Why the famous actor Georgy Zhzhenov was imprisoned. Cruel universities of Zhzhonov

Graduated from the Leningrad Variety and Circus College, in 1935 - the film department of the Leningrad Institute of Performing Arts (now St. Petersburg state academy theatrical art), teacher Sergei Gerasimov.

In the second year circus school Georgy Zhzhenov, while performing an acrobatic act at the Shapito circus, was noticed by director Eduard Ioganson and invited him to star in the silent film The Hero's Mistake (1932). In 1935, Zhzhenov became an actor at the Lenfilm and Belgoskino studios. By this time he had starred in the films " Crown Prince Republic" (1934), "Golden Lights" (1934), "Chapaev" (1935).

In July 1938, Georgy Zhzhenov was arrested on charges of espionage and sentenced to five years in prison. The reason was meeting an American on a train en route to Komsomolsk-on-Amur, where the actor was traveling as part of the film crew of the film “Komsomolsk” (1938). Until 1943, he worked at the Dalstroy gold mines. Then another 21 months of camps were added to the sentence.

In March 1945, Zhzhenov was released early from the camp and until December 1946 he worked at the Magadan Polar Drama Theater.

In the spring of 1947 he returned to Moscow. At the request of director Sergei Gerasimov, the actor was sent to work at the Sverdlovsk film studio feature films, where he began filming the film “Alithet Goes to the Mountains” (1949). In 1948, the studio closed and production of the film was transferred to Moscow, where Zhzhenov was prohibited from living, and he took a job at the drama theater in Pavlovsk-on-Oka.

In June 1949, he was arrested again, after which he spent six months in prison in Gorky, and was sent into exile in Norilsk, where he worked in the drama theater until 1953.

On December 2, 1955, Georgy Zhzhenov was twice rehabilitated by the military tribunal of the Leningrad Military District.

After rehabilitation, he returned to Leningrad. In 1954-1962 he worked as an actor at the Leningrad Regional Drama Theater, and since 1960 he played at the Leningrad Lensovet Theater. Among his roles are Neil in Maxim Gorky's "The Bourgeois", Astrov in Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya", Nikita in Leo Tolstoy's "The Power of Darkness", Teodoro in Lope de Vega's "Dog in the Manger".

In 1968-2005, Zhzhenov was an actor at the Moscow Mossovet Theater, where he played Zabrodin in Leningradsky Prospekt by Isidor Stock, the Host in the play Funeral in California by Rustam Ibragimbekov, Inspector Gul in the play He Came by John Priestley, and Norman Thayer in the production "On Golden Lake" by Ernst Thompson and others.

In just a few years creative activity Zhzhenov played more than 100 roles in the theater.
He returned to cinema in the 1950s, starring in supporting roles. The actor’s most notable works of those years were his roles in the films “The Night Guest” (1958) and “The Corrected One to Believe” (1959).

One of the first notable works in cinema after returning from the camps for Georgy Zhzhenov was his role in the film “Planet of Storms” (1961). The actor became famous after a small role as a traffic inspector in Eldar Ryazanov’s comedy “Beware of the Car” (1966).

Zhzhenov's finest hour in cinema came after the release of Veniamin Dorman's adventure film "Resident's Mistake" (1968), where the actor played the son of the Russian emigrant Count Tulyev, a scout named Nadezhda. The film was such a success that it was decided to make a sequel; in 1970, the second film, “The Fate of the Resident,” was released, in 1982, the third film, “The Return of the Resident,” and in 1986, the fourth film in the tetralogy, “The End of Operation Resident.”

Georgy Zhzhenov starred in the films "The End of Saturn" and "The Path to Saturn" (1967), "Crane" (1968), "All the King's Men" (1971), "Hot Snow" (1972), "Seeking My Destiny" (1974), “Personal Happiness” (1977), “Medicine against Fear” (1978), “Crew” (1979), “Gateway to Heaven” (1983), etc.

Georgy Zhzhenov played about 70 roles in films.

Georgy Zhzhenov wrote more than 10 books of memoirs, including about camp life in Kolyma and polar Norilsk: “From the Wood Grouse to the Firebird”, “Omchag Valley”, “Lived”, etc.

Georgy Zhzhenov died at the age of 91 in Moscow. He was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery.

The artist’s work has been recognized by many government and professional awards. He was People's Artist of the USSR (1980), laureate of the State Prize of the RSFSR named after the Vasilyev brothers (1975). Awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1985), the Order of Lenin (1991), the Order of Merit for the Fatherland IV (1995), III (1998) and II degrees (2000).

He was a laureate of the Crystal Turandot (1995), Nika (1997), and Golden Eagle (2002) awards.

In 2000, in the city of Chelyabinsk on Pionerskaya Street, a monument to Georgy Zhzhenov by sculptor Vladimir Polyansky was unveiled.

The artist was married four times. Zhzhenov is survived by his widow, actress Lydia Malyukova. His first wife was actress Lidia Vorontsova, his second wife, and Irina Makaeva’s third. Zhzhenov is survived by three daughters - Elena, Marina and Yulia.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Georgy Zhzhenov is great Soviet actor, whose contribution to Russian cinema is very difficult to overestimate. At one time he was a real symbol of cinematic art in the USSR. He was considered a classic during his lifetime. Therefore, when talking about the actor’s biography, you need to be extremely careful. After all, his life and the fate of this wonderful actor is real story movie.

Childhood and family of Georgy Zhzhenov

Our today's hero was born in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) on March 22, 1915. His parents were from simple peasants, and therefore early childhood Georgy Zhzhenov could not even think about a career in cinema and international recognition. IN early age he was the most ordinary guy. He loved to play with friends and kick the ball in the yard. The school where the future actor studied was distinguished by its physics and mathematics, but humanitarian subjects The Zhores have always been closer and dearer.

After receiving a diploma of secondary education, our today's hero went to enroll in a variety and circus technical school, but in admissions committee he was told he was too young to enroll. Not wanting to waste time and put everything off until later, Georgy Zhzhenov borrowed documents from his older brother and entered the technical school under the name Boris. Several years later, our hero admitted the fact of deception, but he was forgiven for such a small trick.

Having received the necessary education, the future actor got a job in a circus, but worked there for only a short time. During one of his performances, he was noticed by representatives of Lenfilm, who, in fact, invited him to work in cinema. From that moment on, the course of the great actor’s life entered a completely new direction.

The first films and roles of Georgy Zhzhenov

The first film with the participation of Georgy Zhzhenov was the film “The Hero’s Mistake,” which was released in 1932. Having played the role of a simple tractor driver Pashka Vetrov, the actor instantly earned the respect of his colleagues and the recognition of the audience. This role changed a lot in the fate of the actor himself. In the same year, 1932, he left his career in the circus and entered the cinematography department of the Leningrad College of Performing Arts. During his studies, he successfully starred in new Soviet films. In the period from 1932 to 1935, such films as “Chapaev”, “Golden Lights”, “Crown Prince of the Republic”, and some others were released on the screens.

Georgy Zhzhenov “I love life in all its manifestations”

At the early stage of his career, our today's hero played exclusively small roles. However, over time, the format of his roles constantly increased. It seemed that a real career breakthrough was just around the corner. But totalitarian Soviet Union was still not the best best place for creativity.

Repressions, Georgy Zhzhenov in exile

After the murder of Sergei Kirov, Georgiy's older brother Boris did not go to the farewell demonstration. This fact served as the basis for his exile to Kazakhstan. Subsequently, the entire Zhzhenov family was sent there. Only Georgy managed to stay in Moscow. For disobedience to the central government, he was captured and arrested, but was soon released thanks to a petition from the Lenfilm directorate.

But this was far from the last chord of this symphony. In 1938, during the filming of the film “Komsomolsk,” Zhzhenov met an American diplomat who was traveling with him on the same train to Vladivostok. This circumstance became the basis for accusing the actor of espionage, which in turn led to exile to Kolyma, where he subsequently served his sentence in a labor camp. Initially, Georgy was supposed to serve a five-year sentence, but after this period, without explanation, he was assigned another 21 months of correctional labor.

Actor Georgy Zhzhenov

In cold and gray Kolyma, the only outlet for the actor was the Magadan Music and Drama Theater. He has performed here since 1944. During this time, he played many different roles, which earned him the respect of the prisoners and the camp administration.

It is quite remarkable that the actor did not interrupt his performances in this theater even after the expiration of his prison term. Until the end of 1946, he worked in the Magadan theater under a contract of employment, but was subsequently arrested again and sent to Norilsk. While serving his next sentence, Georgy Zhzhenov performed at the Norilsk Polar Drama Theater, where he worked for a long time together with Innokenty Smoktunovsky.

New roles of Georgy Zhzhenov

Only in 1955 was Georgy Stepanovich completely rehabilitated and finally released from prison. Soviet camps. In the second half of the fifties, he began performing at the Leningrad Regional Drama Theater, and some time later began acting in films again. From that moment on, the actor's career began to slowly improve. He performed many wonderful roles in films, as well as at the Lensovet and Mossovet Theaters. In addition, for some time our today's hero also worked on the radio and worked as a writer. From the pen of the actor came many wonderful essays, stories and stories.

However, cinema has always occupied the main place in Georgy Stepanovich’s career. Bright screen roles in numerous films earned the actor the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR in 1969. After this, in the career of our today's hero there were also many other awards - the Order of Lenin, the Order of Merit for the Fatherland. In 1979 and 1980, Georgy Zhzhenov was awarded the titles of People's Artist of the RSFSR and the Soviet Union. In independent Russia, Georgy Zhzhenov continued to work in cinema and theater. During this period he main theme human rights became a part of creativity. This topic can be seen in many of his films.

Death of Georgy Zhzhenov, cause of death

Georgy Stepanovich died on December 8, 2005. The cause of death was lung cancer. The actor's funeral service took place in one of the Moscow churches. The grave of the talented figure of Soviet and Russian cinema is located at the Novodevichy cemetery.

Personal life of Georgy Zhzhenov

Georgy's first wife was the Belarusian actress Evgenia Golynchik. They met while studying, but after that their paths diverged. Therefore, relatively little is known about Evgeniy.

Another thing is the actor’s second wife, Lida. Zhzhenov met with her at the Magadan Theater. Their fates were similar in many ways. She, like him, was a “foreign spy.” And therefore find common language It was not difficult for the lovers. Soon they had a baby common daughter. However, after this the woman’s fate was tragic. She spent many years in the camps, and after her release she committed suicide.

After that, Georgy Zhzhenov was married twice more - to a woman from the Norilsk camp - Irina. And also on a native of Leningrad - Lydia Petrovna. The actor lived with her until the end of his days. Each wife of Georgy Stepanovich gave him a daughter.

The outstanding Russian and Soviet actor Georgy Zhzhenov lived a long life. Not only fame and success fell to his lot, but also serious trials. So, in the era Stalin's repressions he was twice convicted on trumped-up charges.

Circus and cinema

Georgy Stepanovich Zhzhenov was born in March 1915 in Petrograd, in the family of a baker. Despite the fact that the family was poor, the children were drawn to study. Georgy's older brother Boris entered the university in the early 30s, and Georgy himself, after graduating from an eight-year school with a physics and mathematics degree, was admitted to the acrobatic department of the circus school. Soon, together with one of his fellow students, his namesake, he began performing in the arena of the Leningrad Circus in the acrobatic duet “2-Georges-2”.

It was at the circus that Lenfilm employees saw him. The young man received main role in the film "The Hero's Mistake" (1932). After that, leaving the circus, Zhzhenov entered the Leningrad College of Performing Arts on the course of Sergei Gerasimov. He starred in several films, including the legendary Chapaev.

Walking through torment

In December 1934, Kirov was killed in Leningrad. Boris Zhzhenov, like other Leningrad State University students, was supposed to take part in the funeral procession. But he refused, since he did not have proper shoes to spend several hours in the cold... This was regarded as a hostile attitude towards Soviet power. Soon Boris was expelled from the university. He was later reinstated, but in December 1936 he was again summoned to the NKVD. He never returned from there, receiving seven years for “anti-Soviet activities.”

The Zhzhenov family was evicted from Leningrad. In addition to Georgy, his fellow filmmakers and Gerasimov himself stood up for him.

In the summer of 1938, Zhzhenov, together with a group of film actors, went to film in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. On the train they met an American diplomat who was traveling to Vladivostok as part of a delegation. Of course, fellow travelers were talking to each other. After the trip, the NKVD received a report about “contacts with a foreigner.” This plus the reputation of a relative of the “enemy of the people” was quite enough to accuse Zhzhonov of espionage. When Georgy returned to Leningrad, they came for him.

This is how Zhzhenov ended up in Kolyma, where he had to endure hunger, cold, exhausting work, and the daily struggle for survival... During the war, almost no food was delivered to the Kolyma camps, and prisoners died in the hundreds.

In 1943, the head of a traveling acting propaganda team, Nikanorov, accidentally recognized a former film actor in a scab-covered goner from a penal camp at the Glukhar mine, and first achieved his transfer to his propaganda team, and then to the Magadan Musical Drama Theater, the troupe of which was almost entirely made up of prisoners.

In 1944, the actor’s prison term was coming to an end. However, he was summoned to the camp authorities and asked to sign a resolution for an additional term - another 21 months in the camps.

Second try

In 1945, Zhzhenov was finally released, and thanks to Gerasimov, he found work at the Sverdlovsk film studio, where he starred in the film “Alitet Goes to the Mountains” - about Soviet Chukotka. But in 1949, the actor was arrested again. This time, however, he was sentenced not to the camps, but to exile in Norilsk. There he got a job at the local drama theater named after Mayakovsky, where he played together with Innokenty Smoktunovsky, who went to Siberia to sit out time of troubles- He feared arrest for being captured by the Germans in 1943.

Only in 1955, having been completely rehabilitated, was the actor able to return to Leningrad. At first he worked in the regional drama theater, but already in 1956 he began acting in Lenfilm. National fame came to him in the late 60s - early 70s after filming the films “Resident Error” and “Fate

resident." The actor was awarded many state awards, and in 2005 the whole country celebrated the 90th birthday of Georgy Zhzhonov - people's artist and a former prisoner.

Georgy Stepanovich Zhzhenov (March 9 (22), 1915, Petrograd - December 8, 2005, Moscow) - Soviet and Russian actor theater and cinema. People's Artist of the USSR (1980).

Georgy Zhzhenov was born on March 22, 1915 in Petrograd on Vasilyevsky Island. His parents Stepan Filippovich Zhzhenov and Maria Fedorovna Shchelkina came from poor peasant families in the Tver province. Stepan Zhzhonov moved to St. Petersburg as a child, where he began working for a fellow baker. He later married, but remained a widower and married a second time to a young orphan, Maria Shchelkina. By this time, he already had five children, and then there were children together. Georgy Zhzhonov recalled that their family lived poorly, and the more severe the need became, the more the father drank, drinking away everything that was in the house, often raising his hand against his wife. Georgy Zhzhonov’s mother was a kind, wise and loving person, and for Georgy she always remained “my beautiful Mother.”

Georgy Zhzhenov clearly remembered his biography from the age of 4, at which time he returned from the village where he was taken with his brother Boris because of the revolution. The next 22 years of Georgy’s life were spent on Vasilievsky Island, where the Zhzhenov family lived on the corner of First Line and Bolshoy Prospekt. In the spring of 1930, Georgy graduated from the 7th grade of the 204th Leningrad Labor School with a physics and mathematics focus, and in order to continue his studies in the 8th grade, he had to pass exams. However, young Georgy became interested in the circus, cinema and theater, and in 1930, having borrowed documents from his older brother Boris, he entered the acrobatic department of the Leningrad Variety and Circus College under the name Boris Zhzhenov. He subsequently confessed to his crime at the technical school and was forgiven.

A year later, Georgy Zhzhenov, together with fellow student Georges Smirnov, rehearsed a cascade eccentric act called “Chinese Table”, and began performing at the Leningrad Circus “Chapiteau” as a duet “2-Georges-2” in the genre of cascade acrobatics. During one of his performances, he was noticed by film group employees who were selecting actors for a new film, and they invited him to act at Lenfilm, offering him the main role of tractor driver Pashka Vetrov in the film “The Hero’s Mistake.” Many years later, Zhzhenov joked about the title of his first film: “My whole life is complete mistake: hero, resident, and so on. Here... I got into cinema, became infected with it, exchanged the healthy smell of the playpen for the smell of acetone in the film studio pavilions.”

In 1931, Zhzhenov starred in an episode of the film “A Start to Life” (uncredited). Participation in filming changed Georgy's plans, and in 1932, leaving his circus career, Georgy became a student in the film actor department of the Leningrad Theater School.
At the theater school, Zhzhenov’s teacher was director Sergei Apolinarievich Gerasimov, and even before graduating from college in 1935, Zhzhenov managed to star in the films “Crown Prince of the Republic”, “Golden Lights”, “Komsomolsk” and “Chapaev”.

After the murder of S. M. Kirov, the elder brother Boris was convicted for not going to the funeral demonstration. The family was deported to Kazakhstan, Boris died in Vorkuta. Georgy Zhzhenov showed stubbornness, refused to be deported and was arrested, but at the request of S. A. Gerasimov, he was released and sent to the Lenfilm film studio. During the filming of the film “Komsomolsk” (1938), Georgy Zhzhenov traveled by train to Komsomolsk-on-Amur. On the train, he met an American diplomat who was traveling to Vladivostok to meet a business delegation. This acquaintance was noticed by film workers, which served as a reason for accusing Zhzhonov of espionage activities. On July 4, 1938, he was arrested on charges of espionage and sentenced to 5 years in forced labor camps. Transported to Kolyma on November 5, 1939.

Georgy Zhzhenov met his first wife, Belarusian actress Zhenya Golynchik, while still studying. “When she was on her last date in transit in St. Petersburg, I told her: “Zhenya, don’t wait for me. More than ninety percent, I’ll die somewhere. In any case, you don’t need to make your life dependent on mine. You young. Thank you for everything, but live as you want. Let me not be the chains that remain on your conscience.” I met her when I returned from my first prison sentence. We saw that our lives had completely diverged,” Zhzhenov recalled.

Until 1943, Georgy Stepanovich was at the gold mines of Dalstroy, where he worked as a dispatcher in the garage of an excavator station. Sometimes he had to work as a driver. Soon his sentence was extended for another 21 months. On March 26, 1945, for good behavior and conscientious work, Zhzhonov was early released from the camp, and until December 1946 he worked at the Magadan Polar Drama Theater, where he met his second wife Lydia Vorontsova, who was arrested in 1935 in Leningrad “for relations with foreign sailors.” ”, and received 10 years of camps in Kolyma for this.

In June 1946, Lydia and Georgy had a daughter, Lena. Zhzhenov found work as an actor in the small town of Pavlovsk-on-Oka. Lydia was released only two years later. By then they family life upset. But the daughter Lena remained. And when Zhzhonov received a letter from the Sverdlovsk region from his wife: “I was arrested again, the child is in the distribution center orphanage", - rushed to save his daughter. He managed to transport Lenochka to his mother in Leningrad. Lena later became an artist-designer.

And soon he was arrested again. Zhzhenov spent six months in prison in Gorky, after which he was sent into exile in Norilsk. Georgy Stepanovich did not want to leave for the North, but, as it has now become known, it was Lydia Vorontsova who achieved his exile to Norilsk. So she tried to reunite the broken family. At first, Georgy and Lydia actually lived together in exile in Norilsk. But soon the actor began to live separately. Lydia Vorontsova met her second husband, Sergei Prokopyevich Tayozhny. After Vorontsova’s rehabilitation, they left for Riga.

In the Norilsk ITL (Norillag), Zhzhenov worked until 1953 at the Norilsk Polar Drama Theater, where he met I.M. Smoktunovsky and was his partner on stage. At a local club he mastered the camera and became the first in Norilsk to take color photographs. An unimaginable luxury at that time. “The old Norilsk residents still have traces of my activities,” recalled Georgy Zhzhonov. “Sometimes people even send me letters and include THOSE pictures of me.”

With my third wife - Irina Makhaeva, Georgy Zhzhenov met at a meeting of the troupe at the Norilsk Polar Theater in 1950. Irina Makhaeva was a freelance actress there. Marrying a prisoner at that time meant sharing his unenviable position with him. Irochka was 10 years younger than Georgy, but was not afraid of difficulties. It was she who achieved the release of Zhzhonov. After lifting the exile and rehabilitation on December 2, 1955, Georgy and Irina returned to Leningrad, where Irina officially became Zhzhonov’s wife and took his last name. In 1956 they gave birth to daughter - Marina, who later became a teacher.

At the age of 38, Zhzhonov began his professional life from scratch. He got a job as an actor at the Leningrad Regional Drama Theater and at the Lensovet Theater. There Zhzhonov met his fourth and last wife - Lydia Petrovna Malyukova. They had a daughter, Yulia, who currently works at the Mossovet Theater and teaches at VGIK.

Soon he again became a film actor at Lenfilm and began working in films, but his acting fate was quite difficult. For a long time He starred in supporting roles and in films that did not have much success with audiences. The actor’s most notable works of those years were his roles in the films “Corrected to Believe” and “The Night Guest.” Another hobby of Zhzhenov was football. He played in the Leningrad trade union team and, they say, played well. He was even offered to take up sports professionally, offering a choice - either football or cinema. Zhzhonov chose the latter.

In 1961, the film “Planet of Storms” directed by Pavel Klushantsev was released on the screens of the USSR, and immediately became a real hit. The appearance of the film coincided with Gagarin’s flight and the craze for astronautics, the conquest of the planets was seen just around the corner, and Klushantsev offered the viewer an educational and fascinating picture of how this could begin to happen in the near future. For Georgy Zhzhonov, working on the role in “Planet of Storms” became one of the first notable film roles after returning from the camps.

Georgy Zhzhenov first became famous after a small role in Eldar Ryazanov’s comedy “Beware of the Car,” in which he played a traffic inspector in 1966. The actor got into the character so accurately that his character was immediately remembered by the audience. Another bright and memorable work was the main role in the duology “The Path to Saturn” and “The End of Saturn”.

In 1968, Georgy Stepanovich moved to Moscow and began working at the Mossovet Theater. For for many years On the stage of this theater he played more than a hundred roles. In the same year of 1968, cinema came to finest hour Zhzhenov after the release of Veniamin Dorman’s adventure film “The Resident’s Mistake.” In 1970, the second film, “The Fate of the Resident,” was released. Twelve years later, Veniamin Dorman returned to the audience’s favorite characters, and in 1982 the third film, “Return of the Resident,” was released, and in 1986, the fourth film in the tetralogy, “The End of Operation Resident,” was released.

Over the years of his creative activity, Georgy Zhzhenov played about 70 roles in films, films with his participation enjoyed popular love and became classics of Russian cinema. Georgy Stepanovich is the author of more than 10 books of memoirs, including about camp life in Kolyma and polar Norilsk: “From the Wood Grouse to the Firebird,” “Omchag Valley,” “Lived” and others. Zhzhonov loved life, which is why he probably did not age - he never looked his age. At the age of 90, he took his wife to the dacha and swam in the sea. “Lida, you and I are young,” he told her. “Just don’t make any sudden movements.”

IN recent years Georgy Zhzhenov played the only role in the play “On the Golden Lake” at the Mossovet Theater. In the “great play about two old men,” as Zhzhenov called it, he appeared on stage with People’s Artist of Russia Irina Kartasheva. After Zhzhonov’s death, she said: “I lost not only wonderful person and an actor, but also an amazing partner. Last time We played the play on October 3rd - it went wonderfully, the audience accepted it with all their hearts. It never occurred to me that Zhzhonov would never appear on stage again. He hid his illnesses and really didn’t like it when people asked about them. Georgy Stepanovich behaved well, was an amazingly straightforward and honest person - if he didn’t like something, he sometimes spoke about it quite sharply.”

3 weeks before his death, Georgy Zhzhenov fell unsuccessfully at home, after which he was diagnosed with a fractured femoral neck. He was brought to the Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center, where the next day doctors performed surgery on the artist and installed a French endoprosthesis. As the orthopedic doctor Anton Serebryakov, who operated on the artist, said, the operation lasted only fifty minutes. The elderly artist was not given general anesthesia, but gentle spinal anesthesia - after all, Georgy Stepanovich turned 90 years old.

Sidenko Sergey. Portrait of G. S. Zhzhenov.

While still in intensive care, Georgy Zhzhenov, with the help of doctors and his wife, began to try to walk, for which he was fitted with a special walker. The doctors had no doubt that Georgy Stepanovich would definitely get back on his feet, but on December 4, 2004, Georgy Zhzhenov was again hospitalized with inflammation of the respiratory tract. After a thorough examination, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. The doctors did not inform him of the fatal diagnosis, but insisted on surgery. Perhaps this would help defeat the insidious disease and prolong the life of a wonderful actor. Doctors hoped that the actor would cope with the injury, but his lungs could not stand it. A hemorrhage occurred in the pleural cavity, and on December 8, 2005, at the 91st year of his life, Georgy Zhzhenov’s life was cut short.

The funeral service for the deceased took place on the morning of Saturday, December 10, in the Cathedral of the Presentation Vladimir icon Mother of God Sretensky Monastery. Farewell to Georgy Zhzhenov took place at the Mossovet Theater, after which the artist was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

In Moscow, on the house where G.S. Zhzhenov lived (Zoologicheskaya St., 12/2), a memorial plaque was installed in 2010.

In 2009, a film about Georgy Zhzhenov was filmed documentary“Georgy Zhzhenov. Agent of Hope."

The outstanding Soviet actor Georgy Zhzhenov lived a long life. Not only fame and success fell to his lot, but also serious trials. Thus, during the era of Stalinist repressions, he was twice convicted on trumped-up charges.

Circus and cinema

It was at the circus that Lenfilm employees saw him. The young man received the main role in the film “The Hero's Mistake” (1932). After that, leaving the circus, Zhzhenov entered the Leningrad College of Performing Arts on the course of Sergei Gerasimov. He starred in several films, including the legendary Chapaev.

Walking through torment

The Zhzhenov family was evicted from Leningrad. In addition to Georgy, his fellow filmmakers and Gerasimov himself stood up for him.
In the summer of 1938, Zhzhenov, together with a group of film actors, went to film in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. On the train they met an American diplomat who was traveling to Vladivostok as part of a delegation. Of course, fellow travelers were talking to each other. After the trip, the NKVD received a report about “contacts with a foreigner.” This plus the reputation of a relative of the “enemy of the people” was quite enough to accuse Zhzhonov of espionage. When Georgy returned to Leningrad, they came for him.

In the famous Leningrad prison "Crosses" Zhzhenov had to go through all the circles of hell. He was interrogated with passion - tortured, beaten, deprived of sleep... Others could not stand the bullying and confessed to the most absurd things. But the athletic, trained artist flatly refused to admit the charge of espionage. As a result, he was not shot, but given five years in the camps.
This is how Zhzhenov ended up in Kolyma, where he had to endure hunger, cold, exhausting work, and the daily struggle for survival... During the war, almost no food was delivered to the Kolyma camps, and prisoners died in the hundreds.

In 1944, the actor’s prison term was coming to an end. However, he was summoned to the camp authorities and asked to sign a resolution for an additional term - another 21 months in the camps.

Second try

In 1945, Zhzhenov was finally released, and thanks to Gerasimov, he found work at the Sverdlovsk film studio, where he starred in the film “Alitet Goes to the Mountains” - about Soviet Chukotka. But in 1949, the actor was arrested again. This time, however, he was sentenced not to the camps, but to exile in Norilsk. There he got a job at the local Mayakovsky Drama Theater, where he played with Innokenty Smoktunovsky, who had gone to Siberia to sit out the troubled times - he feared arrest for being captured by the Germans in 1943.

In Norilsk, Zhzhenov tried to start a family with actress Irina Makhaeva. For him, this was already his third marriage - the previous two were interrupted by arrests... Later they had a daughter, Marina.
Only in 1955, having been completely rehabilitated, was the actor able to return to Leningrad. At first he worked in the regional drama theater, but already in 1956 he began acting in Lenfilm. He gained national fame in the late 60s and early 70s after starring in the films “The Resident’s Mistake” and “The Resident’s Fate.”
The actor was awarded many state awards, and in 2005 the whole country celebrated the 90th birthday of Georgy Zhzhonov, a people's artist and former prisoner.