Georgy Vitsin

Georgy Mikhailovich Vitsin (Russian: Гео́ргий Миха́йлович Ви́цин; April 23, 1918 – October 22, 2001) was a Soviet and Russian actor. People's Artist of the USSR (1990).

Biography

Born in St. Petersburg, then Petrograd, in 1918 (official data, in truth, he was born in Terijoki, former Finland, now Zelenogorsk near St. Petersburg, Russia), Vitsin enjoyed a long acting career and continued performing until close to the end of his life. Apart from playing with Nikulin and Morgunov, he appeared in dozens of films that earned him the adoration of millions.^[1]

Modest and sympathetic characters played by Vitsin evoked kindly feelings of viewers. At the same time the actor played in detective, historical and lyrical feature films.

His first film roles date to the 1940s.^[2] He gained nationwide popularity in the former Soviet Union with the emergence of a series of 1960s comedies by director Leonid Gaidai.^[2] He played the role of the Coward among a trio of colorful, scheming characters in such Gaidai movies as Bootleggers (1962), Operation Y and Other Adventures of Shurik (1965), and Kidnapping, Caucasian Style (1967). The last two subsequently beat the Soviet all time record of ticket sales. The trio of actors, including the late Yuri Nikulin and Yevgeny Morgunov, was "the most popular ensemble in the history of the national cinema."^[2] In 1990, he was awarded the top artistic title of the Soviet era, that of People's Artist of the Soviet Union.^[2]

In spite of the plenty of his characters Vitsin’s talent deserved something greater and he never played the major role of his life. “Vitsin is awfully gifted and both of us together are not worth his finger”, his partners Nikulin and Morgunov said about him.

According to an Oscar-winning film director Nikita Mikhalkov, Vitsin "was one of those rare people and actors whom upon meeting, you immediately feel as if they must know just as much about you as you know about them."^[1] According to Mikhalkov, Vitsin was also rare in that his popularity did not affect his personality. He was modest to the point that even in the years leading up to his death, when his financial circumstances were abysmal, he never asked for help.^[1] Russian media reported that Vitsin had declined into alcoholism and vagrancy but these reports were false.

During the last seven years of his life Georgi Vitsin did not act in films and appeared only in comic concerts of the Theatre of Film Actor.

On October 22, 2001 at 4:30 p.m. the People’s Artist of the Soviet Union died. Georgy Vitsin was buried at Vagankovo Cemetery, Moscow.

A monument to Georgi Vitsin was established in Zelenogorsk in 2008 marking the town’s 460th jubilee and the 90th anniversary since the actor’s birthday.

Filmography

1. 1945 — Hello Moscow! — railwayman
2. 1946 — The Great Glinka - spectator
3. 1951 — Belinsky — Nikolai Gogol
4. 1952 — Composer Glinka — Nikolai Gogol
5. 1954 — Odd Player — Vasia Vesnushkin
6. 1955 — The Mexican — Billy Carthey
7. 1955 — Maxim Perepelitsa — grandpa Musiy
8. 1955 — Twelfth Night — sir Andrew
9. 1956 — She Loves You — Kostya Kanareykin
10. 1956 — Murder on Dante Street — Pitu
11. 1957 — Борец и клоун — Enrico
12. 1957 — Don Quixote — Sanson Carrasco
13. 1957 — Новый аттракцион — Semion Iljich
14. 1958 — Жених с того света — Ficusov
15. 1958 — Девушка с гитарой — buyer
16. 1959 — Vasily Surikov — Ilya Repin
17. 1959 — Я был спутником Солнца
18. 1960 — End of old Beryozovka
19. 1961 — Dog Barbos and Unusual Cross — Coward
20. 1961 — Bootleggers — Coward
21. 1961 — Artist from Kokhanivka — Дед Кузьма
22. 1962 — Путь к причалу — интеллигент в вытрезвителе
23. 1962 — Strictly Business — Sam
24. 1963 — Short stories
25. 1963 — Kain XVIII — executioner
26. 1963 — Первый троллейбус — drunk man
27. 1963 — Blind Bird — train passenger
28. 1964 — Balzaminov's Marriage — Misha Balzaminov
29. 1964 — Зайчик — assistant director
30. 1964 — A Tale of Lost Times — evil wizard Andrew
31. 1964 — Весенние хлопоты — Дядя Пудя
32. 1965 — Дайте жалобную книгу — Coward
33. 1965 — Operation Y and Other Adventures of Shurik — Coward
34. 1965 — Дорога к морю
35. 1966 — Кто придумал колесо?
36. 1966 — Kidnapping, Caucasian Style — Coward
37. 1966 — The Formula of the Rainbow - Director of the toy factory
38. 1967 — Спасите утопающего
39. 1968 — Seven Old Men and One Girl — Coward
40. 1968 — Старая, старая сказка — wizard
41. 1969 — В тринадцатом часу ночи — Овинный
42. 1969 — Kabacjok "13 chairs" — pan Cypa
43. 1970 — Шаг с крыши — englishman
44. 1970 — Как мы искали Тишку — Petty Officer Stepanov
45. 1970 — Опекун — Tebenkov
46. 1971 — Весенняя сказка — Tsar Berendey
47. 1971 — The Twelve Chairs — монтёр Мечников
48. 1971 — Gentlemen of Fortune — Gavrila Sheremetev (Sad Sack)
49. 1971 — The Shadow — doctor
50. 1972 — Tobacco Captain — cook
51. 1972 — Смертный враг
52. 1973 — … А вы любили когда-нибудь? — Вторая бабушка и Олин папа
53. 1973 — The Sannikov Land — Ignaty
54. 1973 — Неисправимый лгун — Aleksey Ivanovich Tiutiurin
55. 1973 — Chipollino — lawer Vetch
56. 1974 — Дорогой мальчик — Macintosh
57. 1974 — Моя судьба — drunk man
58. 1974 — Северная рапсодия — seller
59. 1974 — Tsarevich Prosha — «King Katorz IX»
60. 1975 — Finest, the brave Falcon — Agafon
61. 1975 — Шаг навстречу — человек в буфете
62. 1975 — Автомобиль, скрипка и собака Клякса — Banjo/Guitar
63. 1975 — Не может быть! — daddy
64. 1975 — Большой аттракцион — Gankin
65. 1976 — Пастух Янка — Принц Кукимор
66. 1976 — Весёлое сновидение, или Смех и слёзы — Krivello
67. 1976 — Пока бьют часы — Дедушка, Великий садовник
68. 1976 — The Blue Bird — Sugar
69. 1976 — Twelve Chairs — Bezenchuk
70. 1977 — Маринка, Янка и тайны королевского замка — Prince Kukimor
71. 1977 — Солнце, снова солнце
72. 1980 — Borrowing Matchsticks — Tahvo Kenonen, tailor
73. 1980 — Комедия давно минувших дней — Coward
74. 1982 — Sorcerers — cat (voice)
75. 1985 — Соперницы — old man
76. 1985 — Dangerous for Your Life! — Alexander Chokolov
77. 1986 — Путешествие пана Кляксы
78. 1986 — Я вожатый форпоста
79. 1992 — Выстрел в гробу — Colonel Zakusnyak
80. 1993 — Бравые парни — Griboyedov
81. 1994 — Господа артисты — Nil Palych
82. 1994 — A Few Love Stories — Fornari
83. 1994 — Hagi-Tragger — Genrikh Yanovich

References

1. 1 2 3 In Brief: Beloved Comic Actor Vitsin Dies. Valeria Korchagina. The Moscow Times. p. 4. October 24, 2001.
2. 1 2 3 4 Obituaries; Passings; Georgy Vitsin, 83; Russian Movie, Theater Actor. Los Angeles Times. California; Part 2; Metro Desk; p. 15. October 25, 2001.

External links

• Georgy Vitsin at the Internet Movie Database
• Georgi Vitsin