Yevgeny Leonov: The tragic comedian, comic tragedian ..

He grew thick and clumsy child and this felt lonely. "What a calf" - patted the boy on the cheek adults. Fighting back tears, he ran away from home. Leonov suffered since childhood, because that appearance does not correspond to his inner "I". At heart he was a romantic hero.



When, trembling with excitement, Yevgeny Leonov read poetry unit before the selection committee of the Moscow theater studio, the committee members were crying with laughter. The young man was ready to sink into the ground. At the door, he heard: "Welcome to the studio. You are enrolled. " The selection committee could not see in it the dramatic hero, but I saw a comedian.
Student life with a romantic date and partying passed Leonov. Male company he tried to avoid. All ended with friendly gatherings that Eugene left, slamming the door. According to friends, he did not tolerate any aggression, hearing the slightest anger in his voice, he left the event.



With girls he also had an awkward relationship. Once at the party Leonov liked one young actress. They both retired to another room, but a few minutes later he jumped out of the apartment. Girl friends explained: "He wanted to kiss me, but I'm not allowed. And then he burst into tears, asked me for 2 rubles a taxi and fled. " The young actress did not meet him in return. He has learned to take it for granted and stopped paying attention to the girls.
After graduating from drama school in distribution Leonov hit the Stanislavsky Theatre. Directed at first did not notice it. The young actor played the nameless cooks, chauffeurs, servants. He was burning with shame and resentment: "I soon 30, why am I fooling myself which of my actor!" He was ready to put not a cross, but here in the theater was replaced by chief director. At this post he was appointed Mikhail Yanshin.



Suddenly all Yanshin Leonov gave Lariosik role in "Days of Turbin." Actor use this chance. Critics noticed the Lariosik. The day after the Prime Minister Yevgeny Leonov trembling hands opened the morning newspaper and read: "Lariosik - being sincere, clean, direct in expression of feelings. Simply impossible not to love and not regret it. Leonov brilliantly plays the love ».
Yevgeny Leonov was 31 years old when he finally found his love. He went along with the theater on tour in Sverdlovsk. On the day of arrival decided to wander around town and happened upon it. Girl named Wanda. He invited her to the show, she promised to think and to call him.
Waiting for the phone call was a real torment. He sat in the chair next to the phone 20 hours. She called, then came to the show, took the flowers from him, listened to poetry, has allowed himself to take a hand. "Amiss tailored, tightly sewn yes" - she decided to leave and agreed with the capital actor from his native Sverdlovsk.



In Moscow, Wanda entered GITIS at the Theatre Faculty. After a month of living together Leonov turned Sverdlovsk provincial girl in the most elegant woman in Moscow. From the outside it was a perfect family. He always talked about his wife, hastened to her, on the way home, be sure to buy a bouquet of flowers. However, the illusion was complete harmony.
In fact, in their family, husband and wife exchanged roles. She kept a clean house, perfectly cooked, ironed, washed clothes - she was a man of action and deeds proved his love. A Leonov no lunch could not replace the gentle word. He hoped that she would ever say, "I love you." He dreamed of a tender wife, and that kiss, and regret, and a pat on the head. And Wanda did not hug him, even when Happy birthday.



1959 proved to be the luckiest year in the life of the actor. Leonov son. Today Andrew plays in the same theater as his father. In the foyer Lenkoma their portraits hanging around. 50 years ago, Leonov was crying from happiness, Son, soul mate with whom you can talk about everything. Yevgeny Leonov unleashed on the boy all his love unclaimed. However, Andrew went to my mother, he hated calf tenderness, not sitting on his knees with his father, was pulled out of his embrace.
On tour Yevgeny Leonov flew usually with a pile of gifts and offended when his son, not looking up from the toys, muttering: "Hi, Dad." Leonov swallowing handfuls of sedative and blamed himself for the child indifferent to it. The fault he smoothed boundless kindness. He never put his son in the corner for being naughty.



The program of the "Alarm", which was conducted by Leonov wrote children from all over the Soviet Union. Children trust him their secrets, talked about their hobbies and complained that parents forbid start dog. They dreamed that their fathers were like Leonova, jealous of Andrew. However, the popularity of his father frightened son. Andrew enraged father's sermons: do not smoke, do not skip class, do not walk late. The son answered back and do things his way.
In 1959, film director Vladimir Fetin noticed Yevgeny Leonov in the theater and invited the role grief-tamer Shulelkin. This role in the movie "Striped flight" Leonov brought real glory. "I am the first of the actors showed his powerful back to the Soviet people," - says Eugene Pavlovich. When the film came out, Leonov instantly became a megastar, but the complex had not subsided.



After the "Striped flight" offers to star fell, as from a cornucopia. Scenarios were so many that he did not even have time to read them. He selects only the role that gave him the opportunity to be what he was embarrassed to be in everyday life: the defenseless and touching Travkin in the movie "Thirty-Three", passionately loving father in "Don story," good-natured photographer Volodya Oreshnikov in the movie "The Zigzag of Success ».
In 1963, at the Theater of Stanislavsky changed the principal director. In place Yanshina who gave Yevgeny Leonov first starring role came Boris Lvov-Anokhin. Relationship with him Leonov did not exist. Behind the back of the actor began scheming. Rumors spread that he criticizes the chief director. Leonov decided to go to the theater Mayakovsky, but continued to play their performances at the Theater of Stanislavsky.



Now he was not listed there in the state and passed on the statement as "Barnstormer." Shortly before Leonova heard rumors that the artists with whom he worked for many years, came to the leadership of the theater with a request not to invite him. When Eugene P. learned about these conversations, he suffered a minor heart attack first.
70 years - the peak acting career Yevgeny Leonov that no movie - that record for collecting: "Belarusian station", "Big Break," "Do not Cry", "The Zigzag of Success," "The Legend of Till", "Duenna" "Athos". And when the voice actors talking teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh, Leonov became literally a popular favorite. After the release of the film "Gentlemen of Fortune" to the huge army of fans to join his prisoners from Soviet prisons.



The most severe criticism for Leonova was himself. He believed that poorly played in the movie "On the Poor Hussar Say a Word", was confident that his image has not held a "Big Change," and lamented that "Associate Professor" in the "gentlemen of fortune" - is not that a funny character, as it seems the audience.
Uncertainty developed in him by his teacher Mikhail Yanshin. Everyone knew enough of one kind word to behind Leonova opened wings. But Yanshin had never praised. This really was the style at this director. Maybe that's why in Leonov settled eternal question: I'm doing something not quite good. Even when the press is admired, and the audience applauded, he always remembered: Yanshin scolded him: "No, he's right, I make people laugh too».



Leonov was the mascot of director George Danelia. Together they worked on 10 films. "Hopelessly Lost" - the only film in which he played a complete scoundrel. But after that, there were so many angry letters to the "Mosfilm", "How you show our favorite actor! Where the state is spending money! This handsome actor did a scoundrel! »
Once whiling away the evening in anticipation of Wanda, Leonov was reading the magazine "Soviet literature." Suddenly his heart ached, "This play is written about me!" He could not believe his eyes, as if someone looked in his diaries, as if someone had first realized it. Piece Alexander Vampilov "eldest son" begins with an evil joke of two young people.



Missed the last train, they began to look for a bed, but no one let them bask except Andrew Sarafanova. To spend the night, the guys went to the hype and was told that one of them - the illegitimate son Sarafanova. Sarafanov blindly believe lies and confidently took the first comer for his son. In the end, the young man confessed to cheating, but it was Sarafanova not matter, he still felt for him father's feelings.
When Leonov learned that on the play at one of the theaters to stage performances, then said: "I will go to the minister of culture and say that I want to play Sarafanova." But suddenly the director of the Leningrad Melnikov called the actor and said he wanted to make a film on this play. Young director anyone but Leonova, this role is not seen.



For Leonova Sarafanov - more than the coveted role. This is his favorite son Andriusha message. "My son is studying at the Institute of Theatre - said Yevgeny Leonov in an interview. - I am very pleased that he wanted to become an actor. What - nobody knows. In our profession, it can never be said. If I do not have time to tell him I'd like to tell him about it Sarafanov because better Sarafanova nobody will say ».
In 1975, Yevgeny Leonov scandal resigned from the Theater. Mayakovsky. It was a real emergency. Director Andrei Goncharov saw his actor Leonov in campaigning plot "buy fish rockcod».
Directed assembled troupe: "bony hand of hunger entirely strangled Yevgeny Pavlovich Leonov, skins or something, let the hat to artist rockcod not interrupt." Yevgeny Leonov was ready to cry from the hurtful words of chief director of the theater: "How could he think that I did it for the money!" He broke with the Mayakovsky Theater and went in Lenk, by Mark Zakharov.



Zakharov was invited Leonov almost every film. But the actor did not leave the anxiety that stars Lenkoma much younger Alexander Abdulov, Oleg Jankowski, Nicholas Karachentsov Alexander Zbruev. Leonov felt like a stranger among this youth theater. Yevgeny Leonov became increasingly complain about health. Doctors always said: you go to the hospital for examination. But what a hospital when Daneliya favorite director invited in the new movie "Kin-Dza-Dza!».



A year after these shootings Yevgeny Leonov went to Germany together with Theatre Lenk. On tour in Hamburg in the hotel room the actor suddenly became ill. The last thing he remembered - a hospital corridor and a sharp pain in the heart.
After heart surgery Leonov never regained consciousness. Son Andrew, who was with him on the road, on the same day called my mother. When Wanda arrived in Hamburg, the doctor said, "Call him here on earth. Hear - will be back, do not hear - do not come. " His wife sat at his feet and told him of her love, talked to him for days.



At Theatre Lenk just while playing the play "Juno and Avos". And director Zakharov suggested actors send energy Leonov, sing a song Alexei Rybnikov and thus to pray for him. On the 28th day coma Leonov opened his eyes. Next to him sat his wife. Fate gave him another chance to get rid of fear and loneliness - just live and believe that you are loved as much as you love what you need. But replacing one fears came other.
Leonov believed that due to the operation the worst is behind us. He was afraid to tell the truth, that the transplanted artery wear out quickly. Actor briefly lived in blissful ignorance. One day, when he came home from the theater, a fan ran up to him: "I am so sorry for you, you will soon go under the knife again," - she said. This meeting gave him no rest. He told me about this conversation in the hospital, hoping that at least someone will dispel his fears. However, the doctor confirmed that the effect of the operation for 8 years.



Leonov was very afraid of sudden death, afraid of being alone at home. In 1989 Yevgeny Leonov appeared grandson. The boy was named after his grandfather - Eugene. Favorite grandson was another cause for fear. Artist afraid that when he walks with his grandson, with him suddenly had an attack, and the child will be left alone in the street. Therefore, he always found an excuse to go home quickly. He feared that after his death his wife and son remain without money, so he worked 7 days a week. Doctors forbade him to go to concerts, but he continued to do it.
It happened January 29, 1994. Yevgeny Leonov going to a play and suddenly fell. Wanda thought he stepped on the leg, ran up to him, and he stood up and all - in one second he was gone. Arrived on call doctors said that the clot broke.



The performance did not take place. But no one has handed the tickets. All stocked candles and went to a nearby church, where stood a few hours. "When the funeral of Eugene Pavlovich - says actor Viktor Rakov, - it was very cold, people threw flowers frozen and shouted," Good-bye, Evgeny Pavlovich! "
When my grandfather died, the wife Leonov was 6 years old. Houses were all crying. Jack wet his finger and drew myself under the eye tears. He wanted to cry all, but did not know for what reason. "I was told that my grandfather had left it to us will not be able to come. But if you want, you can go to it at least every day, "- says the grandson.



Today Eugene Leonov studies in Theatre Institute in Sweden. In student productions he starred. Despite the accolades, Andrew is worried about the future of her son as well as his father had once worried about his fate. In general, he understands his father now more than ever: "I was left feeling that we are not a good long talk with my dad. Of course, I miss my father. Sometimes life flies by so quickly. Remembers all so silly, some quarrels. I would really like to ask him a lot ".