Sergey Martinson
Encyclopedia
Sergey Alexandrovich Martinson was a Russia
n eccentric
comic actor
, the master of pantomime
, buffoonery and grotesque
. He became People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1964.
Sergey Alexandrovich Martinson was born in Saint Petersburg
in the family of a nobleman of Swedish descent. His parents adored theater and took their son to many performances. As a schoolboy, Sergey played in a theatrical studio.
After one year of education in the Technological institute
, he decided to become a professional actor. At the entrance exams he read Boris Godunov
's monologue from Pushkin's play. The exam board roared with laughter, but refused to accept him. He later joined the theatrical institute from a second attempt.
Martinson worked in several theaters. In 1924–1941 he played in the Theatre of the Revolution. In 1925–1926, 1929–1933, 1937–1938 he was the leading actor of Vsevolod Meyerhold
's theatre. He was cast by Meyerhold in the plays The Government Inspector, Mandate and others. From 1933 to 1936 he worked in the music hall
. From 1945 until his death Martinson was a film actor.
He was mainly a comic actor and seldom appeared in dramatic roles. One of these was the role of Karandyshev in Alexander Ostrovsky's play Without a Dowry, staged by Yury Zavadsky. Martinson's career in film started in 1924, when he played his first role of Poincare
in the film of the Adventures of Oktyabrina.
Martinson was the first in the Soviet cinema to play Hitler in the Sergei Yutkevich
film The New Adventures of Soldier Švejk. Actor told, that Hitler, after seeing himself on the screen, included him into his personal "black list" and promised to hang Martinson on the first lamppost. After the role of composer Kerosinov in the movie Anton Ivanovich is angry glory literally followed on Martinsons heels – the boys in the courtyard hooted after him: "Benzin-kerosene goes!".
One of his latest roles was the role of Mr. Frankland in the adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle
's novel The Hound of the Baskervilles
.
He married his first wife, Ekaterina Il'inichna Ilyina, a beautiful actress, in 1927, whom he met during his acting studies; their daughter, Anna, later a successful artist and costume designer, was born in 1928. Although they had never officially divorced, he married his second wife, dancer Lola Dobrohotova, who was later exiled by the government for alleged “connections to foreign elements” and died in exile; they had a son, Alexander (1939-2001). His third wife, Luisa, was a woman 30 years junior to Martinson. They had a daughter, Natasha (b. 1956) and divorced several years later. Both his daughters currently live in the United States.
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 eccentric
Eccentricity (behavior)
In popular usage, eccentricity refers to unusual or odd behavior on the part of an individual. This behavior would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary, without being demonstrably maladaptive...
comic actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, the master of pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
, buffoonery and grotesque
Grotesque
The word grotesque comes from the same Latin root as "Grotto", meaning a small cave or hollow. The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of Ancient Roman decorative art rediscovered and then copied in Rome at the end of the 15th century...
. He became People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1964.
Sergey Alexandrovich Martinson was born in Saint Petersburg
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...
in the family of a nobleman of Swedish descent. His parents adored theater and took their son to many performances. As a schoolboy, Sergey played in a theatrical studio.
After one year of education in the Technological institute
Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology
Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Russia , it currently trains around 5000 students.-History:...
, he decided to become a professional actor. At the entrance exams he read Boris Godunov
Boris Godunov
Boris Fyodorovich Godunov was de facto regent of Russia from c. 1585 to 1598 and then the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. The end of his reign saw Russia descend into the Time of Troubles.-Early years:...
's monologue from Pushkin's play. The exam board roared with laughter, but refused to accept him. He later joined the theatrical institute from a second attempt.
Martinson worked in several theaters. In 1924–1941 he played in the Theatre of the Revolution. In 1925–1926, 1929–1933, 1937–1938 he was the leading actor of Vsevolod Meyerhold
Vsevolod Meyerhold
Vsevolod Emilevich Meyerhold was a great Russian and Soviet theatre director, actor and theatrical producer. His provocative experiments dealing with physical being and symbolism in an unconventional theatre setting made him one of the seminal forces in modern international theatre.-Early...
's theatre. He was cast by Meyerhold in the plays The Government Inspector, Mandate and others. From 1933 to 1936 he worked in the music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
. From 1945 until his death Martinson was a film actor.
He was mainly a comic actor and seldom appeared in dramatic roles. One of these was the role of Karandyshev in Alexander Ostrovsky's play Without a Dowry, staged by Yury Zavadsky. Martinson's career in film started in 1924, when he played his first role of Poincare
Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré was a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France on five separate occasions and as President of France from 1913 to 1920. Poincaré was a conservative leader primarily committed to political and social stability...
in the film of the Adventures of Oktyabrina.
Martinson was the first in the Soviet cinema to play Hitler in the Sergei Yutkevich
Sergei Yutkevich
Sergei Iosifovich Yutkevich was an award-winning Soviet film director and screenwriter.-Life and career:He began work as a teen doing puppet shows. Later he helped found the Factory of the Eccentric Actor , which was primarily concerned with circus and music hall acts. He entered films in the...
film The New Adventures of Soldier Švejk. Actor told, that Hitler, after seeing himself on the screen, included him into his personal "black list" and promised to hang Martinson on the first lamppost. After the role of composer Kerosinov in the movie Anton Ivanovich is angry glory literally followed on Martinsons heels – the boys in the courtyard hooted after him: "Benzin-kerosene goes!".
One of his latest roles was the role of Mr. Frankland in the adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
's novel The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1981 film)
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1981 Soviet film adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. It was the third installment in the TV series about adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson...
.
He married his first wife, Ekaterina Il'inichna Ilyina, a beautiful actress, in 1927, whom he met during his acting studies; their daughter, Anna, later a successful artist and costume designer, was born in 1928. Although they had never officially divorced, he married his second wife, dancer Lola Dobrohotova, who was later exiled by the government for alleged “connections to foreign elements” and died in exile; they had a son, Alexander (1939-2001). His third wife, Luisa, was a woman 30 years junior to Martinson. They had a daughter, Natasha (b. 1956) and divorced several years later. Both his daughters currently live in the United States.
Filmography
- The Adventures of OktyabrinaThe Adventures of OktyabrinaThe Adventures of Oktyabrina is a 1924 Soviet/Russian silent film directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg. This film, and many other early Russian films are believed to have been destroyed in a studio fire in 1925.-Cast:...
(1924) - The Devil's WheelThe Devil's WheelThe Devil's Wheel is a 1926 Soviet silent film directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg.-Cast:* Pyotr Sobolevsky - Vanya Shorin* Lyudmila Semyonova - Valya* Sergei Gerasimov - Question Mark* Emil Gal* Sergei Martinson - Conductor...
(1926) - Little BrotherLittle Brother (1927 film)Little Brother is a 1927 Soviet silent film directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg. Film is believed to be lost.-Cast:* Pyotr Sobolevsky - Driver* Yanina Zhejmo - Girl* Sergei Martinson* Andrei Kostrichkin * Sergei Gerasimov...
(1927) - Две встречи (1932)
- The DeserterThe Deserter (1933 film)The Deserter is a 1933 Soviet film directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin.-Cast:* Boris Livanov - Karl Renn* Vasili Kovrigin - Ludwig Zelle* Aleksandr Chistyakov - Fritz Muller* Tamara Makarova - Greta Zelle* Semyon Svashenko - Bruno...
(1933) - MarionettesMarionettes (film)Marionettes is a 1934 Soviet antifascist film starring Anatoli Ktorov and directed by Yakov Protazanov and Porfiri Podobed.The film combines the features of comedy, social drama and political pamphlet.-Cast:* Anatoli Ktorov - C, the Prince...
(1934) - Revolt of the Fishermen (Восстание рыбаков, 1934)
- Гибель сенсации (1935)
- The Government Inspector (Ревизор, 1936)
- Рыцари гусиного пера (1936)
- Приключения Петрушки ("Петрушка-иностранец") (1936)
- Друзья из табора (1938)
- Семья Оппенгейм (1938)
- Stepan Razin (Степан Разин, 1939)
- Золотой ключик (1939)
- Дезертир (1939)
- Ветер с востока (1940)
- Антон Иванович сердится (1941)
- Самый храбрый (1941)
- Волшебное зерно (1941)
- Карьера лейтенанта Гоппа (1942)
- Швейк готовится к бою (1942)
- Юные партизаны (1942)
- Lermontov (Лермонтов, 1943)
- We from the UralsWe from the UralsWe from the Urals is a 1943 Soviet film directed by Lev Kuleshov and Aleksandra Khokhlova.-Cast:* Aleksei Konsovsky - Kuzia Zavarin* Yanina Zhejmo - Vera Zavarina* Sergei Filippov - Specialized worker* Aleksandr Mikhajlov - Vania Tomakurov...
(1943) - Новые похождения Швейка ("Солдатская сказка") (1943)
- Свадьба (1944)
- Сильва (1944)
- Secret AgentSecret Agent (1947 film)Secret Agent is a 1947 Soviet spy film directed by Boris Barnet based on a novel The deed remains unknown by Mikhail Maklyarsky with Pavel Kadochnikov in the leading role...
(Подвиг разведчика, 1947) - Третий ударThe Third Blow-Plot:On April 1944, Joseph Stalin orders the Red Army to liberate the Crimea from the German occupiers. The Wehrmacht's local commanders beg Hitler to allow them to retreat from the vulnerable position, but he refuses...
("Южный узел") (1948) - Przhevalsky (Пржевальский, 1951)
- SadkoSadkoSadko is a Russian medieval epic . The title character is an adventurer, merchant and gusli musician from Novgorod.-Synopsis:Sadko played the gusli on the shores of a lake. The Sea Tsar enjoyed his music, and offered to help him...
(1952) - Корабли штурмуют бастионы (1953)
- Сеанс гипноза (1953)
- Безумный день (1956)
- Ilya MurometsIlya Muromets (film)Ilya Muromets , known in the US as The Sword and the Dragon and in the UK as The Epic Hero and the Beast , is a Russian fantasy film directed by the noted fantasy director Aleksandr Ptushko, made at Mosfilm and released in 1956. It is based on the byliny tales of the bogatyr Ilya Muromets...
(1956) - The IdiotThe Idiot (novel)The Idiot is a novel written by 19th century Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It was first published serially in The Russian Messenger between 1868 and 1869. The Idiot is ranked beside some of Dostoyevsky's other works as one of the most brilliant literary achievements of the "Golden Age" of...
(Идиот ("Настасья Филипповна"), 1958) - В нашем городе (1959)
- Черноморочка (1959)
- Произведение искусства (1959)
- Спасите наши души (1960)
- Scarlet SailsScarlet Sails (film)Scarlet Sails is a 1961 Soviet film produced by Mosfilm and directed by Alexandr Ptushko. It is based on Alexander Grin's 1923 adventure novel of the same name and stars Vasily Lanovoy and Anastasiya Vertinskaya. The story is a romantic fantasy and is described as a "fairy tale", though it...
(Алые паруса, 1961) - Вечера на хуторе близ Диканьки ("Ночь перед рождеством") (1961)
- Вольный ветер (1961)
- Веселые истории (1962)
- Знакомый адрес (1963)
- Укротители велосипедов (1964)
- Москва-Генуя (1964)
- Сказка о Мальчише-Кибальчише (1964)
- Сказка о потерянном времени (1964)
- Спящий лев (1965)
- Иные нынче времена (1966)
- The Dream of a Ridiculous ManThe Dream of a Ridiculous Man"The Dream of a Ridiculous Man" is a short story by Fyodor Dostoyevsky written in 1877. It chronicles the experiences of a man who decides that there is nothing to live for in the world, and is therefore determined to commit suicide...
(Дядюшкин сон, 1966) - Сказка о царе Салтане (1966)
- Калиф-аист (1968)
- Улыбнись соседу (1968)
- Время счастливых находок (1969)
- В тридевятом царстве (1970)
- Летние сны (1972)
- Ruslan and LyudmilaRuslan and Lyudmila (film)Ruslan and Ludmila is a 1972 film directed by Aleksandr Ptushko. Based on the poem of the same name written by Alexander Pushkin in 1820.- External links :* "." at Cinema Strikes Back...
(Руслан и Людмила, 1972) - Города и годы (1973)
- Большой аттракцион (1974)
- Вооружен и очень опасен (1977)
- Новые приключения капитана Врунгеля (1978)
- Ярославна, королева Франции (1978)
- The Hound of the BaskervillesThe Hound of the Baskervilles (1981 film)The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1981 Soviet film adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. It was the third installment in the TV series about adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson...
(Приключения Шерлока Холмса и доктора Ватсона. Собака Баскервилей, 1981) - И жизнь, и слезы, и любовь... (1984)