One of the cult actors of Soviet cinema, an all-Union favorite - Evgeny Zharikov. Biography, personal life, filmography, he is interested in millions of fans today. In the article we will tell about the life and work of this actor.
Childhood and youth
Eugene is the sixth and youngest child in a large family. Born February 26, 1941 in Moscow. Father - Ilya Melakhievich, born 1911, writer. Mother - Anna Grigoryevna, born 1910, a teacher of Russian language and literature.
The time was difficult, hungry, so the boy was sent to a grandfather and grandmother in a village near Zagorsk (Moscow Region). Grandfather earnestly taught his grandson prayers, forced to work from early childhood. At the age of six, the boy already knew how to chop wood, confidently rode on horseback, planed, soldered, sharpened. He was very useful in craftsmanship and horse riding in the future, when he easily coped with the director's tasks in a frame to jump on a horse or portray a craftsman.
When his son grew up, his parents took him to Moscow and began to educate him. Intelligent people, they instilled in him a good taste, a love of reading and art. Mother and father were sure that the further biography of Evgeny Zharikov would be connected with the technical profession. But he secretly from all submitted documents to the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography and entered the first time on the course of S. Gerasimov and T. Makarova.
The beginning of the creative path
In 1959, Evgeny Zharikov, whose biography is described in the article, became a first-year student at VGIK. He studied hard, with great desire. Already in the second year of study, a beautiful, stately, cheerful and talented student attracted the attention of director Julius Raizman, who invited him to star in the socio-psychological drama "And if it's love." The beginning actor Evgeny Zharikov coped with the role very well, his debut was warmly received by critics.
In 1962, director Andrei Tarkovsky offers Eugene one of the main roles in his film "Ivan's Childhood". The artist justified the confidence and brilliantly played Lieutenant Galtsev.
But the biography of Yevgeny Zharikov as the favorite actor of millions of Soviet citizens begins to be written in 1963, when he starred in the famous comedy “3 + 2” by Heinrich Oganisyan as a diplomat Vadim. The film took 4th place at the box office, it was watched by 35 million viewers! Such an incredible audience success brought the picture a wonderful game of wonderful cast - Natalya Kustinskaya and Natalya Fateeva, Andrei Mironov, Gennady Nilov and Evgeny Zharikov. The hero of our article, decades later, admitted that he had more than once the idea to remove the continuation of the picture, in which the heroes would meet again.
Active creative life
After graduating from VGIK in 1964, the biography of Yevgeny Zharikov, an artist by that time already very famous, made an unexpected turn. The Soviet actor was invited to star in the GDR. Zhenya agreed and got the main role in the 62-episode Russian for You film.
He returned to his homeland after 2 years and immediately began to receive a lot of offers from domestic directors. The shooting schedule was very busy. In the period from 1966 to 2011, he starred in 60 films, including in such famous films as “The Seller of the Air” (1966), “The Snow Maiden” (1968), “Near These Windows” (1973), “It Cannot Be” (1975), “A Long Road in the Dunes” (1980), “Quiet Waters Deep” (1984), “Private Detective, or Operation“ Cooperation ”(1989),“ Kill the Jackal ”(1991),“ Gray Wolves ”( 1993), “Trotsky” (1993), “Boulevard Novel” (1994), “Young Lady Peasant” (1995), “Love in Russian-2” (1996), “Love in Russian-3” (1999) , “Transit for the Devil” (1999), “The Perfect Couple” (2001), “Bless the Woman” (2003).
In addition to filming a movie, the actor played in the Moscow Theater Studio of a film actor, was engaged in dubbing (in his portfolio more than 200 works on duplicating foreign films).
Social activity
Evgeny Ilyich was actively involved in social activities:
- 1988-2000 - President of the Guild of Film Actors of Russia;
- Full member of the Nika Film Academy;
- Secretary of the Cinematographic Union of Moscow;
- Secretary of the Cinematographic Union of Russia;
- founder of the Charity Actors Foundation, a charity organization;
- member of the International Club of Detectives;
- member of the executive committee of the FIA - International Federation of Actors;
- organizer of the constellation acting festival.
“Born of the Revolution”
Special attention deserves the 10-episode film "Born of the Revolution" directed by Gregory Cohan. In this series, one of the first in Soviet cinema, the famous actor, the hero of our article, played the main role - policeman Nikolai Kondratiev. The role was difficult not only emotionally, but also because it took 60 years of life on the screen: the main character in the first episode is 17 years old, and in the last - 77. In the end, the actor’s hard work led to a heart attack.
The Soviet audience received a wonderful film, and the creative biography of Evgeny Zharikov replenished with a star role. After the release of the film on the screen, the actor became incredibly popular. He was recognized on the streets, on a tour in Chita, an enthusiastic crowd shook in his hands, and Zharikov’s face was associated with the Soviet police even decades later.
In addition to the legendary popularity, the film “Born of the Revolution” became fateful for the actor. On samples, he made an offer to Natalya Gvozdikova, then still a novice actress, whom he met on the set of the film “Near these Windows”.
Wife, lover, children
The creative biography of Yevgeny Zharikov is impeccable, which cannot be said about his personal life. He entered into marriage with Natalia Gvozdikova in 1974. They lived together heart and soul for 31 years, raised their son Fedor, and suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, in 2001, journalist Tatyana Sekridova, born 1960 publicly declares that since 1994 she has an affair with Zharikov. During the 7-year relationship, two children were born to the lovers: son Sergei and daughter Katya. To which the actor replied that he loved only his wife Natalia, and the connection with Secridova was only an attraction of the flesh. Many found this answer unworthy and offensive to the one who became the mother of two children of Zharikov. Because of their young age, children did not react to such a statement by the pope. No comments about the fact that they are not the fruit of love, but only a mistake, as they matured and understood the situation, they also did not give.
Natalia Gvozdikova generously forgave her husband, kept the family. It is sad that the generous Gvozdikova didn’t let the children from Sekridova go to Zharikov’s funeral, didn’t let them say goodbye to her father and take him on the last trip. Innocent children pay for the sins of their parents ...
Final word
Actor Evgeny Zharikov (years of life - 1941-2012) is one of the greatest actors of the Soviet cinema era. His work is relevant to this day. Modern youth is happy to watch the ideological series “Born of the Revolution” and laughs at the heroes of the comedy “Three Plus Two”. His creativity was seemingly inexhaustible. If a cruel disease (oncology) did not take him to the grave, Evgeny Zharikov, whose biography is described in the article, would continue to appear, share the secrets of acting with young talents, perhaps he would declare himself as a director.