Veniamin Smekhov


Veniamin Borisovich Smekhov is a Soviet and Russian actor of stage and screen, and a director of the stage, television and documentary film. He was the winner of the Petropol Award as well as the Tsarskoselsky Artistic Prize. He refused the title of People's Artist of Russia, which was offered to him on his 70th birthday.
Smekhov has long worked in the Moscow Taganka Theatre where his roles included Woland in a stage adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita. His portrayal of the main antagonist of the story is considered to be the best of any adaption of the novel. In film, he is best known and loved for the role of Athos in a Russian version of The Three Musketeers and its sequels. He also has written children's poetry, scripts, memoirs and comedic materials.

Family

Veniamin Smekhov spent his childhood in Moscow on Second Meshchansky Street. He saw his father only after he returned from the war in 1945. From 1947 to 1957 he was a student at School № 235 on Pal'chikov Lane where he was a part of the Palace of Pioneers drama club. V.E. Struchkova led the club and Rolan Biykov worked with the students. In 1957 Veniamin was accepted into the B.V. Shchukin Theatre School, the conservatory of the E. Vakhtangov Theatre. He studied in the class of V.A. Etush. It was Veniamin's uncle, Lev Smekhov, who encouraged him to study at the school. In 1959 he was removed from his class and began the second year of study as an auditor. This was a probationary measure. In April of 1959 he regained his student status. His graduation performances included Moliere's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme in which he played Covielle, and Ostrovsky's Warm Heart in which he played Narkis.
In 1961 Veniamin graduated from acting school and was sent to the Kuybiyshevsky Drama Theatre where he worked for one year. Upon his return to Moscow in 1962, director A.K. Plotnikov accepted him into the Moscow Theatre of Drama and Comedy. In 1964 Yuri Lyubimov became head director of the theatre. Lyubimov reorganized the theatre and it became the Taganka Theatre. From 1985 to 1987 Veniamin worked in the Sovremennik Theatre where he, along with Leonid Filatov and Vitaly Shapovalov, fled after Lyubimov's expulsion from the Soviet Union. Veniamin returned to the Taganka Theatre in 1987 and worked there until 1998.
Veniamin began acting in films in 1968, but he gained widespread popularity after playing the role of Athos in the famous made-for-television film d'Artagnan' and the Three Musketeers,filmed at the Odessa Film Studio in 1978. He played Athos in all of the followup films as well.
In 1967 he began working as a freelance television director at Gostelradio USSR, the main producer of literary-drama programs. His first work was the teleplay Mayakovsky's Day. It was based on his own script and aired as a part of the Poetic Theatre series. In 1990 he began directing theatre performances, operas and made-for-television films in Russia and abroad, and he taught acting for several years in American universities. During this time he continued to act at the Taganka Theatre when he was in Russia.
In America Veniamin released a series of compact disks, The Library of Russian Classics, in 1998. He has made around 20 solo audio books as well as a large collection of audio book compilations.
In 2011 Veniamin returned to the Taganka Theatre as a guest actor and director. He reprised the role of Woland in Master and Margarita on two occasions that included a dedication performance in memory of actor Vsevolod Sobolev and the 50th anniversary of the Taganka Theatre. He currently performs as an actor in two poetic performances No Years and The Spine of the Flute. He lives in Moscow and very frequently tours with his performances and evenings of poetry. Veniamin also makes poetic programs and documentary films for television. He is also the author of several books of both poetry and prose, and memoirs. He has called himself an actor, director, writer and traveler. Veniamin has participated in theatrical online readings of the works of Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy and Mikhail Bulgakov, including Chekhov Is Alive, War and Peace. We Read the Novel and a Google-Reading of Master and Margarita. I Was There.

Theatre Roles

Shchukin Theatre School
* Cruelty - author Nilin,
* Man With A Gun - Chibisov,
* Ward № 6 - Ivan Dmitrich,
* The Minor - Adam Adamiych Vral'man
* Warm Heart - Narkis,
* Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Covielle,
The "Gorky" Kuybiyshevsky Drama Theatre
* Ocean A. Stein, directed by P. Monastiyrsky - Chasovnikov
* Be Careful of Falling Leaves S. Mikhailkov, directed by P. Monastiyrsky - Lieutenant Yura
* Egor Buliychev M. Gorky, directed by A. Grinich - Dostigaev
* Story Nights I. Tumanovskaya - journalist Kalitin
* Person Nearby V. Mol'ko, directed by Y. Kirzhner - Boris
* Richard III W. Shakespeare, directed by P. Monastiyrsky - Katsby
Moscow Theatre of Drama and Comedy
* Blizzard L. Leonov, directed by A. Plotnikov - M. Nayazmetov
* Show America S. Larionov, directed by P. Fomenko - Columbus № 2
* The Truth Comes Home I. Kallan, directed by Y. Gubenko - Son
* Microdistrict L. Karelin, directed by P. Fomenko - performed in an episode
* Tale of the Soldier and the Snake T. Grabbe, directed by Petrova - Doctor
Taganka Moscow Theatre of Drama and Comedy
* The Good Person of Szechwan B. Brecht, directed by Y. Lyubimov - 3rd God
* Hero of Our Time M. Lermontov, stage adaptation by N. Erdman and Y. Lyubimov, directed by Y. Lyubimov - Author, Officer
* Jean the Brave T. Grabbe, directed by B. Breev - Doctor
* Cow N. Khikmet, directed by P. Fomenko - Engaged Captain
* The Suicide Victim N. Erdman, directed by Y. Lyubimov
* Ten Days That Shook the World J. Reed, directed by Y. Lyubimov - Senator, Passerby With a Cane, Delegate of the Duma, Red Army Soldier, Soldier in the Trenches, Face of the Swamp, Minister
* The Fallen and the Living stage adaptation by D. Samoilev, Y. Lyubimov, B. Gribanov, directed by Y. Lyubimov, Peter Fomenko - I. Erenburg, B. Slutsky
* Anti-WorldsA. Voznesensky, directed by Y. Lyubimov
* Life of Galileo B. Brecht, directed by Y. Lyubimov - Curator Priuli, Cardinal Bellarmin
* Alive
* Listen! V. Mayakovsky, stage adaptation by Y. Lyubimov and V. Smekhov, directed by Y. Lyubimov - Mayakovsky-Cynic
* Pugachev S. Esenin - Official
* Mokinpott directed by Y. Lyubimov and M. Levitin - Lord God
* Tartuffe J. B. Moliere, directed by Yuri Lyubimov - Kleant
* Mother M. Gorky, directed by Yuri Lyubimov - Gendarme General
* Rush Hour E. Stavinsky, stage adaptation by V. Smekhov, directed by Y. Lyubimov - K. Maksimovich
* Watch Your Faces A. Voznesensky, directed by Y. Lyubimov
* Hamlet W. Shakespeare, directed by Y. Lyubimov - Claudius
* Under the Skin of the Statue of Liberty E. Evtushenko, directed by Y. Lyubimov, B. Glagolin, A. Vasil'ev, V. Smekhov, L. Filatov
* Comrade, Believe! A.S. Pushkin, stage adaptation by Y. Lyubimov and L. Tselinkovsky, directed by Yuri Lyubimov
* Benefit. Actors For A. Ostrovsky A. Ostrovsky, directed by Y. Lyubimov, B. Glagolin, A. Vil'kin, V. Smekhov
* Fasten Your Seat belts! stage adaptation by G. Baklonov and Yuri Lyubimov, directed by Yuri Lyubimov - Gera, Radio and Television Corresspondent
*Master and Margarita M. Bulgakov, directed by Y. Lyubimov, A. Vil'kin, B. Glagolin - Woland
* Cautionary Tale N. Gogol', directed by Y. Lyubimov, V. Smekhov - Plyushkin and Writer
* Searching For a Genre adapted for the stage and directed by Y. Lyubimov
* House On the Embankment Y. Trifonov, directed by Y. Lyubimov - D. Glebov
* Vladimir Viysotsky composed and directed by Y. Lyubimov
* Boris Godunov A.S. Pushkin, directed by Y. Lyubimov
* The Lower Depths M. Gorky, directed by A. Efros - Baron
Sovremennik Theatre
* Holy Bondage J.B. Moliere, directed by I. Kvashi -Ludwig the Great
* Twin M Roshchin, directed by G. Volchek - Kirill. Premiered in October 1986.
* Eastern Tribune A. Galin, directed by L. Kheyfets - Vadim, 1985.
* Dilettantes Premiered on December 1, 1987.
Taganka Theatre
* Vladimir Viysotsky composed and directed by Y. Lyubimov
* The Suicide Victim N. Erdman, directed by Y. Lyubimov, B. Glagolin, V Smekhov - Aristarkh Dominikovich Goloshchapov
* No Years E. Evtushenko, directed by V. Smekhov
* Spine of the Flute V. Mayakovsky, directed by G. Aksenova
Politheatre
* Waves V. Sorokin, directed by E. Boyakov
* Memory of Space Poetic One-Man Performance
* Twelve Poetic Evening-Performance
Gogol' Center
* Pasternak. My Sister - Life directed by M. Didenko

Filmography

Acting Roles
1. 1968 - Two Comrades Served - Baron Krauze
2. 1969 - The Air of Sovnarkom - Petrovsky
3. 1971 - Twenty Years Later - Aramis
4. 1976 - Smoke and the Baby - Smoke
5. 1977 - Middle of Life - Dennis
6. 1979 D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers - Athos
7. 1979 I Ask to Accuse Klava K. of My Death - Uncle Seva
8. 1983 The Story of Voyages - Local Don Quixote
9. 1984 Favorites of the Moon - episode
10. 1986 Seven Cries in the Ocean - Baron Porto
11. 1988 Puppy - Alexander, journalist for Komsomol'sky Truth
12. 1990 Trap For the Single Man - Maksimen
13. 1991 Fool - Benjamin Borever
14. 1992 Key - Alexander Brown
15. 1992 Musketeers Twenty Years Later - Athos
16. 1993 The Secret of Queen Anne or Musketeers Thirty Years Later - Athos
17. 1993 Breakfast With a View on El'brus - Sumarokov
18. 2004 Middle Age, Or All Men Are bas... - Alexander, Sonia's Admirer
19. 2007 The Captain's Children - Lev Goreyno
20. 2008 Montecristo - Ilia Orlov
21. 2008 The Magician Friend Is Flying In - Semen Semenovich
22. 2009 The Return of The Musketeers, Or the Treasure of Cardinal Mazarini - Athos
23. 2009 Proposed Circumstances - Georgiy Strunin, Director
24. 2011 Furtseva - Peter Vladimirovich Boguslavsky
25. 2011 Countertrig - Baron von Libenfel's, Olaf's Uncle
26. 2012 The Toy Salesman - Ivan Polikarpovich, Professor
27. 2013 Finding a Husband In the Big City - Alexander Gordeev, Lisa's Father
28. 2014 Spiral - Yakob Arnol'dovich
29. 2014 The Frog Princess - Kashcheev
30. 2014 Bones - Vitaliy Borisovich Deykevich
31. 2016 ' - Luka Sergeyevich
Television Productions
1. 1965 - The Room
2. 1965 - Four Friends and the Magic Slippers
3. 1969 - Khafiz
4. 1971 - Twenty Years Later - Aramis
5. 1972 - The Magician From Shiraz - Khafiz
6. 1983 - Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves - Mustafa
7. 1983 - Monsieur Lenoir, Who... - Victor Lenoir
8. 1984 - The Life and Books of Alexander Green - Visitor, Til's, Bill, Read-Headed Young Man, Guard
9. 1984 - Ten Jazz Scenes Based on Macbeth - Macbeth
10. 2002 - Willy-Nilly Doctor - Sganarel'
11. 2016 - Disturber of the Peace - Hussein Guslia
Director
1. 1967 - Mayakovsky's Day
2. 1971 - First Songs - Last Songs
3. 1972 - Magician From Shiraz
4. 1973 - Frederick Moro
5. 1982 - Gentlemen From Congress
6. 1985 - The Sorochinsky Market
7. 2002 - Willy-Nilly Doctor
8. 2013 - Movie Star Between the Hammer and Sickle
9. 2013 - Vladimir Tendryakov. A Portrait In the Background of Time
10. 2015 - The Last Poet of the Great War
11. 2015 - Boris Zaborov. Searching For Lost Time
12. 2016 - Archives. Film 1. Alexander Dovzhenko and Yulia Solntseva
13. 2016 - Archives. Film 2. Elem Klimov and Larisa Shepit'ko
Scenarist
1. 1967 - Mayakovsky's Day
2. 1971 - First Songs - Last Songs
3. 1972 - Magician From Shiraz
4. 1983 - Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
5. 1985 - Sorochinsky Market
6. 2013 - Movie Star Between the Hammer and Sickle
7. 2013 - Vladimir Tendryakov. A Portrait In the Background of Time
8. 2014 - Volcano Theatre
9. 2015 - The Last Poet of the Great War
10. 2016 - Archives. Film 1. Alexander Dovzhenko and Yulia Solntseva
11. 2016 - Archives. Film 2. Elem Klimov and Larisa Shepit'ko
Voice Work
1. 1971 - Good!
2. 1970 - Late Child - text from the author
3. 1973 - Mayakovsky On Love - reads poetry
4. 1978 - A Lucky Person - behind the scenes text
5. 1979 - Call of the Fading Summer - behind the scenes text
6. 1987 - Face To Face With Height - speaker
7. 2003 - Bowl - text from the author
8. 2003 - Preserve Everything That Is Dear.., Or Erdman and Stepanova: A Double Portrait In the Interior of An Era - reads for Nikolai Erdman
9. 2008 - Hostages of the Future - behind the scenes text
10. 2009 - A Room and a Half, Or Sentimental Travels to the Homeland - text from the author
11. 2009 - Great Novgorod - Motherland of Russia - behind the scenes text
12. 2009 - Great Novgorod in Russia's History - behind the scenes text
13. 2011 - Participated in the voice work for the album, Blood Holiday, of the group The King and the Joker
14. 2012 - Participated in the voice work for the album, On the Edge, of the group The King and the Joker
15. 2013 - Terezine. Code of Life - - behind the scenes text
16. 2013 - I Am Zal - behind the scenes text
17. 2015 - Boris Zaborov. Searching For Lost Time - behind the scenes text
18. 2016 - Archives. Film 1. Alexandra Dovzhenko and Yulia Sol'ntseva - behind the scenes text
19. 2016 - Archives. Film 2. Elem Klimov and Larisa Shepit'ko
Dubbing
1. 1974 - Agonia - King Andronnikov
2. 1976 - Pastoral
3. 1976 - Only the Wind Knows the Answer - Kessler
4. 1982 - The Chosen Ones - Dr. Fausto
5. 1983 - Paul Gauguin
6. 1987 - Pretender - Dino Castello
7. 2017 - The Death of Stalin - Vyacheslav Molotov
Animation Voice Artist
1. 1969 - Mystery - Buff
2. 1974 - The Wizard of Oz - Bastinda
3. 1975 - What Do You Want?
4. 1979 - The Adventures of Captain Vrungel - Admiral, Commander of Sea Maneuvers
5. 2014 - Lelya and Min'ka - text from the author
6. 2014 - See the Music'' - Antonio Sverchinsky

Selected Audio Books