Vladimir Etush dies: he was the world's oldest working actor

In Moscow at the 97 year of life, Soviet and Russian actor Vladimir Etush died.

Photo: Facebook / Elena Etush

This was stated by the director of the Vakhtangov Theater, where the artist worked, writes with the BBC.

“Vladimir Abramovich died today (March 9) at 12:30 (Moscow time) in the hospital where he was taken the day before, on Friday,” said theater director Kirill Krok.

Etush will be buried in the Novodevichy cemetery, farewell to the artist will be held on March 12 in the Vakhtangov Theater.

Oldest actor

In all likelihood, at the time of his death, he was the world's oldest working actor. According to this indicator, only the Russian artist Vladimir Zeldin, who was listed in the Guinness Book of Records, bypassed him, died in October 2016 of the year at the age of 101, and continued to work almost until his death.

Actors like Etush are called “har” in the professional languageаtern" (with emphasis on the second syllable).

He was a master of grotesque and parody. Usually he was offered to play not heroes, but mercenary and cunning subjects, who consider themselves unsurpassed rogues, but trapped and causing laughter. In this role, he achieved perfection and glory.

the main role

The most famous film roles of Vladimir Etush: Saakhov in “Prisoner of the Caucasus” and dentist Shpak in “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession” by the great comedian Leonid Gaidai.

Probably every resident of the countries of the former USSR, especially over 40 years old, at least once on some occasion uttered, copying unforgettable intonations, the phrases “I swear, I didn’t do anything, I just walked in” and “we’re also fighting for the title of a house of high culture of life!” .

After the stunning success of “Prisoner of the Caucasus,” the previously little-known 45-year-old artist, as they say in such cases, woke up famous.

The fee for a star role was 1800 rubles.

Etush was afraid that the fellow countrymen would be offended, but their reaction was unexpected.

“Friends warned: they say, Caucasians can beat you. And I came to the market, and they almost began to carry me in my arms. They surrounded us from all sides and began vying with each other to treat us. Although, as I understand it, the Azerbaijanis believed that Saakhov was an Armenian, the Armenians believed that he was an Azerbaijani, the Georgians also clearly did not take him for one of their own... And everyone was pleased. Especially me!” Etush recalled in his memoirs.

Other famous works of Etush in cinema are the engineer Bruns in “12 Chairs”, Karabas-Barabas in “The Adventures of Pinocchio” and the insidious magician Malgrim in “June 31”.

In total, Vladimir Etush played 36 roles in films, from the Turkish Pasha in the 1953 film “Admiral Ushakov” to Prince Sokolsky in the film adaptation of Dostoevsky’s novel “The Teenager” (2017). In the theater he had 59 roles, not counting television performances and enterprises.

Photo: Facebook / Elena Etush

Poverty, love and war

The future actor was born in Moscow on May 6, 1922. His father, a native of a Belarusian town, was a Nepman and ran a haberdashery trade. After the “great turning point,” my father served a year and a half in prison, my mother had to go to work, and neighbors were moved into the four-room apartment.

Since childhood, Volodya was considered an “artist” among his comrades, participated in school amateur performances and began to dream about art early. He was strongly impressed by the fact that the classic of Russian drama Alexander Ostrovsky once lived next to their house.

The young man wanted to become a director, but he failed in the exams at GITIS and entered the Shchukin School at the Vakhtangov Theater, where the actors were trained. Such a step was advised by the main director of the theater Ruben Simonov, with whose niece Etush had a youthful platonic romance.

With the beginning of the war, the student was asked to volunteer for the army. As an educated person, I got into the courses of military translators, but as a result I became an occupant. He served as deputy regimental chief of staff for the rear, however, judging by the award lists, he also had to go on the attack.

Fighting in the North Caucasus, he learned to parody the local accent and facial expressions, which, according to him, subsequently helped in the work on the role of Saakhov.

In 1943, in the Zaporozhye region, Lieutenant Etush was seriously wounded. Having risen to his feet, he returned to “Pike”, and in 1944 he made his debut on the Vakhtangov stage in the role of an unnamed officer in the play “Mademoiselle Nitouche”.

Since 1957 - course director, since 1976 - professor, in 1987-2003 - rector of his alma mater.

Etush is a holder of eight orders (two for the war and six for contributions to culture), 10 winner of prestigious awards, including Crystal Turandot and Golden Mask.

On the eve of the 95 anniversary, Vladimir Etush said that he was not satisfied with life and work.

“Although I am a people's artist of the Soviet Union, a laureate of State and other awards, but still a hungry artist. I have not played all that I could play. I always lacked good roles, ”he admitted.

Photo: Facebook / Elena Etush

The most famous phrases of the heroes of Etush

But the viewer remembers many of his good roles and dismantled many of them into quotes. Edition МК suggests to recall the most striking statements of the heroes of Etush, who have become catch phrase.

"Caucasian Captive" (1966 year). Vladimir Etush - head of the district farm comrade Saakhov

1. - It's a shame, honestly, I did not do anything - I just entered ...

2. “In general, it’s like this: I’m now two ways out of this house - either I’m taking her to the registry office, or she’s leading me to the prosecutor.”

- Do not…

- I do not want, and what to do?

3. - Delirium tremens…

- Yes, yes, white, hot, completely white!

4. - Twenty-five sheep at a time when our area has not fully settled with the state on wool and meat!

- And you do not confuse your personal wool with the state!

- And I, by the way, comrade Dzhabrail, are here and put in order to observe the state interests! Sit bye. It means so. Twenty sheep ...

- Twenty five.

- Twenty, twenty. Refrigerator "Rozenlev". Finnish, good. Certificate of honor.

- And a free trip ...

- To Siberia!

5. - As our wonderful satirist says, Arkady Raikin, a woman is a man's friend!

“12 chairs” (1971 year). Vladimir Etush - engineer Bruns

1. - Well, for 20 rubles, of course, not selling. Not selling for 200. And for 250 - selling!

2. “You know what, my wife is sick too!” Your lungs are not fine. But we on this basis do not demand that you sell me your jacket ... for 30 kopecks!

“Ivan Vasilyevich is changing his profession” (1973 year). Vladimir Etush - Dentist Anton Semenovich Shpak

1. - It's all the same, all the same, that is acquired by overwork, everything is dead!

2. - And me, Zinaida Mikhailovna, was robbed. The dog with the police promised to come

3. - Everything, everything that has gained by overwork, is still dead! Three tape recorders, three foreign cameras, three domestic cigarette cases, a jacket ... suede ... Three. Jackets

4. - This role is abusive, and I ask it not to apply to me! My God, well, and we have a house! They either rob them, call us names ... and still fight for the honorary title of "house of high culture of life" - this is a nightmare, a nightmare!

5. - I will file a complaint against you ... collective!

6. - Hello, the police? Police? This is what Shpak, now robbed, says ... and I am not about theft - we have a cleaner job here - Timofeyev, an engineer, called a living king to his apartment! .. I am a non-drinker ... With a dagger! Cold weapon! .. I give an honest noble word.

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