How did the Olympic bear appear and where did it fly on the last day of the 1980 Olympics

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

The symbol of the 1980 Olympics, perhaps the most recognizable mascot in the history of the Olympic Games, the Bear, recently celebrated its next anniversary. Exactly 40 years have passed since the 8-meter the symbol of the 1980 Moscow Olympics is Misha the bear. This landmark event was remembered for a lifetime by tens of thousands of eyewitnesses who sat in the stands of the Olympic, and millions of viewers watched the closing ceremony broadcasted from TV screens. About who and how the Olympic symbol was created and embodied in life, further - in our publication.

The history of the creation of the symbol of the Olympics

As soon as it became known that the XXII Olympic Games in 1980 would be held in Moscow, the most ambitious preparation in all directions began in the USSR. Of course, including in the development of symbols, which should have been the main attribute of the Olympics. And since the domestic culture is rich mainly in fairy-tale characters, it was decided to make the hero of Russian fairy tales the mascot of the Moscow Olympics at a national vote. In the majority, the multi-million audience of viewers of the program "In the world of animals" cast their votes for the image of a bear.

The organizing committee joined the opinion of the people and chose this animal as the symbol of the Moscow Olympics, since it has such characteristic qualities for an athlete as strength, perseverance and prowess. So, at the beginning of 1977, a competition was announced among artists for the best image of a clubfoot, in which a sketch by Viktor Chizhikov, a 42-year-old artist known for his illustrations for children's books, won. It was his sketch of a bear that was chosen from hundreds of different options. According to the artist himself, he simply portrayed a very cute bear cub. He really wanted to create an optimistic image that would awaken "the best human feelings."

The character was ready, and now it was necessary to figure out how and where to depict the symbols of the Olympics. - recalled the illustrator. A long painful search began. In total, Chizhikov drew over a hundred sketches of bears with various attributes. But it was necessary to create such an image, unlike anything previously drawn, so that the country would not be accused of plagiarism.

The idea of putting the "toptygin" medal on the neck was immediately ruled out - this option was too banal. But the cap with the symbols of the Olympics would be just right if it were not for the bear ears … Time was running out, but the decision did not come. And when the deadlines began to be tightly pressed, the problem suddenly resolved by itself: the Bear, girded with a multicolored belt with Olympic rings, appeared to the artist in a dream

In September 1977, Viktor Chizhikov was informed that the commission of the Central Committee of the Party had also approved his symbol. The Olympic Bear was approved as the official mascot of the 1980 Games, - the creator shared about his brainchild.

During the Olympics, Mishka became extremely popular. He was depicted on badges, envelopes, stamps, clothes, and his image was also used in the manufacture of various souvenirs, which foreign guests gladly took out of the Union, thus, popularizing the symbol of a huge country around the world.

In the opinion of many, the fact that the USSR began to be treated much better after the Olympics-80 is the merit of the "clubfoot" Olympian. The image of the talisman was then “replicated” all over the world: it appeared now in the form of a perfume bottle, now on matchboxes, as well as in various souvenir variations. True, different countries interpreted it in their own way.

It is also worth noting that despite the immense popularity over the years, Viktor Chizhikov's only monetary reward for this work was a one-time payment of two thousand rubles, which roughly corresponded to the average annual salary in the USSR at that time. There could not even be a talk about any royalties in those years.

A touching farewell ceremony

The closing ceremony of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games was triumphant and unforgettable. On August 3, a huge rubber figure of the Olympic Bear was launched into the sky of the capital to the song of Alexandra Pakhmutova and Nikolai Dobronravov. The whole world followed his flight. Of course, the most fortunate were those who personally watched what was happening, sitting in the stands of the stadium.

As a symbol of the 1980 Olympics, it became a balloon

But no one, except for the initiated, even thought about what efforts and excitement this amazing flight cost to more than one hundred specialists who were preparing this action. Firstly, it was not enough to come up with and draw a symbol of the Olympics, it had to be realized. For this, it was conceived to make an 8-meter rubber bear, which could be inflated with helium and which was supposed to fly into the air, like a balloon, at the right moment.

A responsible task - the development, design, gluing and testing of the Olympic mascot, which was supposed to knock out a tear from the whole world - was entrusted to the employees of the military-industrial complex. Of course, classified as "secret." And the Olympic Bear was born a couple of kilometers from the Luzhniki stadium, in Khamovniki - at the experimental plant of the Research Institute of the Rubber Industry.

- from the memoirs of an employee of the research institute.

As a result, the work of enthusiasts, who put all their imagination, talent and skill into creating the symbol, was crowned with success. However, when Mishka was ready, it suddenly turned out that he was much heavier than expected. Instead of 40, calculated for the volume of helium, it began to weigh almost 65 kilograms … Initially, additional material for strength and painting was not taken into account. Savvy came to the rescue, as always. Garlands with balloons inflated with helium saved a seemingly hopeless situation. The same garlands helped to center the structure so that it would not tilt in different directions. Having passed numerous experiments and test flights, the clubfoot was ready for his honorable mission. And he did not disappoint his creators!

And as soon as he flew away from the stadium, Mishka overgrown with legends, probably because no one wanted to say goodbye to him, and he did not fit into the usual Soviet life. Some said that they saw with their own eyes how, completing their triumphant flight over evening Moscow, the talisman collapsed at the Kievsky railway station on a beer stall, scaring away its regulars. There was also a more dramatic story: they say, the rubber Bear was shot down with automatic rounds, when the wind began to blow the inflatable mascot towards the government airport Vnukovo-2. However, all versions were just rumors.

In fact, the whole process was strictly controlled by the organizers. For this, a brigade of instructed police officers from the motorized battalion of the traffic police was created, whose task was to track the place of Mishka's landing and "detain" him. They chased the "clubfoot Olympian" on motorcycles first along Kutuzovsky Prospekt, then he was carried to Michurinsky. And when, at last, the fugitive was caught on Vorobyovy Gory, they had to rip them open with bayonet-knives, so that they would not be lifted into the air and thrown on the wires by the wind, they were reinsured just in case. When all the helium was released, they took it to the factory for its creators to darn and glue it.

P. S. Post in memory of the artist Viktor Chizhikov

Finishing this touching story, one cannot but say a few words about the artist, who passed away on July 20 of this year. He died at the age of 85.

Viktor Aleksandrovich Chizhikov (1935 - 2020) - Soviet and Russian cartoonist, illustrator of children's books, author of the image of Misha the bear, the mascot of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow. People's Artist of the Russian Federation (2016). Viktor Aleksandrovich as a cartoonist, collaborated with the Krokodil and Ogonyok publications. Later he changed his activity and began to draw illustrations for children's works, working with such magazines as "Vesyolye Kartinki", "Murzilka", "Pionerskaya Pravda", "Young Naturalist". As a child artist, Chizhikov illustrated a large number of children's books by famous authors, including Viktor Dragunsky and Eduard Uspensky. The artist was the head of the Russian Children's Book Council.

His humor is called affectionate, talent - smiling, irony - good-natured., - said the artist. Surprised elephants and crocodiles sobbing in a handkerchief, childishly angry bears and hooligan cats strumming stringed instruments. But the most famous creation of the illustrator is, of course, the Olympic bear.

It's hard to believe, but the illustrator suffered from color blindness for many years., - Viktor Aleksandrovich once said in an interview. But be that as it may, this did not stop him from creating wonderful works that still delight both young and adult readers.

Bright memory to a talented and truly cheerful and kind person - Viktor Alexandrovich Chizhikov.

And in conclusion, we invite our reader to watch an entertaining humorous cycle of the artist's works and have fun from the bottom of his heart: "The Greats Behind Desks": Timeless Humor from Soviet Illustrator Viktor Chizhikov.