Georgy Zhzhenov served how many years. Georgy Zhzhenov: why the Soviet actor was in prison

Outstanding Russian and Soviet actor Georgy Zhzhenov lived 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 variety and 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.

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 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.

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. 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 Zhzhenov, a people’s artist and former prisoner.

Why did actor Georgy Zhzhenov serve prison time?

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. Thus, during the era of Stalinist 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 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 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 period - 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.

resident." 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.

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 Georgy Stepanovich Zhzhenov was born in March 1915 in Petrograd, into 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 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 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 filmmaking friends 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 “Kresty” Zhzhonov 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. So Zhzhenov ended up in Kolyma, where he had to endure hunger, cold, exhausting work, and a 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 composed 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 attempt 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 the third - the two previous ones were interrupted by arrests... Later they had a daughter, Marina. Only in 1955, being 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.

Georgy Zhzhenov is an actor, People's Artist of the USSR, well known to film lovers for such films as “Beware of the Car,” “Crew” and “The Fate of a Resident.” He was born on Vasilyevsky Island in Petrograd into a family from a simple peasant family. Georgy had an older brother, Boris, who several times played a very significant role in the fate of Zhzhonov.

Gosha studied at a school with a focus on physics and mathematics, but science actually attracted him little. At the age of 15, he used his brother’s documents and entered the variety and circus technical school in the acrobatic department. Later, the young man confessed to his teachers what he had done and received the final diploma in his own name. It's at the circus young guy The directors noticed and invited me to the cinema.

After starring in the first film, Georgy Zhzhenov gave up his career as a circus performer and entered the Leningrad College of Performing Arts. While still studying, he acted a lot and by the time he graduated from the acting department he was already quite famous. But in 1937, trouble awaited George.

His brother Boris was convicted of failing to attend a funeral demonstration for the murder. The whole family was deported to Kazakhstan, and Boris himself died near Vorkuta. But Georgy refused to leave Leningrad. The director supported him, and the actor managed to stay.

But not for long - the authorities quickly found a new key. On one of his tours, Georgy Zhzhenov met and talked with another train passenger, who turned out to be an American diplomat. This meeting was enough reason to accuse the actor of espionage and treason. Zhzhonov was exiled and lived in exile until 1953.

True, at the request of the same Gerasimov, he managed to get a job in theaters in Pavlov-on-Oka and Norilsk, where Georgy Stepanovich became friends with. Zhzhenov also acted in films at the Sverdlovsk Film Studio. Only in 1955 did he manage to rehabilitate himself and return to big cities. At first he lived and worked in Leningrad, and in 1968 he moved to Moscow and joined the troupe of the Mossovet Theater.

Movies

When Georgy Zhzhenov began performing in the circus, he was invited to star in the film “A Start to Life,” although he was not listed in the credits. But this experience showed young man the thing he would like to do. But his film career was difficult.

Basically, he either got minor roles, or the films were not successful. From large flow films of the initial stage, we can highlight the famous historical drama “”, where Zhzhenov played Furmanov’s orderly named Tereshka.

But viewers became interested in Zhzhenov himself after the release of the tragicomedy “Beware of the Car,” where he played a traffic inspector. After this, Georgy was immediately invited to film set“I’m Going to Look” and “The Man I Love.” In these dramas, the plot revolved around Zhzhenov’s characters, which strengthened the actor’s popularity.

Soon followed by the fantastic duology “The Path to Saturn” and “The End of Saturn”, the social drama “All the King’s Men”, the famous war film “Hot Snow”, and the detective story “A Cure for Fear”.

The real boom around the artist began in 1968 after the release of the first part of the tetralogy about the Soviet intelligence officer, “The Resident's Mistake.”

To satisfy the viewer's interest, a sequel to the film “The Fate of the Resident” was filmed, and a few years later “The Return of the Resident” and “The End of Operation Resident”. In total, Georgy Zhzhenov played Western intelligence resident Tulyev for 20 years.

Another legendary role of the actor is considered to be aircraft commander Andrei Timchenko in the disaster film “Crew”. By the way, a remake of this film will be released in 2016. Georgy Stepanovich acted in films until 1998, in lately appearing in the historical films “Ivan the Great”, “The Invisible Traveler” and “The Corral”.

Personal life

Over the course of his long life, Georgy Zhzhenov had four wives. He first married while still a student to the aspiring actress Evgenia Golynchik, whom he himself asked to divorce him when he was arrested. In exile in 1943, he began to live with another exile, also an actress, Lydia Vorontsova, who bore him a daughter, Elena.

Zhzhenova’s eldest daughter lived with her mother after her parents’ divorce, then in orphanage, from where Georgy Stepanovich took her to him and raised her until her mother was released from a new sentence.

The third wife, actress Irina Makhaeva, served, like Zhzhenov, in the Norilsk Theater. It is to her that the actor owes his rehabilitation. Irina Efimovna traveled to Moscow and back for about two years and was able to prove her husband’s innocence. Their family grew up with a daughter, Marina, who later became a philologist. But after returning to Leningrad, Zhzhenov and Makhaeva diverged.

The actor’s last companion since 1962 was Lydia Malyukova, famous actress Lensovet Theater. Georgy Stepanovich lived with her until his last days. By the way, in this marriage he had a daughter, Yulia Zhzhenova, also an actress, and also a teacher at VGIK.

Death

On November 21, 2005, Georgy Zhzhenov accidentally fell and broke his hip. He was successfully operated on, but, as it turned out, this was only the beginning of the tragedy. Two weeks later, the 90-year-old actor was again hospitalized with respiratory inflammation. The examination showed that Zhzhenov advanced stage lung cancer.

No matter how hard the doctors fought for the life of the famous patient, they could not save him. Georgy Zhzhenov died on December 8, 2005 and was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery. A memorial plaque was installed on the house where the actor lived for the last 33 years.

Filmography

1934 - “Chapaev”
1966 - “Beware of the Car”
1968 - “The Path to Saturn”
1968 - “Resident Error”
1971 - “All the King’s Men”
1973 - “Hot Snow”
1977 - “Poseidon” to the rescue”
1978 - “The Cure for Fear”
1979 - “Crew”
1982 - “Return of the Resident”

Georgy Zhzhenov is a 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 physico-mathematical bias, however 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 Republic", as well as some others.

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 for a long time worked 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 title People's Artist RSFSR and 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.