Two stars of the Rutberg family: How a "dubious-looking girl" made her father proud

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The surname Rutberg has not left the movie posters for many decades and is well known to millions of viewers: Ilya Rutberg was known as an actor, director, art critic, teacher, professor and founder of the world's only department of pantomime. His daughter Julia inherited from him not only talent and profession, but also a rather specific appearance, which she herself called "dubious." And also - incredible charisma, thanks to which the name Rutberg has become synonymous with charm and charm.

Soviet friend and colleague of Marcel Marceau

In his youth, Ilya Rutberg did not even think about the acting profession - he was only interested in science. But, having entered the Energy Institute, he suddenly discovered that most of all he was fascinated by classes in a drama circle. Soon, together with his friends, he organized the student theater "Our House" and began performing in the ensemble "First Step". Ilya nevertheless completed his studies and received a diploma in physics, but after that he decided to change his profile of activities. Several times he entered the theater universities, but he was expelled. Only at 34, Rutberg graduated from the directing department of GITIS.

The greatest love of the artist was not even theater and cinema, but the art of pantomime. He first learned about him in 1957, when he saw the game of Marcel Marceau - and just fell ill with it. He still did not really know anything about pantomime and did not know how to do anything when he decided to create his own pantomime group. Later he was lucky enough to meet Marcel Marceau, and every time the legendary artist came on tour to the USSR, they saw each other and talked. Ilya Rutberg corresponded with him and went to visit him in Paris.

Rutberg became a laureate of the All-Union Contest of Variety Artists, his numbers "Late for a Lecture" and "Giraffe" enjoyed great success and were remembered by many spectators. Throughout his life, he continued to collect information about this art form and founded the only department of pantomime and plastic culture in the world.

Ilya Rutberg has starred in more than 50 films. There were almost no leading roles among his works, but he himself often refused them, preferring vivid comedy episodes - in his opinion, there was much more room for creativity in them. Until the end of his days, he continued to teach and go on stage and set. At 82, on October 30, 2014, his life was cut short by a heart attack.

How the profession helped the "double bass girl" turn flaws into virtues

The artist was married twice, in his first marriage he had a daughter, Alena, who became a political science teacher, and in the second, Julia. Julia Rutberg dreamed of becoming an actress since the fifth grade, her father said that she followed in his footsteps "in genetic wickedness." In the ninth grade, she first got on the set: in the film "Squad", where her father was filmed, she needed a girl, the daughter of his hero, to participate in one episode. And after editing, only her back remained in the frame of this scene. Therefore, later the actress joked that she entered the big cinema with her back.

After school, she firmly decided to enter the Shchukin School, but she was admitted only to the pop department of GITIS. For three years she continued to storm the Pike, until she finally entered. At first, the teachers did not believe in her acting prospects. Hamsters, dogs, grandmothers, Chinese - these are the roles that Julia Rutberg got at the school. But after completing her studies, they were ready to be admitted to all theaters, and she chose the Theater. E. Vakhtangov. True, artistic director Mikhail Ulyanov was perplexed: “” Questions were raised not only by the face, but also by the voice.

The actress calls herself a "double bass woman" - because of her characteristic low voice: "". The voice became her calling card, and before it was a big problem, because even in childhood she was diagnosed with congenital non-closure of the ligaments.

Teachers at the school, seeing that with such a voice Yulia also smokes, warned: "". To which she replied: "" Rutberg says that she has no voice, so she did not become a singer, but there is a timbre, and it is so recognizable that only thanks to him she could become a popular actress.

Guardian angel for daughter

Her father has always been an example and a source of inspiration for her. In addition to the striking external similarity, there has always been an invisible internal connection between them. Ilya Rutberg was very proud of his daughter's achievements and often attended her performances. Unfortunately, he did not find out that his daughter received the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation - by that time he was no longer alive.

With the departure of her father, the actress still cannot accept. She admits that she constantly feels his presence and is sure that he still helps her in difficult moments: "".

Although Julia Rutberg's appearance was far from the standards of beauty, the actress has always been in the center of men's attention. Her husbands were the most famous, talented and successful artists: 3 marriages and 3 partings of Julia Rutberg.