Ekaterina Vasilyevna Zelyonaya (russian: link=no, Екатерина Васильевна Зелёная); ( — 1 April 1991, Moscow), better known by her stage name Rina Zelyonaya, was a Soviet actress, singer and comedian. She was named

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 1970.

Biography

Ekaterina Zelyonaya was born in Tashkent (modern-day

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked cou ...

) into a Russian family of modest means, the third of four children. Her rare surname which translates from Russian as ''Green'' had been often taken for a pseudonym by people, just like her stage name Rina (short for Ekaterina). Her paternal grandfather Ivan Kuzmich Zelyoniy was a member of the Tashkent City Duma. According to the actress, her parents didn't fit each other at all.''Rina Zelyonaya (2018)''. Scattered Pages. Moscow: AST (Memoirs) Her mother Nadezhda Fyodorovna Zelyonaya was given away to marriage at the age 16. She was absolutely careless and couldn't plan family budget which led to grand scandals involving her husband – Vasily Ivanovich Zelyoniy, a low-ranking official, a stingy and generally unsympathetic man, as Rina described him. After he was transferred to Moscow, Rina entered a prestigious gymnasium for girls despite the lack of money. During the

October Revolution The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...

she entered the Moscow Theatre School where she studied for two years. Among her teachers were Maria Blumenthal-Tamarina, Illarion Pevtsov and Nikolai Radin. Hunger and the lack of job made her seek other options. By that time her father had been assigned with restoration of storage facilities in

Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...

. Rina along with her mother and younger sister decided to join him and traveled to Odessa, but it turned out Vasily Zelyoniy had left the family for another woman.

Early popularity

Rina got sick with

typhus Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure. ...

along the way and as soon as she recovered, she joined the Odessa KROT theatre led by Viktor Tipot and

Vera Inber Vera Mikhailovna Inber (russian: link=no, Вера Михайловна Инбер), born Shpenzer (10 July 1890, Odessa11 November 1972, Moscow), was a Russian and Soviet poet and writer. Biography Her father Moshe owned a scientific publishing ...

, and that's where her career really started. After a while she returned to Moscow, performed in night cabarets with songs and musical numbers, and in 1924 became an actress of the

Moscow Satire Theatre The Moscow Academic Theatre of Satire (russian: Московский академический театр сатиры) is a dramatic theatre in Moscow, Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spa ...

. From 1930 on she started performing with stand-up shows. She became popular on account of her ability to imitate the speech of children. Although she appeared briefly in such well-known films as '' The Foundling'' (1939), for which she also co-wrote the script, Zelyonaya earned her living by touring the country and performing humorous skits from the life of children. She also provided the voice for cartoon characters and radio shows. During the

Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sout ...

she visited the frontline and performed for soldiers, for which she was awarded the

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...

in 1944.

Later life

At an advanced age, she was cast in film roles of grannies, notably as

Mrs. Hudson Mrs. Hudson is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. She is the landlady of 221B Baker Street, the London residence in which Sherlock Holmes lives. Mrs. Hudson appears or is mentioned in man ...

in the TV series ''

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson ''The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson'' (russian: link=no, italics=yes, Приключения Шерлока Холмса и доктора Ватсона) is a series of Soviet television films portraying Arthur Conan Doyle's ficti ...

'' filmed by the

Lenfilm Lenfilm (russian: link=no, Ленфильм) is a Russian production company with its own film studio located in Saint Petersburg (the city was called Leningrad from 1924 to 1991, thus the name). It is a corporation with its stakes shared betwee ...

movie studio between 1979 and 1986. She also published a book of memoirs ''Scattered Pages'' in 1981 which had been re-released several times since. She died of cancer on 1 April, the same day she was supposed to receive the title

People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist of the USSR ( rus, Народный артист СССР, Narodny artist SSSR), also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. Nomenclature and significan ...

. She was later buried in

Vvedenskoye Cemetery Vvedenskoye Cemetery ( rus, Введенское кладбище, p=vʲːɪˈdʲenskəjə) is a historic cemetery in the Lefortovo District of Moscow in Russia. Until 1918 it was mainly a burial ground for the Catholic and Protestant communitie ...

near her husband – a famous Soviet architect

Konstantin Topuridze The first name Konstantin () is a derivation from the Latin name ''Constantinus'' (Constantine) in some European languages, such as Russian and German. As a Christian given name, it refers to the memory of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. ...

(1905—1977), designer of

The Stone Flower Fountain The Stone Flower Fountain ( rus, Фонтан «Каменный цветок», Fontan Kamennyj tsvetok) stands in the so-called "Industrial Square" of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements (VDNH) in Moscow, Russia. It was named and designed a ...

in Moscow with whom they had spent 40 years together.Rina Zelyonaya's tomb
/ref>

Selected filmography

;actress * '' Road to Life'' (russian: link=no, Путёвка в жизнь, 1931) as ''a girl from a gang Zhigan'' * '' The Foundling'' (Подкидыш, 1939) as ''Arisha'' * ''

Tanya Tanya may refer to: * Tanya (Judaism),an early work of Hasidic philosophy by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. * Tanya (name), a given name and list of people with the name * Tanya or Lara Saint Paul (born 1946) * List of Mortal Kombat characters#Tany ...

'' (Светлый путь, 1940) as ''secretary'' * ''

Encounter at the Elbe ''Encounter at the Elbe'' (in ) is a Soviet war film released in 1949 from Mosfilm, describing the conflict, spying, and collaboration between the Soviet Army advancing from the east and the U.S. Army advancing from the west. The two allied force ...

'' (Встреча на Эльбе, 1949) as ''female German with a bike'' * ''

Springtime Springtime may refer to: * Spring (season), one of the four temperate seasons Film and television * ''Springtime'' (1920 film), an American silent comedy starring Oliver Hardy * ''Springtime'' (1929 film), a ''Silly Symphonies'' animated Disney ...

'' (Весна, 1947) as ''film makeup artist'' * ''

The Girl Without an Address ''The Girl Without an Address'' (russian: Девушка без адреса, Devushka bez adresa)) is a 1957 Soviet romantic comedy film directed by Eldar Ryazanov and written by Leonid Lench. It stars Svetlana Karpinskaya and Nikolai Rybnikov. ...

'' (Девушка без адреса, 1957) as ''Yelizaveta Timofeyevna'' * ''

A Groom from the Other World ''A Groom from the Other World'' or (russian: Жених с того света, Zhenikh s togo sveta) is a 1958 Soviet comedy film directed by Leonid Gaidai. Plot Head of "BORE" (Bush Oversight of Resort Establishments), Semyon Danilovich Petukho ...

'' (Жених с того света, 1958) as ''Nina's mother'' * ''

Seven Nannies ''Seven Nannies'' (russian: Семь нянек, Sem nyanek) is a 1962 Soviet comedy film, directorial debut of Rolan Bykov Rolan Antonovich Bykov (russian: Ролан Антонович Быков; October 12, 1929 – October 6, 1998) was a So ...

'' (Семь нянек, 1962) as ''woman in red'' * ''

Cain XVIII ''Cain XVIII'' (russian: Каин XVIII) is a 1963 film from the Soviet Union, adapted from Evgeny Shvarts' play, ''Two friends''. The Soviet film industry reported that 21.7 million spectators saw the film. Plot A famous inventor ("The Profe ...

'' (Каин XVIII, 1963) as ''foreign governess'' * ''

A Tale of Lost Times ''Tale about the Lost Time'' (russian: Сказка о потерянном времени, Skazka o poteryannom vremeni) is a 1964 Soviet fantasy film directed by Aleksandr Ptushko. It is based on a tale by Evgeny Schwartz. Plot The protagonist ...

'' (Сказка о потерянном времени, 1964) as ''old Nadia'' * ''

Operation Y and Shurik's Other Adventures ''Operation Y and Shurik's Other Adventures'' (russian: Операция „Ы“ и другие приключения Шурика, Operatsiya „Yery“ i drugie priklyucheniya Shurika) is a 1965 Soviet slapstick comedy film directed by Leoni ...

'' (Операция "Ы“ и другие приключения Шурика, 1965) as ''a perturbed female passenger on bus №13'' * ''

Give me a complaints book '' Give Me a Book of Complaints'' (russian: Дайте жалобную книгу, Dayte zhalobnuyu knigu, italic=yes is a 1965 Soviet comedy film directed by Eldar Ryazanov. Plot A group of young journalists accidentally walks into the restauran ...

'' (Дайте жалобную книгу, 1965) as ''elderly singer'' * ''

Three Fat Men ''Three Fat Men'' (Три толстяка) written in 1924, by Yury Olesha, was published in 1928. It was the first revolutionary fairy tale in Soviet literature. The critical reaction at first was varied. V. Boichevsky in an article "How Storie ...

'' (Три толстяка, 1966) as ''Ganimed'' * ''

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 ...

'' (12 стульев, 1971) as ''editor of "Bride and Groom"'' * '' Chipollino'' (Чиполлино, 1972) as ''Countess Cherry'' * '' The Adventures of Buratino'' (Приключения Буратино, 1975) as ''Tortila the Turtle'' * ''

About the Little Red Riding Hood ''About the Little Red Riding Hood'' (russian: Про Красную Шапочку, Pro Krasnuyu Shapochku, italic=yes) is a 1977 Soviet two-part musical TV movie based on the ideas of Charles Perrault and directed by Leonid Nechayev. The story i ...

'' (Про Красную Шапочку, 1977) as ''Grandma'' * ''

'' (Приключения Шерлока Холмса и доктора Ватсона, 1979–1986) as ''

'' ;voice * '' The Key'' (Ключ, 1961) as ''fairy Giatsinta'' * '' Who Said Meow?'' (Кто сказал мяу? 1962) as ''puppet'' * ''

A Little Frog Is looking for His Father ''A Little Frog Is looking for His Father'' (russian: Лягушонок ищет папу) is a 1964 Soviet stop-motion Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between ind ...

'' (Лягушонок ищет папу? 1964) as ''little frog'' * '' Vovka in a Far Away Kingdom'' (Вовка в Тридевятом царстве, 1965) as ''Vovka'' * ''

Most, Most, Most, Most ''Most, Most, Most, Most'' (russian: Самый, самый, самый, самый, Samiy, samiy, samiy, samiy) is a 1966 animated film by Soyuzmultfilm directed by Vasily Livanov. Plot This legend was told by the Ancient Spirit, who hid himself ...

'' (Самый, самый, самый, самый, 1966) as ''little Lion'' * '' The Blue Bird'' (Синяя птица, 1970) as ''grandmother'' * ''

Losharik ''Losharik'' (russian: Лошарик) is a 1971 Soviet animated film. It was directed by , with the screenplay by Gennady Tsyferov and Genrikh Sapgir. ''Losharik'' tells the story of a circus animal composed of brightly coloured juggling ba ...

'' (Лошарик, 1971), as ''Losharik'' * ''

The Mystery of the Third Planet ''The Mystery of the Third Planet'' (russian: Тайна третьей планеты, ''Tayna tretyey planety''), aka ''The Secret of the Third Planet'' is a 1981 Soviet traditionally animated feature film directed by Roman Kachanov and produc ...

'' (Тайна третьей планеты, 1981) as ''Kolya's grandmother'' * ''

Alice in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (commonly ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English novel by Lewis Carroll. It details the story of a young girl named Alice who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world of anthropomorphic creatur ...

'' (Алиса в Стране чудес, 1981) as ''

Duchess Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked ...

Biography

Early popularity

Later life

Selected filmography

References

External links