Georgiy Zhzhonov

President Vladimir Putin, himself a former KGB spy, decorating Georgiy Zhzhonov for his artistic portrayals of Soviet secret agents.

Georgiy Stepanovich Zhzhonov (Russian: Гео́ргий Степа́нович Жжёнов, IPA: [ɡʲɪˈorɡʲɪj sʲtʲɪˈpanəvʲɪdʑ ˈʐʐonəf]; March 22, 1915 – December 8, 2005) was a Soviet actor and writer.

Having matriculated from the Leningrad Circus Tekhnikum in 1932, he appeared in several movies, including the legendary Chapaev (1934).

In 1939, Zhzhonov was repressed and spent 15 years in the Siberian GULAG labour camps (particularly, as an inmate lorry driver in remote areas). When released in 1955, he started his film career anew and rose to become a People's Artist of the USSR in 1980. In a curious twist of fate, Zhzhonov was frequently cast in the roles of policemen and KGB agents. This Gulag victim was even awarded a special KGB prize for the screen versions of three novels by Yulian Semyonov. Zhzhonov was also invited to play Stierlitz, but declined for personal reasons.

During the Perestroika, Zhzhonov started publishing his own fiction. In the 1990s, he received many awards, including the Nika Award for lifelong career. A monument to him was opened in Chelyabinsk in 2000.

Zhzhonov spent his 90th birthday acting in the Soviet Army Theatre. Later that day, he was invited to the Kremlin to be invested with the highest civilian decoration of Russia. During a conversation that followed, President Putin admitted that Zhzhonov's roles had prompted him to become an intelligence officer.

Films

Georgiy Zhzhonov as Teryoshka in the film Chapayev. 1934.

Georgiy Zhzhonov as the Patrol officer in the film Beware of the Car. 1966. The postal card issued to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of the actor. Russian Post, 2015.

• 1931 - Road to Life
• 1932 - Oshibka geroya - Pavel Vetrov
• 1934 - Chapayev (Чапаев)
• 1934 - Naslednyy prints respubliki
• 1938 - Komsomolsk
• 1955 - Other People's Relatives
• 1957 - The Storm
• 1957 - Na ostrove dalnem
• 1958 - The Night Guest
• 1959 - Ispravlennomu verit - Braitsev
• 1960 - Chelovek ne sdayotsya
• 1960 - Baltic Skies: Part 2
• 1960 - Baltic Skies: Part 1
• 1961 - Vodil poyezda mashinist
• 1961 - The Day You Get 30 Years Old (День, когда исполняется 30 лет)
• 1962 - Planeta Bur (Планета Бурь)
• 1963 - The Third Flare (Третья ракета)
• 1964 - Bolshaya ruda
• 1964 - Silence
• 1965 - End of Squadron (Гибель эскадры)
• 1966 - The Man I Love - Muromtsev
• 1966 - Beware of the Car - Militiaman
• 1967 - Spring on the Oder - Ryzheusy
• 1967 - The Way To Saturn - Timerin
• 1967 - The Final Of Saturn - Timerin
• 1967 - Doktor Vera
• 1967 - Now You Judge (А теперь суди) - Arkadi Iskra
• 1967 - Stewardess - passenger-screenwriter
• 1968 - A Little Crane - Father Leonid
• 1968 - Dawn Dates (Встречи на рассвете)
• 1968 - Resident's Mistake (Ошибка резидента) - Mikhail Tulyev
• 1970 - Resident's Way (Судьба резидента) - Mikhail Tulyev
• 1971 - All The King's Men - Stark
• 1971 - The End of the Lyubavins (Конец Любавиных)
• 1972 - Tracer Element (Меченый атом)
• 1972 - The Hot Snow - Bessonov (Горячий снег)
• 1972 - Battle after the Victory (Бой после победы) - Timerin
• 1974 - Choosing Target (Выбор цели)
• 1974 - The Ocean
• 1974 - Looking for My Destiny
• 1975 - Obretesh v boyu
• 1977 - Poseidon Comes to Rescue - Chigrinov
• 1978 - The Cure Against Fear (Лекарство против страха)
• 1980 - Air Crew - Andrei Timchenko, Captain
• 1982 - Resident is Back - Mikhail Tulyev
• 1982 - Krepysh
• 1983 - Gate to Heaven
• 1985 - The City of Brides
• 1986 - The Time of Sons
• 1986 - End of RESIDENT Project - Mikhail Tulyev
• 1987 - Enclosure
• 1987 - End of Infinity - Laban Twissel
• 1999 - Viewless Traveller (Незримый странник)

Honours and awards

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland 2nd class (2000)
• Order of Merit for the Fatherland 3rd class (1998)
• Order of Merit for the Fatherland 4th class (1995)
• Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1969)
• Order of Lenin (1991)
• Vasilyev Brothers State Prize of the RSFSR (1973) - for his role in the General Bessonov movie "Hot Snow"
• Dovzhenko Silver Medal (1975)
• People's Artist of the RSFSR (1979)
• People's Artist of the USSR (1980)
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1985)
• Award of the magazine Ogoniok (1988)
• "Crystal Turandot" (1995)
• Nika Prize (1996)
• Medal "In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow"
• Medal "In Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of Leningrad"
• Medal "Veteran of Labour"

External links

• Georgiy Zhzhonov at the Internet Movie Database