Andrey Rostotsky is an outstanding Soviet and Russian film actor and stuntman. It was in his last capacity that he became most famous. At the same time, this side of the activity caused the death of the actor. In 2002, Rostotsky died in the vicinity of Sochi, falling from a thirty-meter height near the Maiden’s Tears waterfall. At that moment, he was looking for a suitable place to shoot the movie “My Border”.
Russian Gerard Philip
So the French director Christian-Jacques spoke of him. He had such an impression of the Soviet actor after he watched the film “Hussar of the Flying Squadron,” where the very young Andrei Rostotsky played the role of Denis Davydov .
Biography (childhood and student years)
The actor was born in the family of the famous Soviet director Stanislav Rostotsky and the no less famous actress Nina Menshikova. And this significant event took place in Moscow, in 1957.
The future stuntman graduated from a good English special school, which later helped him to establish contacts with foreign colleagues. Already there he showed his strong-willed qualities. In particular, according to the memoirs of classmates and teachers, despite modest anthropometric data, Andrei Rostotsky (his height even in his mature years was about 160 cm) entered into any fight, for which he received the nickname Mad.
Even before graduation, he decided not to interrupt his family tradition and entered the studio of Sergei Bondarchuk at VGIK as a volunteer. In the future, the “movement against the system” did not weaken at all: after school, he continued his studies there, only as a full-fledged student, but often missed classes, acting in films. The teachers scolded him, reprimanded him, as if not understanding that Andrei Rostotsky was not just a student. They even tried to expel him. However, "suddenly" the leadership of the university found out that he received a prize for the role of Mitya in the film "We Did Not Pass It." The deductions did not work, and Andrei nevertheless received a diploma of higher education.
Stuntman
The first film with the participation of a young actor was a fun school-student drama. However, Andrei Rostotsky gravitated towards less "harmless" roles. In the same 1975, he starred in the movie "They Fought for the Homeland," in which he performed his first stunt. In the picture, his hero dies under a German tank, in the last seconds managing to set him on fire. The scene turned out to be extremely spectacular, and no one has yet been able to repeat this Rostotsky trick. So the actor was carried away by risky shootings in which heroes often balance on the verge of life and death.
Both the military and the actor
Andrei Rostotsky, of course, served in the army. But there he continued to act in films. The fact is that he entered the 11th separate cavalry regiment - a unit created specifically for filming. The project was initiated by the same Sergey Bondarchuk. So Rostotsky paid his debt to his homeland, not looking up from his main profession. The "partner" of the actor on the set at that time was a horse named Record, which can be seen in the movie "The End of the Taiga Emperor."
“Hussar of Flying Squadron” is a film in which Rostotsky also starred during military service, so he did it for free. However, his father was "in charge" of the film, so the Rostotsky family still did not remain without an award.
90s
In the dashing post-perestroika years, Andrei Rostotsky was finally carried away by martial arts, complex tricks and displaying them in films. Fortunately, at that time video cassettes with action movies in Hollywood became available in our country. In addition, Andrew began to teach fencing and stage combat in one of the capital's commercial universities. He also created television programs on the Russian Army, founded his own film studio “Dar” (“Friends of Andrei Rostotsky”), and was deputy director general of the Russian Research and Travel Fund. He continued to act in films, and he had the chance to play Count Sheremetev, and Nikolai the Second, and Kulibin ... though, not quite that Kulibin, but his distant descendant living in modern Russia (this is the television mini-series "House").
The death of the actor
Andrei Rostotsky, films with the participation of which the whole country adored, unfortunately lived only 45 years. He did not have time to grow old and survived his no less outstanding father for only a year.
Some suggested that on the unfortunate day of his death, the actor was intoxicated. However, those who were with him in the last hours of his life and the night before said that actor Rostotsky Andrey drank nothing at all. Thus, he suffered an accident.
According to eyewitnesses, Andrei climbed onto a steep slope without insurance, apparently relying on his excellent sports training and vast stunt experience. Unexpectedly for everyone, he fell down from a forty-meter cliff. Around 16:00 on May 5, 2002, with numerous injuries and fractures, he was taken to the Khostinsky hospital. Despite all the efforts of doctors, on the evening of Holy Easter A. Rostotsky died after a difficult operation, never regaining consciousness. All the beloved actor was buried on May 8 at the Vagankovsky cemetery in Moscow. Fresh flowers always lie on his grave.
"Country of Conan Barbara"
In the filmography of Andrei Rostotsky there is also a film that, for reasons not entirely clear, was not shown in our country. This is “The Country of Conan Barbarian” - a movie based on the actor’s expedition to the Crimea, during which he searched for traces of the Cimmerian civilization. Material has been sold overseas. Whether we will ever see him is unknown.
Personal life and children of Andrei Rostotsky
In 1977, when the actor was only 20 years old, he had a daughter from an extramarital affair with an adult woman. Rostotsky recognized the child and regularly paid the girl the child support due to her.
He first married in 1980. His wife was actress Marina Yakovleva, whom Rostotsky met during the filming of the film “Hussar of the Flying Squadron.” The union was short-lived, and no joint children were born to the spouses. There were rumors that the cause of the divorce was the sex symbol of Soviet cinema - Elena Kondulainen.
The second marriage was longer and happier. Andrei Rostotsky married his neighbor Mariyana. Their families were friends for a long time, and the actor’s parents were delighted with the choice of a son. In 1989, Maryana gave birth to Andrei daughter Olga. The girl graduated from VGIK and received the profession of producer.
The interests of the actor and interesting facts from his biography
Andrey Rostotsky - actor, stuntman, director, professional athlete (candidate for master of sports in equestrian triathlon). He was likable and more "simple" male joys - hunting and fishing. However, even he approached them in a sporting way. In particular, he performed at fishing competitions. He also owned the craft of a carpenter: he made home furniture, pipes and other wooden things.
Awards
Over the 45 years of his life, Andrei Rostotsky received many awards. Among them:
- Prize of the 1979 All-Union Film Festival for the painting “We Did Not Pass This”;
- title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1991);
- Lenin Komsomol Prize;
- medal “To the 850th anniversary of Moscow”;
- title of honorary cinematographer of Russia;
- silver medal them. A. Dovzhenko;
- Prize of the KGB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR;
- honorary badge "Labor valor" of the Komsomol Central Committee.
Andrei Rostotsky, whose films are still watched with pleasure by spectators of different generations, lived a short but vibrant life. He left behind an impressive list of interesting roles and a good memory, and this, you see, is very much!