Circus! (The most famous clowns of our country!!). Soviet clowns: list, biography, creative path, photo Clowns of the USSR

August 26, 2009 marks the 90th anniversary of the signing of the decree on the creation state circuses in the RSFSR - the “birthday” of the Soviet, and now Russian circus. During its existence, a whole galaxy of famous clowns arose in Russia.

His performances were characterized by a mixture of genres: tightrope walking, clowning, acrobatics, juggling, buffoonery - all this was included in Oleg Konstantinovich’s performances.

Popov made a huge contribution to the global development of new principles of clowning, developed earlier by Karandash - clowning that comes from life, from everyday life, looking for what is funny and touching in the surrounding reality.

At the end of the 1980s, Oleg Popov left Russia. Lives in Germany near Nuremberg.

Oleg Konstantinovich Popov is a Knight of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, laureate International festival circuses in Warsaw, winner of the Golden Clown prize at the International Festival in Monte Carlo. Many of Popov's reprises became classics of the world circus ("Dream on a Wire", "Beam", etc.).

Kuklachev is a holder of the Order of Friendship (1995), laureate of the Lenin Komsomol Prize (1976).

Yuri Kuklachev's talent has been recognized with a variety of foreign prizes and awards: " golden crown"in Canada (1976) for outstanding achievements in training, for humane treatment of animals and the promotion of this humanism, "Golden Oscar" in Japan (1981), "Silver Clown" prize in Monte Carlo, World Journalists' Cup (1987), title honorary member of the American Clown Association.

Yuri Kuklachev is extremely popular in France. There is an entire chapter dedicated to him in the textbook on native language for French schoolchildren - "Lessons of Kindness". And the post office of San Marino, in recognition of the artist’s unique talent, released postage stamp, dedicated to Kuklachev, who became the second clown on the planet (after Oleg Popov) to receive such an honor.

Evgeny Maykhrovsky(stage name clown Mai) - clown, trainer. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1987).

Evgeny Bernardovich Maykhrovsky was born on November 12, 1938. His parents Bernard Vilhelmovich and Antonina Parfentyevna Maykhrovsky were acrobats. In 1965 he graduated from circus school and began working in the arena in the youth group "Restless Hearts". In 1971, he began performing in various circus programs as a carpet clown, and since 1972 he has been performing under the pseudonym May.

The clown Mai comes out to the arena with his signature exclamation “Oh-oh-oh!” These exclamations are heard in almost all of his reprises.

In Evgeny Maykhrovsky's repertoire, along with original reprises, including trained animals, there are also complex circus performances.

In the play "Bumbarash" (Perm Circus, 1977), the hero sang songs from the television film of the same name, participated in horse chases, flew under the circus dome from his pursuers, fought as a stuntman and an eccentric acrobat. In addition to the main one, Evgeny Maykhrovsky played several other roles in the play. In 1984, at the Leningrad Circus in the children's musical performance"The Most Joyful Day" based on Anton Chekhov's story "Kashtanka" he also played almost all the main roles, instantly transforming from a clown.

Evgeny Maykhrovsky is the founder of the family circus "May", in which today his whole family performs - his wife Natalya Ivanovna (a clown nicknamed Kuku), son Boris - stage name Bobo, daughter Elena - Lulu, granddaughter Natasha - Nyusya.

In all programs of the "May" circus there are always two components: clownery and training.

The material was prepared based on information open sources

Pencil - Mikhail Rumyantsev

Mikhail Rumyantsev (stage name - Karandash, 1901 - 1983) is an outstanding Soviet clown, one of the founders of the clownery genre in Russia. People's Artist of the USSR (1969).
In the 40-50s, Karandash began to attract assistants to his performances, among whom Yuri Nikulin stood out, as well as Mikhail Shuidin, who later formed a magnificent team
clown duet. The clown was so popular that only his performances guaranteed financial success for the circus. Cheerful clown He devoted himself conscientiously to his work, but even outside the arena he demanded complete dedication from his assistants.

Pencil became the first Soviet clown, whose popularity spread far beyond the country's borders. He was known and loved in Finland, France, East Germany, Italy, England, Brazil, Uruguay and other countries.
Mikhail Nikolaevich Rumyantsev worked in the circus for 55 years. IN last time he appeared in the arena just 2 weeks before his death.
Mikhail Nikolaevich Rumyantsev died on March 31, 1983.
Today, the Moscow State School of Circus and Variety Arts bears the name of Mikhail Nikolaevich Rumyantsev.

Yuri Nikulin

Yuri Nikulin (1921 - 1997) - Soviet circus performer, film actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1973), Laureate of the State Prize of the RSFSR (1970)

The main thing in Nikulin’s creative individuality is a devastating sense of humor while completely maintaining external equanimity. The suit was based on a funny contrast of short striped trousers and huge boots with a pseudo-elegant top - a black jacket, a white shirt, a tie and a boater hat.

A masterfully designed mask (behind the external rudeness and even some stupidity, wisdom and a gentle, vulnerable soul emerged) allowed Yuri Nikulin to work in the most difficult genre of clownery - lyrical-romantic reprises. In the arena he was always organic, naive and touching, and at the same time he knew how to make the audience laugh like no one else. In the clown image of Nikulin amazingly a distance was maintained between the mask and the artist, and this gave the character greater depth and versatility.
After the death of Shuidin, Yuri Vladimirovich in 1982 headed the circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard (now named after Nikulin), where he worked for a total of more than 50 years.

Sunny Clown - Oleg Popov

Oleg Popov is a Soviet clown and actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1969).
Known to the general public as the "Sunny Clown". This cheerful man with a shock of brown hair wore oversized trousers and a checkered cap. In his performances, the clown uses a variety of techniques - acrobatics, juggling, parody, balancing act. Particular attention is paid to entres, which are realized with the help of eccentricities and buffoonery. Among Popov’s most famous reprises one can recall “Whistle”, “Beam” and “Cook”. In his most famous act, the clown tries to catch a ray of sunlight in his bag.

Popov made a huge contribution to the global development of new principles of clowning, developed earlier by Karandash - clowning that comes from life, from everyday life, looking for what is funny and touching in the surrounding reality.

In 1991, Popov left Russia for personal reasons, and also unable to accept the collapse great Motherland. Now he lives and works in Germany, performing under the pseudonym Happy Hans.

Casimir Pluchs

Kazimir Petrovich Pluchs (November 5, 1894 - February 15, 1975) - circus performer, white clown, pseudonym "Roland". Honored Artist of the Latvian SSR (1954).

A representative of the circus genre “White Clown”, who worked under the pseudonym Roland, was born on November 5, 1894 in the vicinity of the city of Dvinsk. Since 1910, Casimir became a member of the acrobatic troupe “Roman Gladiators”, and in 1922 he began performing in his favorite genre. Roland worked with such artists as Coco, Anatoly Dubino, Savely Krein, Evgeny Biryukov and together with comedian Eizhen. In 1955, he played his usual role of the “white clown” in the film “Behind the Store Window,” but was not listed in the credits. Two years after the release of the film, Kazimir Petrovich leaves the circus arena and devotes himself entirely to literary activity. The book "White Clown", written by Roland in 1963, became a manual for circus performers of the genre, in which Plutches was called the best of the best.

Konstantin Berman

Konstantin Berman (1914-2000).
During the war, Berman performed as part of front-line brigades in the Bryansk-Oryol direction of the front. The simple reprise “Dog-Hitler” brought him fame. It told how a clown was embarrassed to call a dog barking at everyone Hitler, because it might be offended. This simple reprise at the front was invariably greeted with friendly soldiers’ laughter.

In 1956, Berman became an Honored Artist of the RSFSR.

Berman was a fairly versatile clown, including other acts. He jumped over the car like an acrobat, took part in air flights. Bergman toured the country a lot, and Iran applauded him.

Leonid Engibarov

Leonid Engibarov (1935 – 1972) – circus actor, mime clown. Possessing a unique personality, Leonid Engibarov created a unique image of a sad jester-philosopher and poet. His reprises did not set as their main goal to squeeze as much laughter out of the viewer as possible, but forced him to think and reflect.

Famous clown At the peak of his fame, he leaves the circus and creates his own theater. Engibarov, together with his constant director Yuri Belov, is staging the play “The Whims of the Clown.” During its 240-day national tour in 1971-1972, this performance was shown 210 times.

The great clown died on July 25, 1972 in a hot summer from a broken heart. When he was buried, it suddenly began to rain in Moscow. It seemed that the sky itself was mourning the loss of the sad clown. Yengibarov went down in circus history as a representative of the philosophical clown pantomime.

Yuri Kuklachev

Yuri Kuklachev is the director and founder of the Cat Theater, People's Artist of the RSFSR.

He gained fame by being the first in the USSR to engage in circus work with cats. Creator and director of the Cat Theater (“Cat House”, since 1990). In 2005, the Kuklachev Cat Theater received the status State Theater cats in Moscow. Currently, more than 10 performances have been created in the world's only Cat Theater. In addition to Yuri Kuklachev, his sons, Dmitry Kuklachev and Vladimir Kuklachev, perform at the Cat Theater. Dmitry Kuklachev's performances are distinguished by the fact that all the tricks with cats in them are performed within a clear end-to-end plot. Yuri Kuklachev is the founder of the educational project “International Association of the School of Kindness”. In addition to performances with cats, Yuri Kuklachev regularly conducts “Kindness Lessons” in schools, children's institutions and even in children's colonies in different cities Russia.

August 26, 2009 marks the 90th anniversary of the signing of the decree on the creation of state circuses in the RSFSR - the “birthday” of the Soviet, and now Russian, circus. During its existence, a whole galaxy of famous clowns arose in Russia.

His performances were characterized by a mixture of genres: tightrope walking, clowning, acrobatics, juggling, buffoonery - all this was included in Oleg Konstantinovich’s performances.

Popov made a huge contribution to the global development of new principles of clowning, developed earlier by Karandash - clowning that comes from life, from everyday life, looking for what is funny and touching in the surrounding reality.

At the end of the 1980s, Oleg Popov left Russia. Lives in Germany near Nuremberg.

Oleg Konstantinovich Popov is a Knight of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, a laureate of the International Circus Festival in Warsaw, and winner of the Golden Clown prize at the International Festival in Monte Carlo. Many of Popov's reprises became classics of the world circus ("Dream on a Wire", "Beam", etc.).

Kuklachev is a holder of the Order of Friendship (1995), laureate of the Lenin Komsomol Prize (1976).

Yuri Kuklachev’s talent is marked by a variety of foreign prizes and awards: “Golden Crown” in Canada (1976) for outstanding achievements in training, for humane treatment of animals and the promotion of this humanism, “Golden Oscar” in Japan (1981), “Silver Clown” prize "in Monte Carlo, World Journalists' Cup (1987), title of honorary member of the Clown Association of America.

Yuri Kuklachev is extremely popular in France. There, an entire chapter is dedicated to him in the textbook on the native language for French schoolchildren - “Lessons in Kindness”. And the San Marino Post Office, in recognition of the artist’s unique talent, issued a postage stamp dedicated to Kuklachev, who became the second clown on the planet (after Oleg Popov) to receive such an honor.

Evgeny Maykhrovsky(stage name clown Mai) - clown, trainer. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1987).

Evgeny Bernardovich Maykhrovsky was born on November 12, 1938. His parents Bernard Vilhelmovich and Antonina Parfentyevna Maykhrovsky were acrobats. In 1965 he graduated from circus school and began working in the arena in the youth group "Restless Hearts". In 1971, he began performing in various circus programs as a carpet clown, and since 1972 he has been performing under the pseudonym May.

The clown Mai comes out to the arena with his signature exclamation “Oh-oh-oh!” These exclamations are heard in almost all of his reprises.

In Evgeny Maykhrovsky's repertoire, along with original reprises, including trained animals, there are also complex circus performances.

In the play "Bumbarash" (Perm Circus, 1977), the hero sang songs from the television film of the same name, participated in horse chases, flew under the circus dome from his pursuers, fought as a stuntman and an eccentric acrobat. In addition to the main one, Evgeny Maykhrovsky played several other roles in the play. In 1984, at the Leningrad Circus in the children's musical play "The Most Joyful Day" based on Anton Chekhov's story "Kashtanka", he also played almost all the main roles, instantly transforming from a clown.

Evgeny Maykhrovsky is the founder of the family circus "May", in which today his whole family performs - his wife Natalya Ivanovna (a clown nicknamed Kuku), son Boris - stage name Bobo, daughter Elena - Lulu, granddaughter Natasha - Nyusya.

In all programs of the "May" circus there are always two components: clownery and training.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Leonid Engibarov

Leonid Engibarov (1935 - 1972) - circus actor, mime clown. Possessing a unique personality, Leonid Engibarov created a unique image of a sad jester-philosopher and poet. His reprises did not set as their main goal to squeeze as much laughter out of the viewer as possible, but forced him to think and reflect.

Leonid Georgievich Engibarov was born on March 15, 1935 in Moscow. Since childhood he loved fairy tales and puppet theater. At school, he began boxing and even entered the Institute of Physical Education, but quickly realized that this was not his calling.

In 1959 he graduated from the State School of Circus Arts, clownery department. While still a student, Leonid began performing on stage as a mime. A full-fledged debut took place in 1959 in Novosibirsk.

Already at school, his creative individuality as a pantomime master was clearly defined. Unlike most of the clowns of that time, who entertained the audience with the help of a standard set of tricks and jokes, Yengibarov took a completely different path and for the first time began to create poetic clownery in the circus arena.

From his first performances, Engibarov began to evoke conflicting reviews from the public and professional colleagues. The public, who were accustomed to having fun at the circus and not thinking, was disappointed by such a clown. And many of his colleagues soon began to advise him to change his role as a “thinking clown.”

Yuri Nikulin recalled: “When I saw him for the first time in the arena, I didn’t like him. I didn’t understand why there was such a boom around the name of Engibarov. And three years later, when I saw him again in the arena of the Moscow Circus, I was delighted. He is amazing mastered the pause, creating the image of a slightly sad person, and each of his reprises not only amused the viewer, no, it also carried a philosophical meaning, without uttering a word, he spoke to the audience about love and hatred, about respect for man. , about the touching heart of a clown, about loneliness and vanity. And he did all this clearly, softly, unusually.”

By 1961, Engibarov had traveled to many Soviet cities and was a resounding success everywhere. At the same time, a trip abroad took place, to Poland, where the clown was also applauded by grateful spectators.

In 1964, the artist gained wide international fame. On International competition clowns in Prague, Engibarov received the first prize - the E. Bass Cup. It was a stunning success for the 29-year-old artist. After this victory, his short stories began to be published. Filming about a talented artist documentaries, he himself is involved in cinema, collaborating with Parajanov and Shukshin.

The end of the 1960s is considered the most successful period in creative career Engibarova. He successfully toured both throughout the country and abroad (in Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia). In addition to the circus, he performed with “Pantomime Evenings” on the stage and acted in films.

The famous clown at the peak of his fame leaves the circus and creates his own theater. Engibarov, together with his constant director Yuri Belov, is staging the play “The Whims of the Clown.” During its 240-day national tour in 1971-1972, this performance was shown 210 times.

The great clown died on July 25, 1972 in a hot summer from a broken heart. When he was buried, it suddenly began to rain in Moscow. It seemed that the sky itself was mourning the loss of the sad clown. Yengibarov went down in circus history as a representative of the philosophical clown pantomime.

Leonid Engibarov (1935-1972). Despite short life, this man managed to leave a bright mark on art. Mim managed to create a new role - a sad clown, and besides, Engibarov was also a talented writer.

A circus without a clown is not a circus. On December 10, the birthday of the legendary Pencil, let us remember the seven most prominent representatives sunny profession, who created emotions and mood with their skill.

Mikhail Rumyantsev

Famous Soviet clown, Hero of Socialist Labor, People's Artist The USSR was born in St. Petersburg back in 1901. At the age of 13, Misha entered the school of the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, but studied without interest. But he showed talent in drawing and from 1922 to 1926 he wrote posters for the city theater, posters for cinemas, and then a circus. On his next tour, Mikhail meets Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, who influenced future fate artist - future Pencil enters the school of circus arts, a class of eccentric acrobats. Thus began the star's career. Since 1928, Pencil began appearing in public in the image of Charlie Chaplin, and since 1936 he worked in the Moscow Circus. His speeches were distinguished by satire and dynamism, and the obligatory use of topics of current events. In total, Karandash worked in the circus for 55 years and entered the arena for the last time two weeks before his death.

Casimir Pluchs

A representative of the circus genre “White Clown”, who worked under the pseudonym Roland, was born on November 5, 1894 in the vicinity of the city of Dvinsk. Since 1910, Casimir became a member of the acrobatic troupe “Roman Gladiators”, and in 1922 he began performing in his favorite genre. Roland worked with such artists as Coco, Anatoly Dubino, Savely Krein, Evgeny Biryukov and together with comedian Eizhen. In 1955, he played his usual role of the “white clown” in the film “Behind the Store Window,” but was not listed in the credits. Two years after the release of the film, Kazimir Petrovich leaves the circus arena and devotes himself entirely to literary activities. The book "White Clown", written by Roland in 1963, became a manual for circus performers of the genre, in which Plutches was called the best of the best.

Rudolf Slavsky

Born on December 21, 1912 in Tsaritsyn (Stalingrad - Volgograd), the circus and stage artist, director and writer, according to the circus historian Yu. Dmitriev, became the founder of plot numbers in theater arts. It all started with the circus act “Equilibre on a Free Wire” - a lyrical and comedic skit “Date at the Yacht Club”. Rudolf, a man with a holiday profession, was a participant in the Great Patriotic War from its very beginning, and in 1945 he returned to artistic activity, taking up, among other things, directing and staging children's performances. In 1961-80 he was a director-teacher at the All-Union Creative Workshop of Maslyukov Variety Art, and in 1950 he began writing. Slavsky is the author and compiler of the 2nd edition of the encyclopedia "Circus" (1979), one of the founders of the Academy of Circus Arts.

Leonid Engibarov

A sad jester, clown-philosopher and poet, Leonid Georgievich had a bright personality and created his own image. He graduated from the State School of Circus Arts and chose not the beaten path, but his own, very special one - a mixture of pantomime and poetic clowning. His reprises did not set as their main goal to squeeze as much laughter out of the viewer as possible, but forced him to think and reflect. Many spectators, accustomed to relaxing at the circus, were disappointed with what they saw, most colleagues advised him to change his phlegmatic role, the clown was adamant. Even Yuri Nikulin, who initially did not take the artist of the “new genre” seriously, admitted three years later: “... when I saw him in the arena of the Moscow Circus, I was delighted. He was amazing at pausing. Yengibarov, without uttering a word, spoke to the audience about love and hatred, about respect for a person, about the touching heart of a clown, about loneliness and vanity. And he did all this clearly, gently, unusually.”

Oleg Popov

“Sunny Clown” was born in 1930 and, like most of his comrades, graduated from the State School of Circus Arts, making his debut in the arena as a tightrope walker. Oleg Konstantinovich’s performances mixed different, but invariably positive genres: clowning, acrobatics, juggling, balancing act, buffoonery. Oleg Konstantinovich is a Knight of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, a laureate of the International Circus Festival in Warsaw, and winner of the Golden Clown prize at the International Festival in Monte Carlo. Many of Popov's reprises became classics of the world circus ("Dream on a Wire", "Beam", etc.). They say that it was the constant search for the funny and touching in the surrounding reality that created Oleg Konstantinovich’s unique “sunny” role.

Leonid Kukso

One man band! Soviet, Russian circus performer, clown, playwright, director, poet, Honored Artist of Russia, author of five musical comedies, a significant number of songs, a collection of lyrical poems! Little Lenya was brought to the circus for the first time by his father, and the boy was amazed by the performance of the clowns. "Hello, Le-e-enya!" - one of them said to the whole hall, and instead of a removable “hat”, the clown was left with a disk with a brim in his hand, and a sparkling bald spot on his head. The future artist will carry these memories through the years. In 1937, Leonid Georgievich’s father was shot, his mother ended up in the camps, and Lenya himself worked in three shifts making boxes for mines and shells - the war began. In 1946, Kukso entered the circus with Karandash, where he met Nikulin, and subsequently they performed in many joint numbers - songs with a guitar, clowning, acrobatics, juggling! Kukso found his own style and even came up with a “battle cry” for his exit, and his performances, like the artist himself, were distinguished by mobility and eccentricity.

Yuri Nikulin

The artist, who made his film debut at the age of 36 and was a devoted assistant to the birthday boy Karandash, was a fan of circus art. The favorite comedian of several generations of viewers, Yuri Vladimirovich, was born in 1921 in the city of Demidov, later the family moved to Moscow. After graduating from school, Nikulin was drafted into the Red Army, participated in the Soviet-Finnish and Great Patriotic War, was awarded the medals “For Courage”, “For the Defense of Leningrad” and “For Victory over Germany”. It's funny that when trying to get into famous theater institutes and schools, Nikulin received refusals with the justification “Lack of acting talent.” How wrong the admissions committees were! Yuri entered the clownery studio at the Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard, and later remained to work there. Nikulin worked with Karandash for two and a half years, after which in 1950 the creative tandem fell apart due to a work conflict, and Nikulin and Shuidin created their own clown duet. In 1981, 60-year-old Yuri Vladimirovich moved to the administrative position of director of the circus, to whom he devoted 50 years of his life.