Nikolai Petrovich Karachentsov (russian: Николай Петрович Караченцов, 27 October 1944 – 26 October 2018) was a Soviet and Russian film and stage actor of
Lenkom Theatre
Lenkom Theatre, formerly known as Lenin’s Komsomol Moscow Theatre or Moscow Leninist Komsomol Theatre is the official name of what was once known as the Moscow State Theatre named after Komsomol, a Communist youth league set up by Vladimir Len ...
. Karachentsov's popularity peaked in the late 1970s and early 1980s among the Soviet youth after he had starred in
rock opera
A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...
s. In 1989 he was awarded the title of
People's Artist of the RSFSR
People's Artist of the RSFSR (russian: Народный артист РСФСР, ''Narodnyj artist RSFSR'') was an honorary title granted to Soviet Union artists, including theatre and film directors, choreographers, music performers, and orchest ...
. In 2003 he received the
State Prize of the Russian Federation
The State Prize of the Russian Federation, officially translated in Russia as Russian Federation National Award, is a state honorary prize established in 1992 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. In 2004 the rules for selection of laureates ...
Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (russian: Орден «За заслуги перед Отечеством», ''Orden "Za zaslugi pered Otechestvom"'') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was instituted on 2 March 1994 by P ...
, 4th class.
Biography
Early life
Nikolai Karachentsov was born in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
on 27 October 1944. His father, Pyotr Yakovlevich Karachentsov (1907–1998), worked for many years in the magazine ''
Ogoniok
''Ogoniok'' ( rus, Огонёк, t=Spark, p=ɐɡɐˈnʲɵk, a=Ru-огонёк.ogg; pre-reform orthography: ''Огонекъ'') was one of the oldest weekly illustrated magazines in Russia.
History and profile
''Ogoniok'' has issued since . I ...
'' as a graphic artist, he received the title of
Meritorious Artist
Merited Artist of the Russian Federation (russian: link=no, Заслуженный артист Российской Федерации, ''Zasluzhenny artist Rossiyskoy Federatsii'') is an honorary title in the Russian Federation. The title is ...
of the RSFSR in 1967. Nikolai's mother, Yanina Brunak (1913–1992), was a choreographer. She directed plays in major musical theaters, took part in staging performances at the
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre ( rus, Большо́й теа́тр, r=Bol'shoy teatr, literally "Big Theater", p=bɐlʲˈʂoj tʲɪˈatər) is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds ballet and ope ...
, Kazan Musical Theater,
Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar (; mn, Улаанбаатар, , "Red Hero"), previously anglicized as Ulan Bator, is the capital and most populous city of Mongolia. It is the coldest capital city in the world, on average. The municipality is located in north ce ...
Music Theater in
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
, administered a ballet school and organized the First National Ensemble of
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
, worked in
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
and
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
Karachentsov's parents separated, so when Yanina Evgenyevna would leave Moscow for work, Kolya studied and lived in a boarding school. In school days, he spent all summer vacations in the recreation center of the All-Russian Theater Society in the village of Shylykovo,
Kostroma Oblast
Kostroma Oblast (russian: Костромска́я о́бласть, ''Kostromskaya oblast'') is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Kostroma and its population as of the 2021 Census is 580,97 ...
.
In his childhood, Karachentsov was actively engaged in swimming and by the age of 13 he became the champion of the USSR's central sport school in diving. He left his swimming lessons when, together with his mother, he moved to
Ulaanbaatar
Ulaanbaatar (; mn, Улаанбаатар, , "Red Hero"), previously anglicized as Ulan Bator, is the capital and most populous city of Mongolia. It is the coldest capital city in the world, on average. The municipality is located in north ce ...
for two years.
While studying in high school, Nikolai Karachentsov joined the "Active" group, created at the Central Children's Theater. The duties of "activists" included duty in the building of the theater and monitoring of the observance of order by schoolchildren. And at the same time, the attendants had the opportunity to see the performances. Soon, at the Center for Children's Art an amateur studio for schoolchildren was opened. Karachentsov was one of the first to apply. The directors of the studio were Pechnikov and Minkovskaya. In the Club of Arts at the theater Karachentsov attended a course of lectures for schoolchildren. The lecturers were famous directors and actors.
Nikolai Karachentsov's first role was in the play ''Figaro''. By this time, he already planned to become an actor.
Theatre career
In 1963, Karachentsov entered the
Moscow Art Theatre School
Moscow Art Theatre School is the studio school of the Moscow Art Theatre. It is a state educational institution that has existed since 1943. The initiator of the studio school was Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko. His role in the student performances ''Snowstorm'' and ''Ivan Vasilyevich'' received a high professional assessment. Usually school graduates were automatically "distributed" to the Moscow Art Theater, but in 1967 at the
Lenkom Theatre
Lenkom Theatre, formerly known as Lenin’s Komsomol Moscow Theatre or Moscow Leninist Komsomol Theatre is the official name of what was once known as the Moscow State Theatre named after Komsomol, a Communist youth league set up by Vladimir Len ...
, in connection with the departure from the post of the main director
Anatoly Efros
Anatoly Vasilievich Efros (russian: Анатолий Васильевич Эфрос; July 3, 1925, Kharkiv — January 13, 1987, Moscow) was a Soviet theatre and film director. He was a leading interpreter of Russian classics during the Era of S ...
, there was a catastrophic situation of shortage of actors, and Karachentsov among the top ten students joined this theater.
Among Karachentsov's first performances were the plays staged by Efros: ''104 Pages About Love'', ''My Poor Marat'', ''The Movie is Being Shot'', ''Fear and Despair in the Third Empire'' and ''Farewell to Arms!''.Биография Николая Караченцова на сайте 7days.ru /ref>
After Karachentsov's successful first experience in the play ''Autograd 21'' (1973), Lenkom's director
Mark Zakharov
Mark Anatolyevich Zakharov (russian: Марк Анатольевич Захаров; 13 October 1933 – 28 September 2019) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film director, screenwriter and pedagogue best known for his fantasy parable movies. He ...
invited him for the main role of
Till Eulenspiegel
Till Eulenspiegel (; nds, Dyl Ulenspegel ) is the protagonist of a German chapbook published in 1515 (a first edition of ca. 1510/12 is preserved fragmentarily) with a possible background in earlier Middle Low German folklore.
Eulenspiegel is ...
in his next play ''Till'' (1974). The play, based on the novel by
Charles De Coster
Charles-Theodore-Henri De Coster (20 August 1827 – 7 May 1879) was a Belgian novelist whose efforts laid the basis for a native Belgian literature.
Early life and education
He was born in Munich; his father, Augustin De Coster, was a nati ...
, was written by playwright
Grigori Gorin
Grigori Gorin (russian: Григо́рий Го́рин), real name Grigori Israilevich Ofshtein (russian: Григо́рий Изра́илевич Офштейн; March 12, 1940, Moscow — June 15, 2000, Moscow) was a Soviet and Russian play ...
, and the composer
Gennady Gladkov
Gennady Igorevich Gladkov (russian: link=no, Геннадий Игоревич Гладков; born 18 February 1935) is a Soviet and Russian composer. He composed music for some of the most famous Soviet movies and cartoons, most notably '' The ...
composed the music for the production. Through Karachentsov's performance, the character of Till – a buffoon, bully and rebel – became a cult figure of the 1970s Soviet youth. From the theater's repertoire ''Till'' was filmed only in 1992.
The rock opera of the composer
Alexey Rybnikov
Alexey Lvovich Rybnikov (russian: links=no, Алексей Львович Рыбников; born July 17, 1945) is a modern Russian composer.
He is the author of music for Soviet and Russian musicals (rock operas) '' The Star and Death of Joaqu ...
''Stardom and Death of Joaquin Murieta'' (based on the poetic drama of
Pablo Neruda
Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto (12 July 1904 – 23 September 1973), better known by his pen name and, later, legal name Pablo Neruda (; ), was a Chilean poet-diplomat and politician who won the 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature. Nerud ...
), staged by Mark Zakharov in 1976, was also well received. In it, Karachentsov played two roles at once: the ranger and Death. This production was part of the theater's program until 1993.
The most famous theatrical work of Karachentsov is the role of Count Rezanov in the rock opera '' Juno and Avos'', a play that became a calling card of Lenkom. The premiere was held on July 9, 1981 (music by Alexey Rybnikov, libretto by
Andrei Voznesensky
Andrei Andreyevich Voznesensky (russian: link=no, Андре́й Андре́евич Вознесе́нский, 12 May 1933 – 1 June 2010) was a Soviet and Russian poet and writer who had been referred to by Robert Lowell as "one of the ...
). Karachentsov took vocal lessons from the famous musician
Pavel Smeyan
Pavel Yevgenyevich Smeyan (russian: link=no, Павел Евгеньевич Смеян; born 23 April 1957, Moscow, Russia – died 13 July 2009) was a Russian singer and actor. He died of cancer in a hospital in Germany at age of 52. ...
, who played in ''Juno and Avos'' the role of the Principal Writer. In 1983, the show was recorded for television and the same year the famous French couturier
Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin (, , ), born Pietro Costante Cardino (2 July 1922 – 29 December 2020), was an Italian-born naturalised-French fashion designer. He is known for what were his avant-garde style and Space Age designs. He preferred geometric shap ...
introduced the ''Juno and Avos'' to the French audience at the Espace Cardin Theater in Paris, followed by a triumphant tour around the world: the performance was shown in the US, Germany, Netherlands and other countries. Karachentsov became one of the leading actors of Lenkom.
Other popular productions with his participation were ''Optimistic Tragedy'', ''Dictatorship of Conscience'', ''School for Emigrants'', ''Sorry'', ''Czech Photo''. Among the last theatrical roles of the actor were prince
Alexander Menshikov Alexander Menshikov may refer to:
* Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (1673–1729), Russian statesman
* Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov
Prince Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov (russian: Князь Алекса́ндр Серге́евич Ме́н ...
in ''Balakirev the Buffoon'' and Domenico Soriano in ''The City of Millionaires''.
Film career
Nikolai Karachentsov began to act in cinema in 1967: the first films with his participation were ''Strokes to the Portrait of Vladimir Lenin'', ''And Again May''. But the actor began to play actively in film only after the triumph of ''Till''. Mark Zakharov did not use him in his screen works, with the exception of small roles in the television films of ''
The Twelve Chairs
''The Twelve Chairs'' ( rus, Двенадцать стульев, Dvenadtsat stulyev) is a classic satirical novel by the Odesan Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov, published in 1928. Its plot follows characters attempting to obtain jewelry hidden ...
'' (1976) and ''
The House That Swift Built
''The House That Swift Built'' (russian: Дом, который построил Свифт, Dom, kotoriy postroil Svift) is a 1982 Soviet fantasy comedy film directed by Mark Zakharov based on the eponymous play by Grigori Gorin about Irish satir ...
'' (1982). Nevertheless, even at the beginning of his film career Karachentsov played one of his best known roles - Busygin in the film adaptation of Alexander Vampilov's play '' The Elder Son'' (1975).
In the second half of the 1970s, Karachentsov became one of the most filmed actors in the Soviet Union. Karachentsov always performed stunts in his films by himself. His popularity was enhanced by roles in such films as ''
The Dog in the Manger
The story and metaphor of The Dog in the Manger derives from an old Greek fable which has been transmitted in several different versions. Interpreted variously over the centuries, the metaphor is now used to speak of one who spitefully prevents o ...
'', ''
The Adventures of the Elektronic
''The Adventures of Electronic'' (russian: Приключения Электроника, translit. Priklyucheniya Elektronika) is a 1979 Soviet children's science fiction TV miniseries, directed by Konstantin Bromberg.
The series' screenpl ...
A Man from the Boulevard des Capucines
''A Man from the Boulevard des Capucines'' (russian: Человек с бульвара Капуцинов, Chelovek s bulvara Kaputsinov) is a Red Western comedy film of 1987 (Mosfilm production), with nods to silent film and the transforming powe ...
'', ''
A Bright Personality
''A Bright Personality'' or (russian: Светлая личность, Svetlaya lichnost) is a 1988 fantastic satirical comedy based on the works of Ilf and Petrov, directed by Alexander Pavlovsky at the Odessa film studio. The film consists of tw ...
'', ''
Deja Vu
Deja or Dejah may refer to:
* Deja News, an archive of messages posted to Usenet discussion groups and its successor ''deja.com''
* Andreas Deja (born 1957), German animator
* Dejah Mulipola (born 1998), American softball player
* Dejah Thoris, a ...
'' and many others. In total the filmography of Nikolai Karachentsov includes more than 100 roles in the cinema.
He also worked on dubbing foreign films, for example he voiced in Russian the roles of French actor
Jean-Paul Belmondo
Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo (; 9 April 19336 September 2021) was a French actor and producer. Initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s, he was a major French film star for several decades from the 1960s onward. His best known credits ...
. In addition, he took part in voicing many cartoons and worked extensively on television and radio.
From the beginning of the 1990s Karachentsov for many years has been the chairman of the jury of the Andrei Mironov Actor's Song Festival. In 1991 he was elected secretary of the
Union of Theatre Workers of the Russian Federation
The Union of Theatre Workers of the Russian Federation or STD of RSFSR (russian: Союз театральных деятелей Российской Федерации (СТД РСФСР), links=no) is the principal actors and theatrical workers ...
Lyudmila Porgina
Lyudmila Andreevna Porgina (russian: Людмила Андреевна По́ргина; born November 24, 1948 in Moscow) is a Soviet and Russian stage and film actress, named an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation in 1999 and the widow of ...
who gave birth to their son Andrey three years later.
One of Karachentsov's main hobbies was tennis. He became a recurrent participant in several tennis tournaments, including "Big Hats", "Marco-Garros", for the cup of the "Big Cap". In 1994, paired with TV presenter Boris Notkin, he was allowed to play with the first president of the Russian Federation
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin ( rus, Борис Николаевич Ельцин, p=bɐˈrʲis nʲɪkɐˈla(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈjelʲtsɨn, a=Ru-Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin.ogg; 1 February 1931 – 23 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian politician wh ...
. Among the regular partners of Karachentsov were tennis player and coach
Shamil Tarpishchev
Shamil Anvyarovich Tarpishchev or Tarpischev ( rus, Шамиль Анвярович Тарпищев, , ʂɐˈmʲilʲ ɐnˈvʲarəvʲɪtɕ tɐrˈpʲiɕːɪf, tt-Cyrl, Шамил Әнвәр улы Тарпищев; born 7 March 1948) is a Russia ...
, vice-president of the Tennis Federation of the North-West region Igor Dzhelepov, composer
Maksim Dunayevsky
Maksim Isaakovich Dunayevsky (russian: Макси́м Исаа́кович Дунае́вский, born 15 January 1945 in Moscow) is a Soviet and Russian composer. People's Artist of Russia (2006). He is the artistic director and chairman of th ...
and poet Yury Ryashentsev.
Injury, illness and death
On 28 February 2005, Karachentsov was driving his car, a
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a series of D-segment, large family cars manufactured and marketed by the Germany, German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973, and now in its eighth generation. It has been marketed variously as the Dasher, Sa ...
, to Moscow, on his way to his mother-in-law's funeral when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a
street light
A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...
pole, suffering a
traumatic brain injury
A traumatic brain injury (TBI), also known as an intracranial injury, is an injury to the brain caused by an external force. TBI can be classified based on severity (ranging from mild traumatic brain injury TBI/concussionto severe traumatic b ...
. His seat belt was not fastened. After twenty-six days in
coma
A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. Coma patients exhi ...
, he began regaining motor skills, finally being able to get up onto a stage in 2007. Despite some improvement, he never fully recovered after the accident, his speech and ability to walk remained severely impaired. His only cinema appearance after the crash was a minor role almost without words in the film '' White Dew: The Return'' in 2014.
In 2017 Karachentsov was diagnosed with
lung cancer
Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissue (biology), tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from tran ...
and underwent unsuccessful treatment in Israel.
On 26 October 2018 Karachentsov died from
kidney failure
Kidney failure, also known as end-stage kidney disease, is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney failure is classified as eit ...
in a Moscow clinic, one day before his 74th birthday.
Selected filmography
;Actor
* '' The Elder Son'' (''Старший сын'', 1976) as student Vladimir Busygin
* ''
The Twelve Chairs
''The Twelve Chairs'' ( rus, Двенадцать стульев, Dvenadtsat stulyev) is a classic satirical novel by the Odesan Soviet authors Ilf and Petrov, published in 1928. Its plot follows characters attempting to obtain jewelry hidden ...
'' (''Двенадцать стульев'', 1976) as actor in the theater "Columbus"
* ''
The Dog in the Manger
The story and metaphor of The Dog in the Manger derives from an old Greek fable which has been transmitted in several different versions. Interpreted variously over the centuries, the metaphor is now used to speak of one who spitefully prevents o ...
'' (''Собака на сене'', 1978) as Marquis of Ricardo
* '' Errors of Youth'' (''Ошибки юности'', 1978)
* '' The Adventures of the Electronic'' (''Приключения Электроника'', 1979) as Urrie
* ''
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson
''Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson'' (russian: link=no, italics=yes, Шерлок Холмс и доктор Ватсон) is a 1979 Soviet film adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's novels about Sherlock Holmes. Directed by Igor Maslennikov, it is th ...
'' (''Приключения Шерлока Холмса и доктора Ватсона. Кровавая надпись'', 1979) as Jefferson Hope
* ''
The House That Swift Built
''The House That Swift Built'' (russian: Дом, который построил Свифт, Dom, kotoriy postroil Svift) is a 1982 Soviet fantasy comedy film directed by Mark Zakharov based on the eponymous play by Grigori Gorin about Irish satir ...
'' (''Дом, который построил Свифт'', 1982) as Flim, the Lilliputian
* '' Juno and Avos'' (''Юнона и Авось'') (
rock opera
A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...
How to Become Happy
''How to Become Happy'' (russian: Как стать счастливым, Kak stat schastlivym) is a 1986 Soviet comedy- science fiction film directed by Yuri Chulyukin.
Plot
1980 year. In the small town of Lesogorsk lives a modest teacher of phys ...
'' (''Как стать счастливым'', 1986) as Gosha
* '' A Man from the Boulevard des Capuchines'' (''Человек с бульвара Капуцинов'', 1987) as Billy King
* '' Moonzund'' (''Моонзунд'', 1987) as Von Knupfer
* ''
Bright Personality
''A Bright Personality'' or (russian: Светлая личность, Svetlaya lichnost) is a 1988 fantastic satirical comedy based on the works of Ilf and Petrov, directed by Alexander Pavlovsky at the Odessa film studio. The film consists of tw ...
'' (''Светлая личность'', 1988) as Egor Filyurin
* ''
The Witches Cave
''The Witches Cave'' (russian: Подземелье ведьм) is a 1989 science fantasy film from Gorky Film Studio, USSR and Barrandov Studios, Czechoslovakia.
The script was written by Kir Bulychov based upon his own story and directed by Y ...
'' (''Подземелье ведьм'', 1989) as Jean
* ''
The Criminal Quartet
''The Criminal Quartet'' (russian: Криминальный квартет, Kriminalnyy kvartet) is a 1989 Soviet action film directed by Aleksandr Muratov.
Plot
The investigator discovers a large consignment of defective shoes at the trading b ...
'' (''Криминальный квартет'', 1989) as Marat
* ''
Two Arrows. Stone Age Detective
''Two arrows. Stone Age Detective'' (russian: Две стрелы. Детектив каменного века, Dve strely. Detektiv kamennogo veka) is a 1989 Soviet tragicomic crime film directed by Alla Surikova.
Plot
The film is set in the ...
'' (''Две стрелы. Детектив каменного века'', 1989) as Fighting man
* ''
Good Luck, Gentlemen
''Good Luck, Gentlemen'' (russian: Удачи вам, господа!) is a 1992 Russian comedy-drama film directed by Vladimir Bortko.
Plot
Oleg goes to St. Petersburg with the hope of getting a good job and housing, but instead finds refuge in ...
Gandalf
Gandalf is a protagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. He is a Wizards (Middle-earth), wizard, one of the ''Istari'' order, and the leader of the Fellowship of the Ring (characters), Fellowship of t ...
* ''
A Trap for Lonely Man
''Trap for a Lonely Man'' (russian: Ловушка для одинокого мужчины, Lovushka dlya odinokogo muzhchiny) is a 1990 Soviet comedy detective film directed by . It is based on the 1960 play of the same name by Robert Thomas.
...
The Cat Who Walked by Herself
''The Cat Who Walked by Herself'' (russian: Кошка, которая гуляла сама по себе, Koshka, kotoraya gulyala sama po sebe) is a 1988 Soviet animated feature film directed by Ideya Garanina and made at the Soyuzmultfilm stud ...
'' (''Кошка, которая гуляла сама по себе'', 1988) as Hourse