1840 he again left Russia for Europe. He worked for six years writing his second opera "Ruslan and Ludmila", based on the eponymous poem of Alexander Pushkin. His other compositions include the orchestral "Kamarinskaya", quartets, piano pieces, choral and church works, and over 80 romantic songs.
During the 1850s Mikhail Glinka was at the peak of his popularity outside of Russia. From 1852-1855 he lived in Paris and Berlin and also performed his music in other European capitals. In December of 1856 Glinka had a gala-concert of his music performed in Berlin. It was a great success, and excited Glinka gave an all-night party for his friends and guests. He was exhausted after a long party and caught a cold that led to his death on February 15, 1857, in Berlin. Mikhail Glinka was buried in Berlin, but a few months later his body was taken to St. Petersburg and was laid to rest in Necropolis of the Masters of Arts at St. Aleksandr Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg, Russia.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
George Shdanoff was born on 5 December 1905 in Smolensk, Russia. He was an actor and director, known for Specter of the Rose (1946) and From Russia to Hollywood: The 100-Year Odyssey of Chekhov and Shdanoff (2002). He died on 14 August 1998 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lyubov Virolaynen was born on 14 January 1941 in Smolensk, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia]. She is an actress, known for Perskeltas dangus (1974), Opalyonnye Kandagarom (1989) and Dva dolgikh gudka v tumane (1981).- Mikhail Tukhachevsky, one of the top generals in the Soviet army, was actually born into a family of the Russian nobility. He graduated from the Russian Military Academy shortly before World War I and fought during the war as a Second Lieutenant. Captured by German forces, he escaped from captivity on several occasions, only to be recaptured and imprisoned each time. The Germans finally threw him into Ingolstadt Fortress, which was used to house their most incorrigible prisoners and was considered escape-proof. Tukachevsky promptly escaped from it, eventually making his way back to the Russian lines, where he was decorated for bravery.
After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 he joined the Red Army, and was made an officer. His military abilities enabled him to rise rapidly through the ranks, and during the Russian Civil War that followed the Revolution, he was made commander of the Red forces defending Moscow. His successful defense of the city caught the eye of Communist commissar Lev Trotskiy, who placed him in command of the elite 5th Army with orders to capture Siberia from the White Russian forces of Gen. Aleksandr Kolchak. Tukhachevsky's innovative tactics hammered the White Russian army, and he not only recaptured Siberia but also defeated White Russian forces in the Crimea and carried his offensive into the Kuban area, where he used his cavalry to great effect and inflicted a crushing defeat on the White army. He mopped up the remaining White forces and over the next few years successfully put down several military revolts and peasant uprisings, in the process gaining a reputation as an effective but ruthless commander who used whatever tools and tactics were necessary to achieve his goals, including mass executions and chemical warfare.
His string of successes was broken during the Soviet-Polish War of 1920 when his armies were defeated in their attack on Warsaw by Polish forces led by Marshal Józef Pilsudski. Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin attributed the defeat to what he considered Tukhachevsky's reckless tactics (at one point he disobeyed Stalin's orders for a direct attack on Warsaw, which he believed would fail, and attacked Lvov instead) and Tukhachevsky, for his part, blamed the defeat on what he believed was Stalin's constant interference with military operations for political reasons, and made no secret of his resentment. Stalin, never one to forgive real or imagined slights, didn't forget what he felt to be Tukhachevsky's insubordination. He also saw Tukhachevsky as a potential rival and set about to eliminate that possibility. When Stalin assumed the leadership of the Communist Party in 1929 he used the pretext of complaints from several of Tukhachevsky's subordinate officers to try to implicate him in alleged coup attempt, and his secret police "persuaded" several army officers to accuse Tukhachevsky of doing just that. The tactic didn't work, however, as Stalin couldn't muster enough support among the Politburo and the party hierarchy to eliminate Tukhachevsky, who still enjoyed considerable support because of his war record. Biding his time, Stalin put Tukhachevsky in charge of modernizing the Russian military. One of his more innovative ideas was to place an emphasis on the coordination of air and armored forces in an attack, a tactic that was put to good use in the later Soviet war with Germany.
Tukhachevsky's interests weren't solely confined to military matters, though. A violinist, he became great friends with famed Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich and the two often played together. The friendship no doubt saved Shostakovich's life when he and his music were denounced in the mid-1930s during the period known as "the great purges" and Shostakovich found himself in danger of arrest and possible execution. However, his friend Tukhachevsky intervened on his behalf with Stalin.
Tukhachevsky was promoted to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1935, and in that capacity visited Europe the next year, paying particular attention to France, Germany and Great Britain. Stalin began to grow suspicious of Tukhachevsky's popularity among his officers and men and also among the general public and, still having not forgotten his problems with the general during the Polish war of the 1920s, set out to eliminate him once and for all. He transferred his rival to the Volga Military District, away from his base of support, and finally in 1937 ordered the arrest and trial of Tukhachevky and seven other generals on charges of plotting with "foreign" elements during his European visit to overthrow the Communist government. At the secret court-martial signed confessions by Tukhachevsky's alleged "co-conspirators" were introduced that "proved" he had plotted with Nazi army officers and anti-Communist Russian exiles to overthrow and assassinate Stalin. On June 12, 1937, Tukhachevsky and the seven other generals were convicted, sentenced to death and executed. - Yevgeni Burenkov was born on 7 December 1924 in Maloye Polozovo, Gshatsk Uyezd, Smolensk Governorate, RSFSR, USSR [now Gagarin Raion, Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Vishnevii sad (1976), Vzorvannyy ad (1967) and Tsygan (1980). He died on 19 April 1989 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].
- Stepan Krylov was born on 14 February 1910 in village Gorodok, Vyazma uyezd, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Vyazemsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Andrei Rublev (1966), Ivan's Childhood (1962) and Anafema (1961). He died on 28 February 1998 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
- Boris Vasilev was born on 21 May 1924 in Smolensk, Smolenskaya guberniya, RSFSR, USSR [now Smolenskaya oblast, Russia]. He was a writer, known for Ivanov kater (1972), Korolevskaya regata (1966) and An Ordinary Trip (1958). He was married to Zorya Albertovna Pole. He died on 11 March 2013 in Moscow, Russia.
- Evgeniya Kozyreva was born on 20 October 1920 in Smolensk, Smolensk uyezd, Smolensk Governorate, RSFSR [now Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Ubiystvo na ulitse Dante (1956), Nepovtorimaya vesna (1957) and V stepnoy tishi (1959). She died on 6 December 1992 in Moscow, Russia.
- Janina Kaluska-Szydlowska was born on 2 October 1920 in Smolensk, RSFSR [now Russia]. She was an actress, known for Pingwin (1965), Wilczy bilet (1964) and Celuloza (1954). She died on 16 July 2010 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Andreas Grusinski was born in 1984 in Smolensk, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is an actor, known for Inglourious Basterds (2009), The Hunt for the Amber Room (2012) and The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008).
- Anna De Linsky was born on 3 February 1891 in Smolensk, Russian Empire [now Russia]. She was an actress, known for I Conquer the Sea! (1936). She was married to Victor De Linsky. She died on 14 November 1991 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Nikolaj Rytjkov was born on 3 December 1913 in Smolensk, Smolensk uyezd, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire. He was an actor, known for Bürgerkrieg in Russland (1967). He died on 1 September 1973 in London, England, UK.
- Marina Popovich was born on 20 July 1931 in Leonenki, Smolensk Oblast, USSR. She was a writer, known for Nebo so mnoy (1975), Buket fialok (1983) and Sightings (1991). She was married to Pavel Popovich and Boris Alexandrovich Zhikhorev. She died on 30 November 2017 in Krasnodar, Russia.
- Vladimir Zharikov was born on 6 November 1938 in Smolensk, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is an actor, known for Opalyonnye Kandagarom (1989), Tayny madam Vong (1986) and Nenavist (1977).
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Viktor Baykov was born on 10 November 1922 in Dvorniki, Gshatsk Uyezd, Smolensk Governorate, RSFSR [now Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Chipollino (1973), The Girls (1962) and Vystrel v tumane (1964). He died on 2 July 1993 in Moscow, Russia.- Aleksandr Smirnov was born on 12 September 1909 in Stepankovo village, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Smolensk oblast, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Isini chamovidnen mtidan (1954), Mirovoy paren (1972) and Sud sumasshedshikh (1962). He died on 5 July 1977 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].
- Vsevolod Makarov was born on 13 January 1989 in Desnogorsk, Smolensk Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is an actor, known for The (UN)perfect Guy (2020), Z'olushka (2012) and Love Triangle (2019).
- Director
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Vasili Sakhnovsky was born on 1 March 1886 in Dorogobuzh, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Smolensk oblast, Russia]. He was a director and writer, known for The Adventures of the Three Reporters (1926), Krestovik (1927) and Anna Karenina (1953). He died on 26 February 1945 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].- Lev Sheynin was born on 25 March 1906 in village Brusanovka, Velizh uyezd, Vitebsk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Velizhsky District, Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. He was a writer, known for Vstrecha na Elbe (1949), Tsepnaya reaktsiya (1962) and Nochnoy patrul (1957). He died on 11 May 1967 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].
- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Aleksandrs Leimanis was born on 17 October 1913 in village Gavrilovo, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire [now Smolensk Oblast, Russia]. He was a director and writer, known for Melna veza spiles (1976), Vella kalpi (1970) and Melna veza spiles (1975). He died on 17 June 1990 in Riga, Latvian SSR, USSR [now Latvia].- Nikolai Plotnikov was a Russian actor and director at Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow.
He was born Nikolai Sergeyevich Plotnikov on November 5, 1897, in Vyazma, Smolensk province, Russian Empire (now Vyazma, Russia). His father, Sergei Plotnikov, was a barber, his mother was a homemaker. In 1910, when Plotnikov was 12, his mother died and he was sent to him uncle in St. Petersburg. There he studied art at the Stieglitz School of Art, and also worked at the Schwartz printing company in St. Petersburg, Russia. From 1916 to 1918 he served in the Imperial Tsar's Army during the First World War, then returned to Moscow. From 1918 - 1920 he studied acting at the studio of Michael Chekhov where his classmates were Boris Babochkin and his brother, then worked with a touring troupe all over Russia for two years. From 1922 - 1934 he was member of the Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT) in Moscow, then was member of the Central Theatre of the Red Army.
From 1938 to 1979 Nikolai Plotnikov was a permanent member of the troupe at Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. There his stage partners were such actors as Mikhail Ulyanov, Ruben Simonov, Boris Zakhava, Mikhail Astangov, Vladimir Etush, Varvara Popova, Irina Kupchenko, Natalya Tenyakova, Yuliya Borisova, Lyudmila Maksakova, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Marianna Vertinskaya, Nina Ruslanova, Nikolai Gritsenko, Vasiliy Lanovoy, Yuriy Yakovlev, Vyacheslav Shalevich, Andrei Abrikosov, Grigori Abrikosov, Boris Babochkin, Nikolai Timofeyev, Aleksandr Grave, and Evgeniy Karelskikh, among others. His most memorable stage performances were such roles as Polonius opposite Mikhail Astangov_ in the Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (1958), as Doctor in "Zhivoy trup" (aka.. The Living Corpse) after the eponymous novel by Lev Tolstoy.
Nikolai Plotnikov was designated People's Actor of the USSR (1964), and was awarded the State Prize of the USSR (1951). He also taught acting at Mosfilm Studio School, at Moscow State Institue of Theatrical Art (GITIS), and at Soviet State Institute of Cinema (VGIK). Nikolai Plotnikov died of a heart failure on February 3, 1979, in Moscow, Russia, Soviet Union, and was laid to rest in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia. - Natalia Ishchenko was born on 8 April 1986 in Smolensk, Russia. She has been married to Sergey Anikin since 11 December 2010. They have one child.
- Raisa Yesipova was born on 5 March 1906 in Smolensk, Russian Empire [now Russia]. She was an actress, known for Tetri mkhedari (1929), Woman's World (1932) and Sud dolzhen prodolzhatsya (1931). She died in November 1994.
- Anatoliy Ignatyev was born on 22 July 1926 in Smolensk, RSFSR, USSR. He was an actor, known for Miners of the Don (1951), O chyom molchala tayga (1965) and Moya doch (1956). He died on 28 October 1986 in Glubokova, Moskovskaya oblast, USSR.
- Maksim Gorshkov was born on 4 February 1997 in Smolensk, Russia. He is an actor, known for Blindazh (2024), Golem and God rozhdeniya (2023).
- Vasiliy Delyavskiy was born on 8 March 1965 in Smolensk, RSFSR, USSR. He was an actor, known for Kobra. Antiterror (2003), Puteshestviye gospodina Perrishona (1987) and Etazh (2014). He died on 29 March 2015.
- Anatoliy Ignatyev was born on 22 July 1926 in Smolensk, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He was an actor, known for Ne stavte Leshemu kapkany... (1981), Kapitan 'Staroy cherepakhi' (1956) and Metel (1965). He died on 28 October 1986 in Moscow Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].
- Maksim Shishkanov was born on 10 February 1986 in Smolensk, RSFSR, USSR.
- Aleksandr Chausov was born in 1896 in Vyazma, Smolensk region, Russian Empire (now Russia). He was an actor, known for Kara-bugaz (1935). He died on 16 March 1938 in Moscow Region, Soviet Union [now Russia].
- Sergey Morskoy was born on 2 August 1896 in Vyazma, Smolensk Governorate, Russian Empire. He was an actor, known for A Tale of the Forest Giant (1954), Detstvo. Otrochestvo. Yunost (1973) and Zdravstvuyte, nashi papy! (1969). He died in 1988 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR.