Fifteen years ago, Vadim Tonkov, Honored Artist of Russia , a member of the comic duo Veronika Mavrikievna and Avdotya Nikitichny, the owner of truly all-Union fame, died. It is hard to imagine that the performances of artists were raised by thousands of stadiums, the Brezhnev family invited them to private parties, and the dialogs were sorted out by quotes after each appearance on a blue screen. Who is Vadim Tonkov, whose photo is presented in the article, and how did deafening popularity come to him?
Biography Pages
Vadim Tonkov was lucky to be born in an intelligent family. Having been born in 1932, he no longer found alive his grandfather, whom he looked like, an outstanding architect Fedor Osipovich Shekhtel. His mother and aunt were artists, his father worked in the State Planning Commission, and the young man predicted a career as a lawyer. All that changed was a visit to a theater club, where Boris Vladimirov, a future pop partner, and a girl named Marta, who later became his wife, were engaged in it. Vadim Tonkov and Boris Vladimirov, upon admission to GITIS, were immediately enrolled in the second year, which was very rare.
Speaking together on skits and in student scenes, friends after graduating in 1953 parted for some time: Tonkov was sent to the army, and Vladimirov, who graduated from the directing department, began to realize the idea of creating a pop theater, which went down in history under the name “Komsomolsky patrol”. Vadim Tonkov began his career with the Lenkom Theater in Moscow under the direction of M. Zakharov. Having a family by that time, he needed the money, so he agreed to Vladimirov’s offer to enter the staff of his new theater, with a good fee, without hesitation.
Star duet
The duet began with a performance in A. Shirvindt’s television program “Terem-Teremok” on January 1, 1971. Representing in the image of two old women: intelligent, out of this world (“God’s dandelion” is spoken about), and malicious, rustic, not different in knowledge, Vadim Tonkov and Boris Vladimirov conducted a dialogue under the Christmas tree in anticipation of the grandchildren they brought for the holiday. The next morning they woke up famous people whose statements were quoted in all Soviet cuisines. The author of the text was Tonkov himself, although later reprisals were written by G. Gorin, A. Arkanov, V. Ardov. Characteristically, female images were created without changing clothes, a scarf, glasses, and an absurd hat with a wig appeared on the heads of the actors.
The success of the duet was based on magnificent humor, built on the contrast of two grandmothers who engage in constant polemics and find themselves in ironic situations. Tonkov’s wife describes that the types were written off from aunt Vadim Sergeyevich, who was born before the revolution and poorly understands which country she has to live in, and housekeeper Vary, her absolute opposite. A. Schirvindt, however, believes that his grandmother and the nanny, leading comic conversations in the common kitchen, became the prototype. This once again confirms that the actors ingeniously fell into an image recognizable and loved by the audience.
"Grandmothers in two said ..."
Speaking in all significant concerts and regularly appearing at the festive Blue Lights, Vadim Tonkov, an actor in a drama school, soon became a hostage to the created image of Mavrikievna, however, like his partner Nikitichny. Being at the peak of deafening popularity, both were faced with the fact that without make-up they remain completely unrecognizable for a simple spectator. In this contrast, V. Kharchenko and Y. Klebanov in 1979 made a comedy film "Grandmothers in two said ...", which premiered on television on the eve of the New Year 1980.
The plot is built on the magical transportation of images by a brilliant inventor (Vladimir Basov), who created two “Galateas” - Mavrikievna and Nikitichna. Actors face their characters during the tour. Watching from the outside for the love and recognition of the public to their heroines, they themselves endure hardships and inconveniences, which causes a sincere laugh of the viewer. Wonderful actors starred in the film: in addition to Basov, Oleg Anofriev and Nikolai Rybnikov, Evgeny Vesnik and Natalya Bondarchuk, which speaks of recognizing the talent of a unique duet. For the first time for the role of Tonkov and Vladimirov they put on women's costumes, which puts them on a par with the best masters of reincarnation in the history of cinematography.
Duo breakup
Despite the promising words of Mavrikievna Tonkov and Vladimirov in the 1979 feature film: “We are rushing through the years and will be together forever,” in 1982 the creative union of two prominent actors broke up. Although the image forever remained in the hearts of the audience. Friends did not quarrel and even continued to cooperate, but from this year the duo ceased to exist. Contemporaries talk of Vladimirov's addiction to alcohol, which led to the breakdown of concerts and feelings because of this more responsible partner. Vadim Tonkov voiced radio shows, wrote books on art, made pop programs, staged plays for children, and read poetry perfectly. But the audience again and again wanted to see him in the image of Mavrikievna.
The actor tried to perform alone, starred in the film "Old penalties for the main-2", but this was not perceived as clearly as in a duet. Therefore, he tried to find a partner in the person of Garry Grinevich, but this was a repeat that is always inferior to the original.
Leaving life
In 1988, Boris Vladimirov was gone. This death seriously affected Tonkov. He suffered another heart attack, the first of which happened at forty-six. He managed to outlive his friend for 12 years, but his departure was unexpected and painful for the family and the audience. During a training camp on a tour to the United States, where several concerts were to be performed as part of a creative group, the actor suffered a heart attack from which Vadim Sergeyevich would no longer be destined to recover. The group flew away without him, returning upon return the due fee to the widow and daughter of the artist.
Vadim Tonkov, a family for whom has always been in the first place, having lived in a happy marriage for more than fifty years, left a wonderful song for fans, which became the screen saver for the TV show “While Everyone is Home”.