Vasily Livanov
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Vasily Borisovich Livanov (russian: link=no, Василий Борисович Ливанов; born 19 July 1935), MBE, is a Soviet and Russian film actor, animation and film director, screenwriter and writer most famous for portraying
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
in the Soviet TV series. He 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 1988.


Early years

Vasily Livanov was born into a famous theatrical family. His paternal grandfather Nikolai Aleksandrovich Livanov (1874–1949) was a Volga Cossack from
Simbirsk Ulyanovsk, known until 1924 as Simbirsk, is a city and the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River east of Moscow. Population: The city, founded as Simbirsk (), was the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin ( ...
who moved to Moscow in 1905 and performed at the Struysky Theatre under a pseudonym of Izvolsky; after the
revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
he worked at the Mossovet and Lenkom Theatres. Vasily's father
Boris Livanov Boris Nikolayevich Livanov (russian: Бори́с Никола́евич Лива́нов; – 22 September 1972) was a Soviet and Russian actor and theatre director. People's Artist of the USSR (1948).
all his life, while his mother Eugenia Kazimirovna Livanova (née Prawdzic-Filipowicz) (1907–1978) was an artist who belonged to Polish
szlachta The ''szlachta'' (Polish: endonym, Lithuanian: šlėkta) were the noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth who, as a class, had the dominating position in ...
.''Vasily Livanov (2013)''. Echo of One Dash. A Path from Childhood. — Moscow: AST, p. 18-23, 33–39, 51–53, 72–76, 113, 168 Vasily was brought up in the artistic milieu. Many famous actors who worked with his father, like
Olga Knipper Olga Leonardovna Knipper-Chekhova (russian: Ольга Леонардовна Книппер-Чехова, link=no; – 22 March 1959) was a Russian and Soviet stage actress. She was married to Anton Chekhov. Knipper was among the 39 ori ...
, Alla Tarasova,
Vasily Kachalov Vasily Ivanovich Kachalov (russian: Василий Иванович Качалов; – 30 September 1948), was one of Russia's most renowned actors. He worked closely and often with Konstantin Stanislavski. He led the so-called Kachalov Group wit ...
(whom Livanov was named after), as well as Pyotr Konchalovsky,
Boris Pasternak Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (; rus, Бори́с Леони́дович Пастерна́к, p=bɐˈrʲis lʲɪɐˈnʲidəvʲɪtɕ pəstɛrˈnak; 30 May 1960) was a Russian poet, novelist, composer and literary translator. Composed in 1917, Pa ...
, Valery Chkalov were frequent guests at their house.
church where he was
baptized Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost i ...
, presumably with his mother's permission. Today he belongs to the
Russian Orthodox Church , native_name_lang = ru , image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, Russia , abbreviation = ROC , type ...
despite he never officially converted. His family spent the first war years in evacuation and in 1943 returned to Moscow. In 1954 Vasily graduated from the Moscow Secondary Art School under the
USSR Academy of Arts The Russian Academy of Arts, informally known as the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, was an art academy in Saint Petersburg, founded in 1757 by the founder of the Imperial Moscow University Ivan Shuvalov under the name ''Academy of the Thre ...
, and in 1958 he finished the acting courses at the
Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute The Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute (russian: Театральный институт имени Бориса Щукина) is a Russian drama college in Moscow, formed in 1914 as part of the Vakhtangov Theatre. In 2002 it was granted the Academ ...
. His film career started in 1959 with one of the leading roles in the '' Letter Never Sent''. The movie was shot in
Taiga Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, sp ...
at −40 °C, and the director Mikhail Kalatozov decided that Livanov and Samoilova should voice their characters crying not in the studio, but outside, right in the woods. As a result, Livanov lost his voice, and in two weeks it returned as a unique hoarse tembre that would've become one of Livanov's trademarks ever since. From 1958 to 1959 he performed at the
Vakhtangov Theatre Yevgeny Bagrationovich Vakhtangov (also spelled Evgeny or Eugene; russian: Евге́ний Багратио́нович Вахта́нгов; 13 February 1883 – 29 May 1922) was a Russian-Armenian actor and theatre director who founded the ...
, and from 1960 to 1964 – at the National Film Actors' Theatre. He also starred in the 1960 adaptation of
Vladimir Korolenko Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko (russian: Влади́мир Галактио́нович Короле́нко, ua, Володи́мир Галактіо́нович Короле́нко; 27 July 1853 – 25 December 1921) was a Ukrainian-born ...
's ''Blind Musician'' along with his father and the 1962 adaptation of
Vasily Aksyonov Vasily Pavlovich Aksyonov ( rus, Васи́лий Па́влович Аксёнов, p=vɐˈsʲilʲɪj ˈpavləvʲɪtɕ ɐˈksʲɵnəf; August 20, 1932 – July 6, 2009) was a Soviet and Russian novelist. He became known in the West as the aut ...
's ''Colleagues'' that became his first real breakthrough.


Animation

In 1966 he finished the High Directors Courses where he studied under Mikhail Romm and joined
Soyuzmultfilm Soyuzmultfilm ( rus, Союзмультфи́льм, p=səˌjʉsmʊlʲtˈfʲilʲm , ''Union Cartoon'') (also known as SMF Animation Studio in English, Formerly known as Soyuzdetmultfilm) is a Russian animation studio based in Moscow. Launched in ...
as an
animation director An animation director is either the director in charge of all aspects of the animation process during the production of an animated film or television, and animated segment for a live action film or television show, or the animator in charge of co ...
, screenwriter and voice actor. During the next ten years he wrote and directed several animated films, including ''
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 himsel ...
'' and '' The Blue Bird'' feature.''Sergey Kapkov (2006)''. Encyclopedia of Domestic Animation. — Moscow: Algorithm, p. 394-395 Yet his biggest success came with ''
The Bremen Town Musicians The "Town Musicians of Bremen" (german: link=no, Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten) is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm and published in ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' in 1819 (KHM 27). It tells the story of four aging domestic animals, w ...
'' animated musical, a modernised adaptation of the eponymous folktale he created with Yuri Entin and
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 ...
. Both parts showed heavy influence of
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...
and
hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
cultures which was unusual for the Soviet cinema. The first film was directed by
Inessa Kovalevskaya Inessa Alekseyevna Kovalevskaya (russian: Инесса Алексеевна Ковалевская; born 1 March 1933) is a Soviet and Russian animation director at Soyuzmultfilm known for her musical animated films and ''The Bremen Town Musicians ...
, while the sequel '' On the Trail of the Bremen Town Musicians'' (1973) was directed by Livanov himself. The leading Soviet pop singer Muslim Magomayev voiced almost all characters in it which only added to the overwhelming popularity of the series. Livanov was also the voice behind multiple popular Soviet animated characters such as Gena the Crocodile from the '' Cheburashka'' series,
Karlsson-on-the-Roof Karlsson-on-the-Roof ( sv, link=no, Karlsson på taket) is a character who figures in a series of children's books by the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Translated books and cartoon adaptation of the series became popular in the Soviet Union whe ...
from the Soviet adaptation of
Astrid Lindgren Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren (; ; 14 November 1907 – 28 January 2002) was a Swedish writer of fiction and screenplays. She is best known for several children's book series, featuring Pippi Longstocking, Emil of Lönneberga, Karlsson-on-t ...
's fairy tale and Boa from '' 38 Parrots''.


Sherlock Holmes

In the late 1970s and in the 1980s, Livanov returned to film stardom in what became the greatest success of his acting career: the role of
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
in ''
The Hound of the Baskervilles ''The Hound of the Baskervilles'' is the third of the four crime novels by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in ''The Strand Magazine'' from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set ...
'' and other Holmes TV series directed by
Igor Maslennikov Igor Fyodorovich Maslennikov (russian: Игорь Фёдорович Масленников; 26 October 1931 – 17 September 2022)
. Those movies were filmed between 1979 and 1986, with the latter four stories forming the plot of a standalone big-screen feature entitled ''
The Twentieth Century Approaches ''The Twentieth Century Approaches'' (russian: link=no, italics=yes, Двадцатый век начинается) is a 1986 Soviet film adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories about Sherlock Holmes. It is the fifth and final film in '' The A ...
''. Vasily Livanov played Sherlock Holmes and
Vitaly Solomin Vitaly Mefodievich Solomin (russian: link=no, Виталий Мефодьевич Соломин; 12 December 194127 May 2002) was a Soviet and Russian actor, director and screenwriter, best remembered for playing Dr. Watson in a series of Sherlock ...
played
Doctor Watson John H. Watson, known as Dr. Watson, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel '' A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). The last work by Doyle ...
. On 27 April 2007, a sculpture featuring Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson as portrayed by Vasily Livanov and Vitaly Solomin was opened on the Smolenskaya embankment alongside the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Moscow (sculptor Andrey Orlov).


Writer

Apart from screenplays Vasily Livanov has been professionally writing books since the 1960s. He published novels, stories, fairy tales and memoirs, including biography books dedicated to
Boris Livanov Boris Nikolayevich Livanov (russian: Бори́с Никола́евич Лива́нов; – 22 September 1972) was a Soviet and Russian actor and theatre director. People's Artist of the USSR (1948).Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
and his policies against Ukraine, supporting both the annexation of Crimea and the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. A ...
.


Honors and awards

*
Honored Artist of the RSFSR Honored Artist of the RSFSR (, ''Zasluzhenny artist RSFSR'') was an honorary title granted to Soviet artists, including theatre and film directors, choreographers, music performers, and orchestra conductors, who had outstanding achievements in the ...
(1981) *
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 ...
(1988) * Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class (1 December 2005) — ''"For substantial contribution to the development of national cinema"''. * Honorary Member of the
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
(20 February 2006) — ''"For service to the theatre and performing arts"''. * Order of Honour (27 October 2016) — ''"For great services in the development of national culture and arts, many years of fruitful activity"''. * Special Golden Eagle Award (27 January 2017) — ''"For outstanding contribution to the history of Russian cinema"''.
Vasily Livanov received Golden Eagle Award for his contribution to cinema
' article by
RIA Novosti RIA Novosti (russian: РИА Новости), sometimes referred to as RIAN () or RIA (russian: РИА, label=none) is a Russian state-owned domestic news agency. On 9 December 2013 by a decree of Vladimir Putin it was liquidated and its asset ...
, 27 January 2017 (in Russian)


Selected filmography


References


External links


Biography of Vasily Livanov

The Sherlock Holmes Museum




* *
The adventures of Sherlock Holmes in Russia

221b.ru - Russian site dedicated to Vasiliy Livanov
{{DEFAULTSORT:Livanov, Vasily 1935 births 20th-century Russian male actors 20th-century Russian male writers 20th-century Russian screenwriters 21st-century Russian male actors 21st-century Russian male writers 21st-century Russian screenwriters Living people Male actors from Moscow Academicians of the National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Russia High Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors alumni Honorary Members of the Order of the British Empire Honored Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the RSFSR Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class Recipients of the Order of Honour (Russia) Male screenwriters Russian people of Polish descent Audiobook narrators Russian animated film directors Russian animators Russian children's writers Russian film directors Russian male film actors Russian male novelists Russian male short story writers Russian male voice actors Russian memoirists Russian screenwriters Soviet animation directors Soviet animators Soviet children's writers Soviet male film actors Soviet male voice actors Soviet memoirists Soviet novelists Soviet screenwriters Soviet short story writers Anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Russia