Karandash
Mikhail Nikolayevich Rumyantsev (Russian: Михаи́л Никола́евич Румя́нцев; 10 December 1901 – 31 March 1983), better known under his stage name Karandash (Russian: Каранда́ш which means pencil), was a famous Soviet clown.[1][2] He was a People's Artist of the USSR and a Hero of Socialist Labour, and was the teacher of the famous Russian clowns Oleg Popov and Yuri Nikulin.[3][4]
Family life
[edit]Rumyantsev was born in Saint Petersburg, and had two younger siblings, brother Kostya and sister Lena.[2] His mother died when he was six.
Rumyantsev had at least two daughters.[3]
Career as clown
[edit]
Starting his career in the circus arena as the imitator of Charlie Chaplin, Mikhail Rumyantsev then abandoned it for, or rather, transformed that part into his would-be renowned image of Karandash always accompanied with his hallmark Scottish Terrier named Klyaksa (which means blot).
He enjoyed immense popularity with the Soviet audience and often gathered full houses all over the country. He had courage to ridicule such topics as religion, alcohol, fascism and even Soviet regime.[5]
Rumyantsev taught his profession to both Oleg Popov and Yuri Nikulin.[6]
During World War II, Rumyantsev toured on frontiers and mocked fascist forces to raise soldiers’ morale.[7][8]
In 1960, he toured South America with the Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard.[7][9]
Altogether, Karandash had worked in the circus for 55 years, the last time he appeared in the arena was just two weeks prior to his death.
The Moscow Circus School was named after him.[10]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Biography in Italian Archived 2007-08-29 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 27 April 2007.
- ^ a b Biography in Russian, retrieved 27 April 2007.
- ^ a b Monument to legendary clown Karandash to open in Gomel June 1, 2006 Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Official site of Gomel Oblast, retrieved 27 April 2007.
- ^ History of clowns in Russia, retrieved 27 April 2007.
- ^ Stites 1992, p. 80.
- ^ Biography of Yuri Nikulin, retrieved on 27 April 2007.
- ^ a b Official site of Nikulin's circus. "РњРѕСЃРєРѕРІСЃРєРёР№ Цирк РЅР° ЦвеС'РЅРѕРј Р'ульваре". Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2007., retrieved on 27 April 2007.
- ^ "118 лет Карандашу: Главархив Москвы рассказывает о творчестве известного советского клоуна" [118 Anniversary of Karandash: Archives on Famous Soviet Clown] (in Russian). The official portal of the Moscow Mayor and Moscow Government. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ Reddest show on Earth, Time, 4 April 1960, retrieved on 27 April 2007.
- ^ Governmental Russian site about the school Archived 2011-10-01 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 30 April 2007.
Literature
[edit]- Stites, Richard (1992). Russian Popular Culture: Entertainment and Society Since 1900. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 80. ISBN 0-521-36986-X.
External links
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- 1901 births
- 1983 deaths
- 20th-century Russian male actors
- Entertainers from Saint Petersburg
- Male actors from Saint Petersburg
- Heroes of Socialist Labour
- Honored Artists of the RSFSR
- People's Artists of the RSFSR
- People's Artists of the USSR
- Recipients of the Order of Lenin
- Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
- Russian clowns
- Russian male film actors
- Soviet clowns
- Soviet people stubs
- Soviet male film actors
- Burials at Kuntsevo Cemetery