Georgiy Zhzhonov

Georgiy Stepanovich Zhzhonov (Russian: Гео́ргий Степа́нович Жжёнов, IPA: [ɡʲɪˈorɡʲɪj sʲtʲɪˈpanəvʲɪdʑ ˈʐʐonəf];[1] March 22, 1915 – December 8, 2005), was a Soviet actor and writer.[2]

President Vladimir Putin, himself a former KGB spy, decorating Georgiy Zhzhonov for his artistic portrayals of Soviet secret agents.

Biography

Having matriculated from the Leningrad Circus Tekhnikum in 1932, he appeared in several movies, including the legendary Chapaev (1934).

In 1939, Zhzhonov was repressed and spent 15 years in the Siberian GULAG labour camps (particularly, as an inmate lorry driver in remote areas). When released in 1955, he started his film career anew and rose to become a People's Artist of the USSR in 1980. In a curious twist of fate, Zhzhonov was frequently cast in the roles of policemen and KGB agents. This Gulag victim was even awarded a special KGB prize for the screen versions of three novels by Yulian Semyonov. Zhzhonov was also invited to play Stierlitz, but declined for personal reasons.

During the Perestroika, Zhzhonov started publishing his own fiction. In the 1990s, he received many awards, including the Nika Award for lifelong career. A monument to him was opened in Chelyabinsk in 2000.

Zhzhonov spent his 90th birthday acting in the Soviet Army Theatre. Later that day, he was invited to the Kremlin to be invested with the highest civilian decoration of Russia. During a conversation that followed, President Putin admitted that Zhzhonov's roles had prompted him to become an intelligence officer.[2]

Selected filmography
Georgiy Zhzhonov as Teryoshka in the film Chapayev. 1934.
Georgiy Zhzhonov as the Patrol officer in the film Beware of the Car. 1966. The postal card issued to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of the actor. Russian Post, 2015.
  • 1931: Road to Life
  • 1932: Hero Error as Pavel Vetrov
  • 1934: Chapayev as Teryoshka (uncredited)
  • 1934: Crown Prince of the Republic as Bachelor-architect
  • 1938: Komsomolsk as Mavrin
  • 1949: Alitet Goes to the Mountains
  • 1955: Other People's Relatives as guest on the wedding (uncredited)
  • 1957: The Storm as Gavriil
  • 1957: On the island of Far as Klepikov
  • 1958: My dear man as Ustimenko
  • 1958: The Night Guest as Sergey Petrovich, artist
  • 1959: Corrected Believe as Braitsev
  • 1960: Baltic Skies as driver
  • 1961: A man Does not Give Up as Maslyukov
  • 1961: He took the Train Driver as Ivan Chereda
  • 1962: The Day You Get 30 Years Old as hospital patient
  • 1962: Planeta Bur as Roman Bobrov
  • 1963: Posledniy khleb as Militia Major
  • 1963: Malenkiye mechtateli as Fyodor
  • 1963: Tretya raketa as Zheltykh
  • 1963: Silence as Gnezdilov
  • 1964: The Big Ore as surgeon
  • 1965: The Hockey Players as Coach Sperantov
  • 1965: Poka front v oborone as Sergey Nikolayevich
  • 1965: Beloved as Ivan Yegorovich (voice)
  • 1965: End of Squadron as Rayevsky
  • 1965: O chyom molchala tayga as Grigoriy Anikin
  • 1966: The Man I Love as Muromtsev
  • 1966: Gibel eskadry
  • 1966: Beware of the Car as Militiaman
  • 1966: Idu iskat as Andrey Gusarov
  • 1967: Chelovek, kotorogo ya lyublyu as Muromtsev
  • 1967: Stewardess (TV Short) as passenger-screenwriter
  • 1967: The Way To Saturn as Timerin
  • 1967: Now You Judge as Arkadi Iskra
  • 1967: Spring on the Oder as Petrovich 'Ryzheusyy'
  • 1968: Doktor Vera as Sukhohlebov
  • 1968: The Final Of Saturn as Timerin
  • 1968: The Secret Agent's Blunder as Mikhail Tulyev
  • 1969: A Little Crane as Father Leonid
  • 1969: Dawn Dates as Alexey Dmitrievich Vorobiev
  • 1970: Ostrov Volchiy as Pavel Ilyich Tagilov
  • 1970: Resident's Way as Mikhail Tulyev
  • 1971: Nechayannaya lyubov as Matvey Kontsevoy
  • 1972: The End of the Lyubavins as Yemelyan Lyubavin
  • 1971: All The King's Men (TV Mini-Series) as Stark
  • 1972: Battle after the Victory as Timerin
  • 1972: The Hot Snow as Bessonov
  • 1972: Tracer Element as Nikita Alekseevich Dubrovin, KGB's Colonel
  • 1973: Mechenyy atom as Nikita Dubrovin
  • 1974: Tayna zabytoy perepravy as Kozyrev
  • 1974: The Ocean as Maxim Ilyich Chasovnikov
  • 1974: Ishchu moyu sudbu
  • 1974: Looking for My Destiny as Vladimir Karjakin, teacher
  • 1975: You will find in Battle (TV Movie) as Valentin Savvich Zbandut
  • 1975: Choosing Target as Vitaliy Zubavin
  • 1976: Takaya ona, igra as Viktor Basov
  • 1977: Poseidon Comes to Rescue as Chigrinov
  • 1978: The Cure Against Fear as general Sharapov
  • 1980: Air Crew as Andrei Timchenko, Captain
  • 1982: Krepysh as Shaposhnikov
  • 1982: Resident Return as Mikhail Tulyev
  • 1984: Gate to Heaven as Colonel Ivan Lebedenko
  • 1985: The City of Brides as Andrei Dmitrievich Prokhorov
  • 1986: End of RESIDENT Project as Mikhail Tulyev
  • 1986: The Time of Sons as Sergey Vasilevich Uzelkov
  • 1987: The End of Eternity as Laban Twissel
  • 1987: Ivan Veliky
  • 1988: Enclosure as Menshikov, Ambassador of the USSR
  • 1999: Viewless Traveller as Willie, Life Guards Medic (final film role)

Honours and awards

References
  1. In isolation, Степа́нович is pronounced [sʲtʲɪˈpanəvʲɪtɕ].
  2. Bobb Edwards. "Georgi Zhzhyonov". Retrieved 2014-11-26.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.