Video: The unhappy star of Mikhail Vodyanoy: Why the famous artist was persecuted in the theater and in the press
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Mikhail Vodyanoy was one of those artists whom the public called by the names of their famous movie characters more often than by their real names. Thousands of spectators knew him as the adjutant of Pan Ataman Gritian Tavrichesky Popandopulo from the movie "Wedding in Malinovka" … He rarely acted in films, but he appeared on the theatrical stage all his life. In addition, he was the head of the Odessa Musical Comedy Theater. The appointment to this position led to dramatic consequences that hastened the death of the famous actor.
Since Mikhail Vodyanoy spent most of his life in Odessa and always very convincingly played the role of Odessa residents, many were sure that he was a native of this city. But in fact, the actor was born in Kharkov in 1924, and his real name is Wasserman (which means "Water" in translation). His father worked as a supply manager and did not approve of his younger son's "frivolous" hobbies. "Every family has its black sheep. My eldest son graduated from two institutes, and the youngest - all drama circles, dressing up …”, - he lamented.
In 1941, Mikhail was admitted immediately to the second year of the theatrical institute in Leningrad. After graduation, Vodyanoy became an actor at the Pyatigorsk Theater, and then at the Lviv Theater of Musical Comedy. His partner in performances was often the actress Margarita Demina, who in 1952 became his wife. In 1954, their theater moved to Odessa, receiving the name of the Odessa Theater of Musical Comedy. The fate of the actor was connected with this theater until the end of his days. For 40 years of work, he played about 150 roles, and in the image of Mishka Yaponchik he appeared on stage more than 500 times! The indigenous inhabitants of Odessa considered the actor their own, and Leonid Utesov even called him the plenipotentiary of Odessa in Moscow.
In 1957, Mikhail Vodiany made his film debut. The role of Yashka the Tug in the film "White Acacia" brought him his first success with the audience, and his next work in the film "The Squadron Goes West" cemented his popularity. But the real triumph for the actor was the role of Popandopulo in the musical comedy "Wedding in Malinovka". All his remarks immediately went to quotes, and the hero himself became a popular favorite.
The career of Mikhail Vodyanoy developed very successfully. In 1976 he became the first operetta artist to receive the title of People's Artist of the USSR. In 1979, the actor took the position of artistic director and director of the Odessa Musical Comedy Theater. He replaced Matvey Osherovsky in this post, and his supporters began to weave intrigues against the new leader.
Since then, the life of a famous artist has turned into a real nightmare. A group of his opponents and envious people initiated a discrediting campaign under the slogan "Give us a theater without Vodyanoy!" In 1986, a real persecution unfolded in the theater and in the press: the leader was accused of financial fraud and child molestation, which even led to a criminal case.
The alleged witnesses and victims were constantly confused in their testimonies. One of the plaintiffs, convicted of lying, burst into tears in the courtroom and confessed to libel. The main witness, a 15-year-old girl, said that she met with the artist in October, while he was on a cruise at that time. Colleague Vodyanoy, actor Emil Silin said: "".
Because of the unfair accusations, the artist was very worried. He suffered two heart attacks, and the third heart could not stand it. At the age of 63, he passed away, never having had time to wash off the dirt that the envious people watered on him.
Today, the Odessa Musical Comedy Theater bears the name of Mikhail Vodyanoy, in memory of him the "Ball in honor of the king" was staged - scenes from those performances in which the actor participated. And on the house in which Vodyanoy lived in Odessa, a memorial plaque was installed.
Despite the many roles played, the name of this actor is still associated with Popandopulo among viewers. Few know how many interesting moments are left behind the scenes "Weddings in Malinovka": how the dance "to that steppe" appeared, and the inhabitants of the whole village became actors.
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