Aleksandr Demyanenko
Encyclopedia
Aleksandr Sergeievich Demyanenko ' onMouseout='HidePop("14750")' href="/topics/Yekaterinburg">Sverdlovsk
, USSR — August 22, 1999, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
) was a Soviet and Russia
n film
and theater actor, People's Artist of the RSFSR.
, USSR in 1937. He went to a music school from 1946 to 1952. In 1954 he failed to enter the school of arts. In 1955, however, he entered a theater school in Moscow
, USSR. He studied at GITIS
.
theatre acting school. He then worked in the Mayakovsky Theater
in Moscow. In 1959 he starred in Everything Begins with Hitting the Road.
In 1961 Aleksandr Demyanenko moved to Leningrad
and starred in the film Grown-Up Children. He then went on to play in A Night Before Christmas, Peace to Him Who Enter and was cast for the title role in Dima Gorin's Career. In 1962 he starred in A Trip Without a Load and Bang the Drum. In 1963 he starred in Cheka Employee, The First Trolleybus and Kain XVIII. In 1964 he starred in The Returned Music and State Offender.
In 1965 he was cast for the role of Shurik in a classic Soviet comedy Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures
. This role earned Demyanenko the image of nerdy student
Shurik ("Shurik" being a diminutive
form of the name Aleksandr). In 1966 he starred in the semi-sequel to the film The Prisoner of Caucasus, or Shurik's New Adventures
. In 1967, he starred in the film War under the Roofs and in 1968 in The Dead Season. In 1969 he starred in Tomorrow, April 3 and The Ugryum River. In 1971 he starred in Dauria. In 1972 he starred in Hello and Goodbye and The Singing Teacher. Demyanenko tried to avoid being typecast as "Shurik" and was not able to get major roles.
In 1973 he once again reunited with Leonid Gaidai
to star in the film Ivan Vasilyevich: Back to the Future where he plays a scientist (also by the name of "Shurik") who invents a time machine
. Demyanenko was unable to gain popularity for other roles as he was typecast as a scientist due to his tremendous popularity as the nerdy, crime-fighting student Shurik. He frequently voiced foreign films to earn some extra money.
Aleksandr Demyanenko suffered from alcoholism
. He lived in poverty following the collapse of the socialized welfare system of the Soviet Union
. He appeared in the TV Show/movie Old Songs of the Main Things 2 in 1997 playing the aged Shurik. He had a brief role in the TV series Strawberry played his other famous role of the nerdy professor in Old Songs of the Main Things 3 in 1998. In 1999 Aleksandr Demyanenko died from a heart attack
. Some analysts say this played part in the success of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation
in the December 1999 elections as the lack of a social welfare system was frequently blamed for his death.
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
, USSR — August 22, 1999, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) was a Soviet and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and theater actor, People's Artist of the RSFSR.
Early life
Aleksandr Demyanenko was born in SverdlovskYekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
, USSR in 1937. He went to a music school from 1946 to 1952. In 1954 he failed to enter the school of arts. In 1955, however, he entered a theater school in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, USSR. He studied at GITIS
GITIS
The Russian University of Theatre Arts was founded on 22 September 1878 as the Shestakovsky Music School, became the Musico-Dramatic School of the Moscow Philharmonic Society in 1883, and was elevated to the status of a conservatory in 1886...
.
Career
In 1958 he was cast in the film Veter . In 1959 he graduated from the GITISGITIS
The Russian University of Theatre Arts was founded on 22 September 1878 as the Shestakovsky Music School, became the Musico-Dramatic School of the Moscow Philharmonic Society in 1883, and was elevated to the status of a conservatory in 1886...
theatre acting school. He then worked in the Mayakovsky Theater
Mayakovsky Theater
Mayakovsky Theater is a theater in Moscow, Russia, founded in 1920, first as Terevsat , then Revolution Theater and Drama Theater...
in Moscow. In 1959 he starred in Everything Begins with Hitting the Road.
In 1961 Aleksandr Demyanenko moved to Leningrad
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and starred in the film Grown-Up Children. He then went on to play in A Night Before Christmas, Peace to Him Who Enter and was cast for the title role in Dima Gorin's Career. In 1962 he starred in A Trip Without a Load and Bang the Drum. In 1963 he starred in Cheka Employee, The First Trolleybus and Kain XVIII. In 1964 he starred in The Returned Music and State Offender.
In 1965 he was cast for the role of Shurik in a classic Soviet comedy Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures
Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures
Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures is a 1965 Soviet slapstick comedy film directed by Leonid Gaidai, starring Aleksandr Demyanenko, Natalya Seleznyova, Yuri Nikulin, Georgy Vitsin and Yevgeny Morgunov. The film consists of three independent parts: "Workmate" , "Déjà vu" and "Operation Y"...
. This role earned Demyanenko the image of nerdy student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
Shurik ("Shurik" being a diminutive
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
form of the name Aleksandr). In 1966 he starred in the semi-sequel to the film The Prisoner of Caucasus, or Shurik's New Adventures
Kidnapping, Caucasian Style
A she-prisoner of the Caucasus, or Shurik's New Adventures , also known as Kidnapping, Caucasian Style is a Soviet comedy film dealing with the theme of bride kidnapping....
. In 1967, he starred in the film War under the Roofs and in 1968 in The Dead Season. In 1969 he starred in Tomorrow, April 3 and The Ugryum River. In 1971 he starred in Dauria. In 1972 he starred in Hello and Goodbye and The Singing Teacher. Demyanenko tried to avoid being typecast as "Shurik" and was not able to get major roles.
In 1973 he once again reunited with Leonid Gaidai
Leonid Gaidai
Leonid Iovich Gaidai was one of the most popular Soviet comedy directors, enjoying immense popularity and broad public recognition in the former USSR & modern Russia...
to star in the film Ivan Vasilyevich: Back to the Future where he plays a scientist (also by the name of "Shurik") who invents a time machine
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
. Demyanenko was unable to gain popularity for other roles as he was typecast as a scientist due to his tremendous popularity as the nerdy, crime-fighting student Shurik. He frequently voiced foreign films to earn some extra money.
Aleksandr Demyanenko suffered from alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
. He lived in poverty following the collapse of the socialized welfare system of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He appeared in the TV Show/movie Old Songs of the Main Things 2 in 1997 playing the aged Shurik. He had a brief role in the TV series Strawberry played his other famous role of the nerdy professor in Old Songs of the Main Things 3 in 1998. In 1999 Aleksandr Demyanenko died from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
. Some analysts say this played part in the success of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation
Communist Party of the Russian Federation
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is a Russian political party. It is the second major political party in the Russian Federation.-History:...
in the December 1999 elections as the lack of a social welfare system was frequently blamed for his death.
Selected filmography
- Mitya (1959)
- The Grown up Children (1961)
- Dima Gorin's Career (1961)
- State Criminal (1964)
- Operation Y and Other Shurik's AdventuresOperation Y and Other Shurik's AdventuresOperation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures is a 1965 Soviet slapstick comedy film directed by Leonid Gaidai, starring Aleksandr Demyanenko, Natalya Seleznyova, Yuri Nikulin, Georgy Vitsin and Yevgeny Morgunov. The film consists of three independent parts: "Workmate" , "Déjà vu" and "Operation Y"...
(1965) - The Prisoner of Caucasus, or Shurik's New AdventuresKidnapping, Caucasian StyleA she-prisoner of the Caucasus, or Shurik's New Adventures , also known as Kidnapping, Caucasian Style is a Soviet comedy film dealing with the theme of bride kidnapping....
(1967) - Ivan Vasilyevich: Back to the Future (1973)
- Strange Adults (1974)
- The Last Winter Day (1974)
- Unique (1975)
- Eleven Hopes (1975)
- Crane in the Sky (1977)
- A Moment Decides Everything (1978)
- Chest of Drawers Was Lead Through the Street... (1978)
- The Nightingale (1979)
- The Bat (1979)
- The Useless Girl (1980)
- Comrade Innokenty (1981)
- It Was Beyond the Narva Gate (1981)
- An Awful Day (1982)
- My Love: A Revolution (1982)
- The Green Van (1983)
- Echo of a Distant Blast (1983)
- Stories of an Old Magician (1984)
- Dear, Dearest, Beloved, Unique...Dear, Dearest, Beloved, Unique...Dear, Dearest, Beloved, Unique... is a 1984 Soviet drama film directed by Dinara Asanova. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Olga Mashnaya* Valeriy Priyomykhov* Lembit Ulfsak* Larisa Umarova...
(1984) - Dream in the Hand, or Suitcase (1985)
- A Bright Person (1988)
- Tamara Aleksandrovna's Husband and Daughter (1988)
- A Play for Millions (1991)
- And to Hell with Us (1991)
- The White Clothes (1991)
- Seven-Forty (1992)