The most famous clowns of the USSR. Soviet clowns: list, biography, creative path, photo Famous clowns
Clowns have been in our culture for a long time. One can recall at least related jesters who were at court and entertained the nobility. The word "clown" itself appeared at the beginning of the 16th century. Initially, this was the name of a comic character from the English medieval theater. This character improvised a lot, and his jokes were simple and even rude.
Today the clown is a circus or variety artist using buffoonery and grotesque. This job is not as easy as it seems. In addition, clowns work in various genres; not a single self-respecting circus can do without such people. Who else will make the audience laugh in between numbers?
It is interesting that in America the image of a clown has developed surprisingly scary. This is due to numerous works where this image is exposed as bloodthirsty and cruel (remember, for example, the Joker). There was even such a mental illness as clownophobia. Speaking of modern clowning, one cannot fail to mention the name of Charlie Chaplin. This comedic actor has served as an inspiration for the actors of this genre, his image has been copied and reused.
It must be said that the most outstanding clowns realized themselves far beyond the circus, in cinema, theater, while performing the tragic repertoire. The most famous people of this funny, not difficult profession will be discussed below.
Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837). This English actor is considered the father of modern clowning. It is believed that it was he who became the first clown with a European face. Thanks to Grimaldi, the comic character became the central figure of the English harlequinade. Joseph's father, an Italian, was himself a pantonymist, painter and choreographer in the theatre. Yes, and the mother performed in the corps de ballet. From the age of two, the boy has been performing on the stage of the theater. Failures in his personal life turned the eyes of the young Grimaldi to work. The production at the Royal Theater of Mother Goose's Tales brought him fame. The actor has become a clear innovator, because his character, Joy the Clown, is similar to modern images. The clown was the central character in the numbers, he came up with buffoonery and visual tricks, invariably causing laughter from the audience. The image of a simpleton and a fool originates from the time of the commedia dell'arte. Grimaldi brought female pantomime to the theater and laid down the tradition of participation in the performances of the public itself. Playing on stage undermined the health of the clown, in fact, making him a cripple. At the age of 50, Grimaldi went bankrupt and lived on the basis of a pension and assistance from charity performances in his honor. When he died, the newspapers bitterly wrote that the spirit of pantomime was now lost, because there is simply no equal to the clown in terms of talent.
Jean-Baptiste Auriol (1806-1881). At the beginning of the 19th century, as such, the image of a clown did not yet exist. Comic equestrian acrobats joked in the arena, there was a mime rider and a clown. This state of affairs changed when the figure of Jean-Baptiste Auriol appeared in the French circus. As a child, he was given to study in a family of rope dancers. Soon Jean-Baptiste became an independent artist of a provincial traveling circus. The artist's career quickly went uphill, an acrobat rider with comic talents was noticed. In the early 1830s, he was invited to join the Loisset troupe. With her, Oriol began to travel around Europe. The next step was the Paris Olympic Theater-Circus. The debut took place on July 1, 1834. Jean-Baptiste has shown himself to be a versatile master - he is a tightrope walker, a juggler and a force. In addition, he was also a grotesque actor. A strong and powerful body was crowned with a cheerful face, the grimaces of which made the audience laugh. The clown wore a special costume, which was a modernized outfit of a medieval jester. But Oriol did not have makeup, he used only common ground. In essence, the work of this clown can be considered false. He filled in the pauses between performances, parodied the main repertoire. It was Auriol who formed the image of a clown, gave him a touch of French humor and brought romanticism to the circus. At an advanced age, Auriol began to play in comic scenes, participating in pantomimes.
Grock (1880-1959). The real name of this Swiss is Charles Adrien Wettach. His family was an ordinary peasant, but his father was able to instill in his son a love for the circus. Charles's talent was noticed by the clown Alfred, who invited the young guy to the troupe of a traveling circus. Having gained experience in it, Charles left his partners and left for France. By that time, the clown had learned to master several musical instruments, knew how to juggle, was an acrobat and tightrope walker. Only here in the National Swiss Circus in the city of Nimes, the young artist achieved only a job as a cashier. Charles was able to make friends with the musical eccentric Brick, eventually replacing his partner Brock. The new clown chose the pseudonym Grock. The debut of the artist in the Swiss National Circus took place on October 1, 1903. The troupe toured extensively. With her, Grock traveled to Spain, Belgium and even South America. In 1911, in Berlin, the clown failed, but tours in Austria-Hungary and Germany in 1913 were much more successful. Grock became known as the king of clowns. Tours in Russia also turned into a triumph. After the end of the war, Grock again resumed performances, having even toured America. In the early 30s, the clown even made a film about himself, which was not successful. After the end of World War II, the artist released two more tapes with his best numbers, and in 1951 he even opened his own Grock circus. The last entry into the arena of the famous clown took place in 1954. A mask is named after Grock, which is awarded as a prize at the European International Circus Clown Festival.
Mikhail Rumyantsev (1901-1983). Clown Pencil is a classic of the Soviet circus. Mikhail's introduction to art began in art schools, but the training did not arouse interest. The career of the future artist began with drawing posters for the theater. In 1925, Rumyantsev moved to Moscow, where he began to draw posters for films. The fateful year for the young artist was 1926, when he saw Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks next to him. Like them, Rumyantsev decided to become an actor. After the stage movement courses, there was a school of circus art. From 1928 to 1932, the clown appeared in public in the form of Charlie Chaplin. From 1935, Rumyantsev began to use his new image of Karan d'Asha. In 1936, the clown works in the Moscow circus, the final point in the formation of his new image was a small Scottish terrier. The clown's performances were dynamic, filled with satire on the most pressing problems in society. Arriving on tour in a new city, the artist tried to insert the name of some local popular place into his speech. In the 1940s and 1950s, Pencil began to attract assistants to his performances, among whom Yuri Nikulin stood out. The clown was so popular that only his performances guaranteed the circus financial success. The cheerful clown conscientiously devoted himself to his work, but even outside the arena he demanded complete dedication from his assistants. Pencil's career in the circus spans 55 years. The last time he appeared in the arena was just 2 weeks before his death. The work of the artist was marked by numerous awards, he was the Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist of Russia and the USSR.
Nook (1908-1998). Under such a pseudonym, the German Georg Spillner became known to the whole world. When in 1932 he began his career as a dentist, no one expected such a sharp turn in his fate. But soon Georg abandoned this job, becoming a musical clown. Already in 1937, the Deutsches Theater in Munich announced him as the most famous clown in Europe. The "chip" of the artist was his large suitcase and a huge coat, in which various musical instruments were hidden. Nook performed at the most famous concert venues in Europe, but despite his fame, he remained a rather modest person. The clown was very musical, playing the saxophone, mandolin, flute, clarinet, violin, harmonica. In the 60s, he was written about as the most gentle clown of all time. Nuka was often compared to another legend, Grock, but the German had his own unique image. It is said that once a certain clown wanted to buy one of his numbers for Nuka, but he refused. After all, his image is the whole life, with its experience, feelings, success and slaps in the face. For many years, his wife, who played the piano, went on stage with Georg. In 1991, for his philanthropic work towards his former colleagues, Germany awarded him the Cross of Merit. Nuk himself said that a stereotype has developed in society, according to which a clown should be a sad person in life, and constantly joke on stage. But such an image has nothing to do with him. The clown wrote that studying is not necessary to obtain such a profession, but hard work is necessary. The artist's secret was simple - everything that was in his mind was personally experienced by Georg.
Konstantin Bergman (1914-2000). This Soviet carpet clown appeared in the family of a circus orchestra conductor. It is not surprising that the arena constantly beckoned the boy. From childhood, he participated in pantomime, mastering other genres of circus art. The professional career of a clown began at the age of 14, with his brother Nikolai, he staged the number "Voltigeur Acrobats". Until 1936, the couple performed together, using the images of the popular comedy film actors G. Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin. During the war, Bergman acted as part of the front-line brigades. Fame brought him a simple reprise "Dog-Hitler". It told how a clown barking at everyone was embarrassed to call Hitler, because she might be offended. In 1956, Bergman became an Honored Artist of the RSFSR. The clown was able to create a mask of an important dandy, wearing a ridiculously dandy costume. The circus artist switched to colloquial reprises, discussing not only everyday topics, but even politics. Bergman was a rather versatile clown, including in other numbers. He jumped over the car like an acrobat, took part in air flights. Bergman toured the country a lot, Iran applauded him. The famous clown starred in two films, in "The Girl on the Ball" he essentially played himself.
Leonid Yengibarov (1935-1972). Despite the short life, this man managed to leave a bright mark in art. Mim managed to create a new role - a sad clown, besides, Yengibarov was also a talented writer. Leonid from childhood fell in love with fairy tales and puppet theater. At school, he began to box and even entered the Institute of Physical Education, but quickly realized that this was not his calling. In 1955, Yengibarov entered the Circus School, where he began to study clownery. While still a student, Leonid began to perform on the stage as a mime. A full-fledged debut took place in 1959 in Novosibirsk. Already by 1961, Yengibarov traveled to many Soviet cities and had resounding success everywhere. At the same time, a trip abroad took place, to Poland, where the grateful audience also applauded the clown. In 1964, at the International Festival in Prague, Yengibarov was recognized as the best clown in the world, and his short stories began to be published. Documentaries are made about a talented artist, he himself is attracted to the cinema, collaborating with Parajanov, Shukshin. The famous clown at the height of his fame leaves the circus and creates his own theater. Yengibarov, together with his constant director Yuri Belov, staged the play "Clown's Whims". For 240 days of touring the country in 1971-1972, this performance was shown 210 times. The great clown died in a hot summer from a broken heart. When he was buried, it suddenly began to rain in Moscow. It seemed that the sky itself was mourning the loss of the sad clown. Yengibarov entered the history of the circus as a representative of philosophical clown pantomime.
Yuri Nikulin (1921-1997). Most people know Nikulin as a brilliant film actor. But his calling was the circus. The father and mother of the future clown were actors, which must have predetermined the fate of Nikulin. He went through the entire war, receiving military awards. After the end of hostilities, Nikulin tried to enter VGIK and other theater institutes. But he was not accepted anywhere, since the selection committees could not discern acting talents in a young man. As a result, Nikulin entered the clowning studio at the Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard. The young actor, together with Mikhail Shuidin, began to assist the Pencil. The couple went on tour a lot and quickly gained experience. Since 1950, Nikulin and Shuidin began to work independently. Their joint work continued until 1981. If Shuidin had the image of a shirt-guy who knows everything, then Nikulin portrayed a lazy and melancholic person. In life, partners in the arena of relations practically did not support. Since 1981, Nikulin became the chief director of his native circus, and from the next year, the director. You can not ignore the participation of the famous clown in the cinema. The debut on the big screen took place in 1958. Gaidai's comedies ("Operation Y" and Shurik's other adventures, "Prisoner of the Caucasus", "The Diamond Hand") brought popular love to Nikulin as an actor. However, behind his shoulders and a lot of serious paintings - "Andrei Rublev", "They fought for the Motherland", "Scarecrow". The talented clone showed himself to be a serious and profound dramatic actor. Yuri Nikulin received the title of People's Artist of the USSR and Hero of Socialist Labor. Near the circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard there is a monument to the famous clown and his partner.
Marcel Marceau (1923-2007). This French mime actor created a whole school of his art. He was born into a Jewish family in Strasbourg. Interest in acting came from Marcel after getting acquainted with the tapes of Charlie Chaplin. Marceau studied at the School of Decorative Arts in Limoges, then at the Theater Sarah Bernhardt, where Etienne Decroux taught him the art of mime. During World War II, the aspiring clown fled the country. He took part in the Resistance, and most of his relatives, including his parents, died in Auschwitz. In 1947, Marceau created his most famous look. Bip the clown with a white face, striped sweater and shabby hat, became known to the whole world. At the same time, the clown troupe "Commonwealth of Mimes" was created, which existed for 13 years. The productions of this unusual theater with solo performances were seen by the best venues in the country. The following years, Marceau performed independently. Several times he visited the Soviet Union with tours, for the first time this happened in 1961. In one of the scenes, a sad Bip, sitting at the table, listened to his interlocutors. Turning to one, the clown made a cheerful expression, and to the other, a sad one. The replies alternated and gradually accelerated, forcing the clown to constantly change his mood. Only Marceau could do that. The miniatures featuring Bip are generally filled with sympathy for the poor fellow. In 1978, the clown created his own Paris school of pantomime. New miniatures and new heroes appeared in his arsenal. Marcel Marceau is said to have taught him the famous moonwalk. For his contribution to art, the actor received France's highest award - the Order of the Legion of Honor.
Oleg Popov (born 1930). The famous artist is called the founding father of the Soviet clownery. In 1944, while doing acrobatics, the young man met students of the circus school. Oleg was so carried away by the circus that he immediately entered the school, having received the specialty "eccentric on a wire" in 1950. But already in 1951 Popov made his debut as a carpet clown. The artist was able to create an artistic image of the "Solar Clown". This resilient man with a shock of blond hair wore excessively wide trousers and a plaid cap. In performances, the clown uses a variety of techniques - acrobatics, juggling, parody, balancing act. Particular attention is paid to the entrees, which are realized with the help of eccentrics and buffoonery. Among the most famous reprises of Popov, one can recall "Whistle", "Ray and" Cook ". In his most famous act, the clown tries to catch a ray of sunshine in his bag. The artist's work was not limited to the theater alone, he starred in television a lot, participated in the children's TV show "Alarm Clock". Popov even acted in films (more than 10 films) and directed circus performances. The famous clown took part in the first tour of the Soviet circus in Western Europe. Performances there brought Popov truly worldwide fame. The clown became a laureate of the International Circus Festival in Warsaw, received an Oscar in Brussels, received the Golden Clown prize at the Monte Carlo Festival. In 1991, Popov left Russia, for personal reasons, and also unable to accept the collapse of the great Motherland. Now he lives and works in Germany, speaking under the pseudonym Happy Hans.
Slava Polunin (born 1950). Polunin was educated at the Leningrad State Institute of Culture, and then at the variety department of GITIS. In the 1980s, Vyacheslav created the famous Litsedei Theater. He literally blew up the audience with the numbers "Asisyai", "Nizza" and "Blue Canary". The theater became very popular. In 1982, Polunin organized a mime parade, which brought together more than 800 pantomime artists from all over the country. In 1985, as part of the World Gathering of Youth and Students, a festival was held, in which international clowns also took part. Since then, Polunin has organized many festivals, put on performances, numbers and reprises, trying on various masks. Since 1988, the clown has moved abroad, where he receives worldwide fame. His "snow show" is now considered a theatrical classic. Spectators say that Polunin's snow warms their hearts. The works of the clown were awarded the Laurence Olivier Prize in England, awards in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Barcelona. Polunin is an honorary resident of London. The Western press calls him "the best clown in the world." Despite the "frivolous" occupation, the clown thoroughly approaches his work. Even the craziest and most adventurous show in his performance is actually carefully thought out and weighed. Polunin works hard and does not know how to relax at all, however, his life is a pleasure, on and off the stage. And most importantly - this person creates a holiday.
A circus without a clown is not a circus. On December 10, the birthday of the legendary Pencil, let's remember the seven brightest representatives of the solar profession, who created emotions and mood with their skill.
Mikhail Rumyantsev
The famous Soviet clown, Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist of the USSR was born in St. Petersburg back in 1901. At the age of 13, Misha entered the school of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, but studied without interest. But he showed talent in drawing and from 1922 to 1926 he painted posters for the city theater, posters for cinemas, and then for the circus. On the next tour, Mikhail meets Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, who influenced the future fate of the artist - the future Pencil enters the school of circus art, in the class of eccentric acrobats. Thus began the career of a star. Since 1928, Pencil began to appear in public in the image of Charlie Chaplin, and since 1936 he worked in the Moscow Circus. His speeches were distinguished by satire and dynamism, the obligatory use of topics of current events. In total, Pencil worked in the circus for 55 years and last entered the arena two weeks before his death.
Kazimir Pluchs
The representative of the circus genre "White Clown", who worked under the pseudonym Roland, was born on November 5, 1894 in the vicinity of the city of Dvinsk. Since 1910, Casimir has become a member of the acrobatic troupe "Roman Gladiators", and since 1922 he begins to perform in his favorite genre. Roland worked with such artists as Koko, Anatoly Dubino, Savely Krein, Evgeny Biryukov and paired with comedian Eizhen. In 1955, he played his usual role as a "white clown" in the film "Behind a Department Store Window", but was not listed in the credits. Two years after the release of the film, Kazimir Petrovich leaves the circus arena and devotes himself entirely to literary activity. Written by Roland in 1963, The White Clown became a manual for circus performers in a genre in which Plutchs was called the best of the best.
Rudolf Slavsky
Born on December 21, 1912 in Tsaritsyn (Stalingrad - Volgograd), a circus and stage performer, director and writer, according to the historian of the circus Yu. Dmitriev, became the founder of plot numbers in theatrical art. It all started with a performance for the circus "Equilibrium on a free wire" - a lyric-comedy scene "A date at the yacht club". Rudolph, a man with a festive profession, was a participant in the Great Patriotic War from the very beginning, and in 1945 he returned to artistic activity, taking up, among other things, directing and staging children's performances. In 1961-80 he was a director-teacher of the All-Union Creative Workshop of the Maslyukov Variety Art, and since 1950 he began to write. Slavsky - author and compiler of the 2nd edition of the encyclopedia "Circus" (1979), one of the founders of the Academy of Circus Art.
Leonid Yengibarov
A sad jester, clown philosopher and poet, Leonid Georgievich had a bright personality and created his own image. He graduated from the State School of Circus Art and chose not the beaten path, but his own, very special one - a mixture of pantomime and poetic clowning. His reprises did not set as their main goal to squeeze as much laughter out of the viewer as possible, but made him think, reflect. Many spectators, accustomed to relaxing in the circus, were disappointed with what they saw, most colleagues advised changing their phlegmatic role, the clown was adamant. Even Yuri Nikulin, who initially did not take the artist of the “new genre” seriously, admitted three years later: “... when I saw him on the arena of the Moscow Circus, I was delighted. He was amazing with pause. Yengibarov, without uttering a word, spoke to the audience about love and hate, about respect for a person, about the touching heart of a clown, about loneliness and vanity. And he did all this clearly, gently, unusually.
Oleg Popov
"Solar Clown" was born in 1930 and, like most of his colleagues, he graduated from the State School of Circus Art, making his debut in the arena as a tightrope walker. In the performances of Oleg Konstantinovich, different, but invariably positive genres were mixed: clowning, acrobatics, juggling, tightrope walking, buffoonery. Oleg Konstantinovich is a Cavalier of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, laureate of the International Circus Festival in Warsaw, winner of the "Golden Clown" prize of the International Festival in Monte Carlo. Many of Popov's reprises have become classics of the world circus ("Dream on a Wire", "Luch", etc.). They say that it was the constant search for something funny and touching in the surrounding reality that created Oleg Konstantinovich's unique "sunny" role.
Leonid Kukso
Band Man! Soviet, Russian circus artist, clown, playwright, director, poet, Honored Artist of Russia, author of five musical comedies, a significant number of songs, a collection of lyrical poems! Little Lenya was first brought to the circus by his father, and the boy was amazed by the performance of the clowns. "Hello, Le-e-enya!" - one of them said to the whole hall, and instead of the “hat” being removed, the clown had a disc with fields in his hand, and a sparkling bald head on his head. The future artist will carry these memories through the years. In 1937, Leonid Georgievich's father was shot, his mother ended up in camps, and Lenya himself made boxes for mines and shells in three shifts - the war began. In 1946, Kukso entered the circus to Pencil, where he met Nikulin, later they performed in many joint numbers - songs with a guitar, clowning, acrobatics, juggling! Kukso found his own style and even came up with a "battle cry" for the exit, and his performances, like the artist himself, were distinguished by mobility and eccentricity.
Yury Nikulin
Debuting in cinema at the age of 36, the artist and devoted assistant to the birthday boy Karandash was a fan of circus art. The favorite comedian of several generations of viewers, Yuri Vladimirovich, was born in 1921 in the city of Demidov, later the family moved to Moscow. After graduating from school, Nikulin was drafted into the Red Army, participated in the Soviet-Finnish and Great Patriotic War, was awarded the medals "For Courage", "For the Defense of Leningrad" and "For the Victory over Germany". It's funny that when trying to enter the famous theater institutes and schools, Nikulin was refused with the rationale "Lack of acting talent." How wrong were the admissions committees! Yuri entered the clowning studio at the Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard, and later remained to work there. Nikulin worked with Pencil for two and a half years, after which in 1950 the creative tandem fell apart due to a labor conflict, and Nikulin and Shuydin created their own clown duet. In 1981, 60-year-old Yuri Vladimirovich moved to the administrative position of the director of the circus, to whom he devoted 50 years of his life.
Leonid Yengibarov
Leonid Yengibarov (1935 - 1972) - circus actor, mime clown. Possessing a unique personality, Leonid Yengibarov created a unique image of a sad jester-philosopher and poet. His reprises did not set as their main goal to squeeze as much laughter out of the viewer as possible, but made him think, reflect.
Leonid Georgievich Yengibarov was born on March 15, 1935 in Moscow. From childhood he loved fairy tales and puppet theater. At school, he began to box and even entered the Institute of Physical Education, but quickly realized that this was not his calling.
In 1959 he graduated from the State School of Circus Art, clownery department. While still a student, Leonid began to perform on the stage as a mime. A full-fledged debut took place in 1959 in Novosibirsk.
Already at the school, his creative individuality was clearly defined as a carpet master of pantomime. Unlike most of the clowns of that time, who entertained the audience with the help of a standard set of tricks and jokes, Yengibarov took a completely different path and for the first time began to create poetic clowning in the circus arena.
From the first performances, Yengibarov began to evoke conflicting responses from the public and colleagues in the profession. The audience, which was used to having fun in the circus, and not to think, was disappointed with such a clown. And many of his colleagues soon began to advise him to change the role of "thinking clown."
Yuri Nikulin recalled: “When I saw him for the first time on the arena, I didn’t like him. I didn’t understand why there was such a boom around the name of Engibarov. And three years later, when I saw him again at the arena of the Moscow Circus, I was delighted. owned a pause, creating the image of a slightly sad person, and each of his reprises not only amused, amused the viewer, no, it also carried a philosophical meaning. , about the touching heart of a clown, about loneliness and fuss. And he did all this clearly, softly, unusually. "
By 1961, Yengibarov traveled to many Soviet cities and had resounding success everywhere. At the same time, a trip abroad took place, to Poland, where the grateful audience also applauded the clown.
In 1964, wide international fame came to the artist. At the International Clown Competition in Prague, Yengibarov received the first prize - the E. Bass Cup. It was a resounding success for the 29-year-old artist. After this victory, his novels began to be published. Documentaries are made about a talented artist, he himself is attracted to the cinema, collaborating with Parajanov, Shukshin.
The end of the 1960s is considered the most successful period in Yengibarov's creative career. He successfully toured both around the country and abroad (in Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia). In addition to the circus, he performed with "Pantomime Evenings" on the stage, acted in films.
The famous clown at the height of his fame leaves the circus and creates his own theater. Yengibarov, together with his constant director Yuri Belov, staged the play "Clown's Whims". For 240 days of touring the country in 1971-1972, this performance was shown 210 times.
The great clown died on July 25, 1972 in a hot summer from a broken heart. When he was buried, it suddenly began to rain in Moscow. It seemed that the sky itself was mourning the loss of the sad clown. Yengibarov entered the history of the circus as a representative of philosophical clown pantomime.
Leonid Yengibarov (1935-1972). Despite the short life, this man managed to leave a bright mark in art. Mim managed to create a new role - a sad clown, besides, Yengibarov was also a talented writer.
Pencil - Mikhail Rumyantsev
Mikhail Rumyantsev (stage name - Pencil, 1901 - 1983) - an outstanding Soviet clown, one of the founders of the clownery genre in Russia. People's Artist of the USSR (1969).
In the 40s and 50s, Pencil began to attract assistants to his performances, among which Yuri Nikulin stood out, as well as Mikhail Shuidin, who later made a magnificent
clown duo. The clown was so popular that only his performances guaranteed the circus financial success. The cheerful clown conscientiously devoted himself to his work, but even outside the arena he demanded complete dedication from his assistants.
Pencil became the first Soviet clown, whose popularity has stepped far beyond the borders of the country. He was known and loved in Finland, France, East Germany, Italy, England, Brazil, Uruguay and other countries.
Mikhail Nikolaevich Rumyantsev worked in the circus for 55 years. The last time he appeared in the arena was just 2 weeks before his death.
Mikhail Nikolayevich Rumyantsev died on March 31, 1983.
Today, the Moscow State School of Circus and Variety Art bears the name of Mikhail Nikolayevich Rumyantsev.
Yury Nikulin
Yuri Nikulin (1921 - 1997) - Soviet circus artist, film actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1973), Laureate of the State Prize of the RSFSR (1970)
The main thing in Nikulin's creative individuality is a crushing sense of humor with full preservation of outward equanimity. The costume was built on a funny contrast of short striped trousers and huge boots with a pseudo-elegant top - a black jacket, a white shirt, a tie and a boater hat.
A virtuously designed mask (behind the outward rudeness and even some stupidity, wisdom and a tender, vulnerable soul showed through) allowed Yuri Nikulin to work in the most difficult genre of clowning - lyrical-romantic reprises. On the arena, he was always organic, naive and touching, while he knew how to make the audience laugh like no one else. In the clown image of Nikulin, the distance between the mask and the artist was surprisingly preserved, and this gave the character great depth and versatility.
After the death of Shuidin, Yuri Vladimirovich in 1982 headed the circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard (now named after Nikulin), where he worked for a total of more than 50 years.
Solar clown - Oleg Popov
Oleg Popov is a Soviet clown and actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1969).
Known to the general public in the image of the "Solar Clown". This resilient man with a shock of blond hair wore excessively wide trousers and a plaid cap. In performances, the clown uses a variety of techniques - acrobatics, juggling, parody, balancing act. Particular attention is paid to the entrees, which are realized with the help of eccentrics and buffoonery. Among the most famous reprises of Popov, one can recall "Whistle", "Ray and" Cook ". In his most famous act, the clown tries to catch a ray of sunshine in his bag.
Popov made a huge contribution to the world formation of new principles of clowning, developed earlier by Pencil - clowning, coming from life, from everyday life, looking for fun and touching in the surrounding reality.
In 1991, Popov left Russia, for personal reasons, and also unable to accept the collapse of the great Motherland. Now he lives and works in Germany, speaking under the pseudonym Happy Hans.
Kazimir Pluchs
Kazimir Petrovich Pluchs (November 5, 1894 - February 15, 1975) - circus performer, white clown, pseudonym "Roland". Honored Artist of the Latvian SSR (1954).
The representative of the circus genre "White Clown", who worked under the pseudonym Roland, was born on November 5, 1894 in the vicinity of the city of Dvinsk. Since 1910, Casimir has become a member of the acrobatic troupe "Roman Gladiators", and since 1922 he begins to perform in his favorite genre. Roland worked with such artists as Koko, Anatoly Dubino, Savely Krein, Evgeny Biryukov and paired with comedian Eizhen. In 1955, he played his usual role as a "white clown" in the film "Behind a Department Store Window", but was not listed in the credits. Two years after the release of the film, Kazimir Petrovich leaves the circus arena and devotes himself entirely to literary activity. Written by Roland in 1963, The White Clown became a manual for circus performers in a genre in which Plutchs was called the best of the best.
Konstantin Berman
Konstantin Berman (1914-2000).
During the war, Berman acted as part of the front-line brigades in the Bryansk-Oryol direction of the front .. The simple reprise "Hitler Dog" brought him fame. It told how a clown barking at everyone was embarrassed to call Hitler, because she might be offended. This unpretentious reprise at the front was invariably met with friendly soldier laughter.
In 1956, Berman became an Honored Artist of the RSFSR.
Berman was a rather versatile clown, including in other numbers. He jumped over the car like an acrobat, took part in air flights. Bergman toured the country a lot, Iran applauded him.
Leonid Yengibarov
Leonid Yengibarov (1935 - 1972) - circus actor, mime clown. Possessing a unique personality, Leonid Yengibarov created a unique image of a sad jester-philosopher and poet. His reprises did not set as their main goal to squeeze as much laughter out of the viewer as possible, but made him think, reflect.
The famous clown at the height of his fame leaves the circus and creates his own theater. Yengibarov, together with his constant director Yuri Belov, staged the play "Clown's Whims". For 240 days of touring the country in 1971-1972, this performance was shown 210 times.
The great clown died on July 25, 1972 in a hot summer from a broken heart. When he was buried, it suddenly began to rain in Moscow. It seemed that the sky itself was mourning the loss of the sad clown. Yengibarov entered the history of the circus as a representative of philosophical clown pantomime.
Yuri Kuklachev
Yuri Kuklachev - director and founder of the Cat Theater, People's Artist of the RSFSR.
Gained fame, being the first in the USSR to engage in circus work with cats. Creator and director of the Theater of Cats ("Cat's House", since 1990). In 2005, the Kuklachev Cat Theater received the status of the State Cat Theater in Moscow. Currently, more than 10 performances have been created in the only Cat Theater in the world. In addition to Yuri Kuklachev, his sons, Dmitry Kuklachev and Vladimir Kuklachev, perform at the Cat Theater. The performances of Dmitry Kuklachev are distinguished by the fact that all tricks with cats in them are done during a clear through plot. Yuri Kuklachev is the founder of the educational project "International Association School of Kindness". In addition to performances with cats, Yuri Kuklachev regularly conducts "Lessons of Kindness" in schools, children's institutions and even in children's colonies in different cities of Russia.
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Oddly enough, many of my friends claim that they have been afraid of clowns since childhood. However, if we are talking about brightly colored exaggeratedly cheerful personalities like Ronald McDonald I can understand them. But our domestic clowns are completely different. Each of them has its own unique image. They are sad and funny, kind and funny, ridiculous and touching. Celebrates his birthday today Vyacheslav Polunin. Let's remember him and other Soviet and Russian clowns.
Vyacheslav Polunin
A baggy yellow suit, a red scarf and boots reminiscent of Murzilka from the magazine of the same name. Stunning plasticity and facial expressions, allowing him to be funny and surprisingly eloquent, without saying a word.
Today he turns 64, he is a famous clown, winner of prestigious awards, creator of world-famous shows and artistic director of the Great St. Petersburg State Circus on the Fontanka. And half a century ago, he was an ordinary schoolboy, a fool who pleased classmates and annoyed teachers with constant jokes, antics and antics. For this, by the way, he was repeatedly expelled from classes: who knew then that clowning for him was not hooliganism, but a vocation. When the schoolboy Slava saw the film for the first time Charlie Chaplin, he immediately fell in love with this image and began to imitate him: he got himself a cane, huge shoes and walked with the famous Chaplin gait.
But there were also those who appreciated the talent of the young merry fellow. First, at city amateur competitions, then upon admission to the Institute of Culture and GITIS. And then - and the whole Union, when in the early 1980s Polunin created his famous show "The Actors". During perestroika, the clown left our country for Germany. There he created the world famous "snow show", showing that a real clown is cramped within the circus break between numbers. He can create a complete show that will make adults feel like children again.
Polunin received many professional awards in different countries, and the Western press calls him, no less, but the best clown in the world.
Clown Pencil
Charlie Chaplin inspired many clowns in the world, including Soviet ones. The famous Mikhail Rumyantsev, the founder of the clownery genre in our country. But truly talented people do not repeat, but create something new. Rumyantsev also followed this path when he created his own Pencil- a small, slightly ridiculous man with a mustache in a baggy suit, huge boots and a pointed hat.
Since then, he has forever become a Pencil. He even got angry if he was called by his last name. And even entered the Great Soviet Encyclopedia under a pseudonym. His hero is good-natured, witty and childlike. With deliberate clumsiness, the clown independently performed all acrobatic stunts. He laughs at himself, trying to repeat the tricks of magicians or to reassemble a broken statue. Sometimes he performed with a four-legged partner - a Scottish terrier named Blot. The pencil was known and loved not only in the Soviet Union, but also in many European countries and even in Latin America. Among his students and assistants were famous Shuiding And Nikulin. The latter, by the way, can be seen, although it is difficult to recognize in this scene.
For some, entertaining people is not just a calling, but their own philosophy. Pencil said: "Every kind of art, every artist has his own way of knowing the truth. I chose a funny way."
Oleg Popov
famous Oleg Popov love not only in Russia, but also in Europe. And it all started unexpectedly. He was a regular locksmith apprentice when he started doing acrobatics. In the circle, he met circus guys and decided to become one of them.
His image is Sunny Clown. Charming cheerful guy with a mop of blond hair in striped pants and a huge plaid cap. In his performances, he used a variety of circus skills: juggling, acrobatics, balancing act.
After perestroika, Oleg Popov left Russia for Germany. There the Solar Clown became Happy Hans.
Leonid Yengibarov
Paradoxically, the task of a clown is not always to amuse the audience. There are also those who make you think, putting philosophical overtones into their numbers. That was the mime, the sad clown Leonid Yengibarov. Plain black clothes, no makeup. He does not look like "colleagues in the shop" at all. And that makes it amazing and memorable.
His reprises are more like plastic poetry than traditional clowning. Some of them are funny.
And there are some very sad ones.
The fate of the sad clown turned out to be even more tragic than his image. He died of a heart attack when he was only 37 years old. Probably put too much heart into his performances. This is what it didn't last...
Yuri Kuklachev
Yuri Kuklachev- this is perhaps the most recognizable and parodied clown. They brought him to the circus ... no, not cats. A childhood dream and incredible perseverance. He tried to enter the circus school for seven years in a row, and each time he was told that he had no talent. As a result, he entered a technical school, and at the same time began to engage in a folk circus. With the same amateurs, he performed at amateur performances. There they paid attention to him ... and they invited him to study at the circus school! As they say, "not washing, so skating."
Cats appeared in his performances only ten years later. And they immediately made a sensation - after all, everyone knew that these animals were not amenable to training. But Kuklachev unraveled the secret of the cat's soul. Amenable. Just don't force them to do what you want. Let the cat do what she wants. That will be even more interesting.
Yury Nikulin
But the most popular and beloved clown in our country was, of course, Yury Nikulin. Although we know him better from films in which he plays not only comic, but sometimes dramatic roles. But that was precisely his dream - to become an actor. But he could not enter VGIK and GITIS, so out of desperation he went to the conversational genres studio at the Moscow Circus.
Even before that, he managed to take part as an ordinary soldier in two wars: the Finnish and the Great Patriotic War.
He began performing in the circus as an assistant to the Pencil. Then came the famous duet Nikulin-Shuidin. The image of Nikulin is most often a dandy, a lazy person, a drinker. And Shuidin is a merry fellow and a shirt-guy. Their most famous joint scene is "Log". She was born from life: in the film "The Old Robbers" Nikulin, according to the plot, had to carry a heavy picture for a long time. So he came up with the idea to make a number with a similar plot. Only the picture was replaced with a log - it's funnier.
Sometimes it seems that clowns - funny and sad, funny and touching - are a dying profession. That sooner or later they will inevitably be replaced by comedians of various kinds or stand-up comedians. And what do you think?
How do you feel about clowns and the genre they work in?
