Biography
Vladimir Voroshilov is the creator of the intellectual television game “What? Where? When?”, one of the first Russian television academics, nicknamed Incognito from Ostankino. This reluctance to be in public attracted and fascinated the viewer.
Vladimir Voroshilov
The TV presenter and director did not perceive the game as primitive entertainment, but approached it as a kind of theatrical performance, squeezed within the framework of the rules, but at the same time delivering pleasure.
Childhood and youth
Vladimir Yakovlevich Voroshilov was born in Simferopol on December 18, 1930. The father of the future director, Yakov Davydovich, at that time was the head of the rationalization bureau, later he served as chief engineer in the People's Commissariat of Light Industry, and his mother Vera Borisovna sewed clothes to order.
Incognito from Ostankino - Vladimir Voroshilov
The parents' surnames are Pellekh and Kolmanovich, which answers the question about nationality: the famous TV presenter is Jewish. Vladimir became Voroshilov by marrying a woman with the same last name, and at that time his father came under investigation. His teacher Boris Bernstein, a professor at the Academy of Arts, believed that this could not be reproached:
“The methods of fighting the absurd and merciless regime were as varied as the goals. If a Jewish youth set himself the goal of survival and self-realization, then this alone was already a challenge to the authorities, who set themselves the opposite goal. Everyone used improvised means. That's all".
Vladimir Voroshilov’s “native” surname is Kolmanovich.
The family lived in prosperity and comfort until the war broke out. 10-year-old Volodya and his mother left for evacuation in July 1941, and their father later joined them. In 1943, I had to give up everything and move to Moscow. After the move, Volodya began studying at the Moscow Secondary Art School under the USSR People's Commissariat of Education. After graduating, he entered the Moscow Art Theater School, from where he transferred to the Estonian Art Institute. In 1948, the Kolmanovichs adopted a girl, Anya, Voroshilov’s half-sister.
After studying, he worked for a year as an artist in a theater group of the Soviet troops in Germany. Upon his return, Vladimir Yakovlevich was first a stage director in Moscow theaters.
Vladimir Voroshilov has a theatrical background
He worked as a director at Sovremennik, Lenkom and the Taganka Theater. His hot temper and unique vision of art led to frequent scandals with his superiors.
The theatrical period in Voroshilov’s biography closed after his dismissal from Lenkom. While preparing for the production, the artist punched a hole in the ceiling of the building and the theater director became ill. Left out of work, Vladimir studied at the Higher Directing Courses under the Ministry of Culture of the Soviet Union.
Vladimir Voroshilov with his mother
In 1966, Vladimir Yakovlevich was invited to work on television. In those years this was not considered a great achievement. On the contrary, artists believed that only losers who could not find a place in the theater go to television. Due to the lack of other work, the director agreed and for some time was engaged in filming documentaries and educational films. A lively mind and a lot of original ideas brought Voroshilov popularity and fame.
Gifted native of Crimea
On modern domestic television there are very few successful programs that are domestic know-how that have stood the test of time.
I can immediately remember only two - KVN and “What? Where? When?".
It so happened that the main domestic intellectual game arose at a time when KVN was closed. "What? Where? When?" also lived under the threat of disgrace - due to the irreconcilable nature of its creator Vladimir Voroshilov .
Presenter “What? Where? When?" for many years he was the main mystery of USSR television, since he never appeared on camera. This was not a brilliant director’s idea - Voroshilov was in disgrace with his superiors, and he was forbidden to appear in front of the audience. However, he successfully turned the ban to the benefit of his program.
Vladimir Voroshilov was born on December 18, 1930 in Simferopol in the family of a responsible worker Yakov Kalmanovich and his wife Vera Borisovna , who was engaged in home-based tailoring. During the war, the Kalmanovich family was sent to evacuation, where Yakov Davidovich supervised the sewing of army uniforms, and Vera Borisovna also worked next to him in production.
In 1943, the Kalmanovichs moved to Moscow, where Vladimir began studying at an art school for gifted children. After graduating from school, Vladimir entered the painting department of the Academy of Arts of the Estonian SSR. The student chose theatrical set design as his specialization, completing his thesis on the topic: “Scenery and costumes for the plays by A. N. Arbuzov “Years of Wandering” and O. Goldsmith “Night of Errors.”
Vladimir Voroshilov with his mother. Photo: Frame youtube.com
A television
Voroshilov came up with new, exciting programs and shows and still did not feel fear of his superiors, so he could calmly say a strong word in response, or even argue with the management. For such liberties, his projects were often closed and not aired, and his last name was removed from the credits.
The popular program “Auction” was closed, considering it unworthy to be shown to viewers. The incident happened when a guest artist sang a song of his own composition with content prohibited for television.
Vladimir Voroshilov had a hot temper
According to the script of Vladimir Yakovlevich, the sports and entertainment show “Come on, guys!” appeared on air, which was watched with rapture by children of various age categories. The co-author of the program script was Leonid Yakubovich. After the tragic death of a participant in 1972, Voroshilov was fired and the program was closed. The project was resumed in 1975, but with Alexander Maslyakov.
Vladimir Voroshilov in the program “Come on, guys”
After a streak of failures, Vladimir Voroshilov becomes the host of the popular program “What? Where? When?". By the way, it was he who came up with this intellectual show. The owners of the television studio, still holding a grudge against him, did not put the employee on air, and he became a “voice from nowhere,” and for a long time the audience did not know who was speaking behind the scenes and who “Mr. Presenter” was.
In 1991, the director decided to monetize the show by introducing cash rewards under the slogan that "everyone can make money with their own mind."
Vladimir Voroshilov created the intellectual casino “What? Where? When?"
The program was so popular that it literally disappeared from television screens into the masses. In the mid-80s, the International Association of Game Fan Clubs was created, of which, of course, Voroshilov was elected president. Until now, competitions among experts among those interested are regularly held around the world. The project has created around itself a whole subculture of people who like to “tickle the brain” with intricate questions.
Vladimir Yakovlevich tried himself as the host of the intellectual program “Brain Ring”. The idea of organizing an analogue of “What? Where? When?”, only for 2 or more teams, Voroshilov again came to mind. 10 years passed before implementation. The creator held 7 episodes, and then handed over the reins to the club master Andrei Kozlov; constant busyness did not leave time for another project.
Vladimir Voroshilov with the players “What? Where? When?"
In 1991, the production house, which was created and headed by Voroshilov, for the first time in the history of Russian television acquired a program of a foreign format - the British “Love at First Sight,” which was hosted for a long time by his adopted son Boris Kryuk.
Under the company’s flag, the programs “Life is Beautiful”, “Cultural Revolution”, “Court is Coming”, “Songs of the 20th Century” were broadcast. The projects were led by Mikhail Shvydkoy, Tutta Larsen, Boris Burda, Lena Perova.
Director of the program “Auction” Vladimir Voroshilov
In 1997, the Russian Academy of Television Arts “TEFI” awarded Voroshilov a prize for the show “What? Where? When?". After 3 years, Vladimir Yakovlevich left the program to the only heir at that time, Boris Kryuk. Physical activity at an already advanced age made itself felt.
Documentary film “All life is a game”
The editors of the intellectual casino did not reveal their cards at first: the voice of the successor of the business, Vladimir Voroshilov, was deliberately distorted and disguised as the TV presenter’s cousin, Yuri Borisovich.
Alexander Druz, who has known Boris since childhood, was the first to guess. Hook did not want to take his stepfather’s place at all; his mother and Konstantin Ernst, who believed that the show should go on, persuaded him.
Program “What? Where? When?”: Voroshilov as presenter
The intellectual program, famous throughout the country, first aired in September 1975. Over several decades of existence, the transmission format has changed significantly. In the late 1970s, students from different faculties of Moscow State University took part in the game “What? Where? When?". Voroshilov himself came up with questions for them.
In 1991, the program turned into an intelligent casino. From now on, players and TV viewers who sent questions could earn money with their own minds.
When the presenter “What? Where? When Voroshilov died, his stepson Boris Kryuk continued his work. It is impossible to imagine a better candidate. For many years now, television viewers have heard his voice while watching the program.
Personal life
In his personal life, Vladimir Yakovlevich had many women to whom he bestowed favor. There are 4 known official marriages of the director. There is little information about the first three chosen ones, only the last names - Voroshilova, Buharkina and Muzyka.
Vladimir Voroshilov with his wife and son
The fourth wife, Natalya Stetsenko, was the co-author of “What? Where? When?". The TV presenter adopted her son Boris Kryuk, but the relationship, according to the mother’s recollections, was not like a father’s, but like a partnership. And Hook said that his stepfather did not understand why children should be given privileges just because they are children.
The last chosen one of the television star is Natalya Klimova. However, she remained in the status of a common-law wife.
Vladimir Voroshilov and Natalya Klimova
At 67 years old, the presenter became the happy father of his daughter Natasha. Friends of the family noted that in the last years of Voroshilov’s life the girl became the center of the universe for him, and rumors that he did not recognize the child were groundless.
Author: Alla Klimova, Natalia Medvedeva, Social Insurance Fund
On someone else's hump
On October 14, the trial of the former head of the regional department of the Social Insurance Fund, Natalia Medvedeva, will take place in Vologda. Article – “Abuse of official powers”. The case will be heard in a special manner. Our issue went to press even before the verdict was announced. Therefore, we will tell you about something that has not been published before.
Officially
The regional prosecutor's office reports: the manager of the regional branch of the Social Insurance Fund ensured the smooth conclusion of government contracts with the company of a close friend, which supplied absorbent underwear and diapers for the disabled.
Natalia Aleksandrovna acted simply: she included in the auction documentation requirements that were obviously unfulfillable for other market participants. The total amount for government contracts concluded in violation of the law amounted to more than 35 million rubles.
Alla is tired...counting money
The name of Natalia Medvedeva’s close friend, who for several years had no problems with using budget money, is Alla Klimova. She is a deputy of the Vologda City Duma from the United Russia party.
Our website cher-is.com wrote about her: “Alla Klimova earned 33 million rubles in 2020.” And at the end of 2020, she was the wealthiest Duma deputy in the region.
“She is the founder and director of Medpharma-Social Project LLC, whose main activity is wholesale trade in medicines. Over the 4 years of operation, the company completed 46 government contracts worth 160 million rubles. The main buyer is the Vologda regional branch of the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation (154 million rubles),” our website reported on April 24, 2020.
After 4 months, we reported: “The limited liability company “Medpharma-social project”, the founder of which is Vologda City Duma deputy Alla Klimova, was declared insolvent.” The director and sole founder of the company, which filed a bankruptcy petition for Medpharma-Social Project LLC, was appointed as the bankruptcy trustee.
As follows from the materials of the regional arbitration court, an application with a request to declare Medpharma bankrupt was filed by Legal Assistance Center LLC on April 26, 2020. The amount of debt is 333 thousand 250 rubles.
By all indications, it was a technical bankruptcy. Declaring a debtor insolvent can only be initiated if the amount of debt of a legal entity exceeds 300 thousand rubles. Alla Klimova's company's debt exceeds the maximum limit by only 33,250 rubles.
Interestingly, the monitoring procedure was not introduced; bankruptcy was declared immediately and in the shortest possible time. Before bankruptcy, Medpharma entered into a contract with the regional branch of the Social Insurance Fund for the supply of colostomy bags made in the USA or Great Britain. Amount - 8 million 373 thousand rubles.
When the organization was liquidated, information about government contracts with the Social Insurance Fund disappeared from the unified register of legal entities. There was supposedly only one contract, for 3 million rubles. And the total amount of executed contracts decreased from 160 to 29.6 million rubles.
However, Alla Nikolaevna, even without a “bankrupt company,” is not only bad. As an individual entrepreneur, she executed 2 contracts with the Social Insurance Fund for 17 million rubles. The remaining 7 of its government customers taken together lag behind by about 8 times.
Another company of Alla Klimova, Medpharma-Service, does not work with the Social Insurance Fund. But the amount of executed government contracts is very good: 461 million rubles. Profiline LLC is also Klimova’s company. The total amount of government contracts executed by it is 558 million rubles. And finally, Alla Klimova’s Medpharma Holding received 398 million from the state.
In total, Alla Klimova’s companies and she herself, as an individual entrepreneur, earned about 1 billion 600 million rubles on government contracts. An incredibly successful woman! And if we take into account that her companies do not produce medical equipment and medicines themselves, but only resell them, we can assume that too much money from the budget was spent on the services of an intermediary.
9/10 fear
As we learned, the regional Social Insurance Fund will file a civil lawsuit against Natalia Medvedeva for 35 million rubles. Who will sign the claim? We don't know about this.
The criminal trial on October 14 should be held behind closed doors and in a special manner. Anastasia Surogina, who has now become acting, will testify as witnesses in the case. manager of the regional branches of the Social Insurance Fund, and Svetlana Andreeva – Surogina’s deputy.
No contracts were signed without their signatures, but now both women have renounced their former boss. In the summer, before the arrest of Natalia Medvedeva, which occurred during a conference call, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs informed the chairman of the FSS, Andrei Kigim, about the upcoming operational event. Therefore, he insisted that Medvedeva be present at the selector.
When she was taken away, Kigim said with pathos in his voice: “This will happen to everyone!”, meaning - to everyone who encroaches on budget money. Perhaps this added a little fear to the subordinates, having some educational effect. The remaining 9/10s of fear for the local leadership was added by the criminal case.
Because of him, all employees of the regional department of the Social Insurance Fund, including the lowest paid, were punished. Their salaries were cut. 85 people wrote a letter to the acting manager expressing outrage and unwillingness to work with her. But... The lords fight - the forelocks of the slaves crack, so says the Ukrainian proverb.
What are the prospects?
So far everyone has jumped off. Natalia Medvedeva's deputies are just witnesses in a criminal case. Deputy business shark Ala Klimova seems to be out of business. Medvedeva herself quietly resigned of her own free will. Anastasia Surogina will soon get rid of the acting prefix. And now government contract eaters will rush to the “inauguration” of the new leader with huge bouquets of flowers. Nothing will prevent us from reviving the old order in 6-7 months.
If law enforcement officers do not reduce control over the regional administration of the FSS, we will periodically hear about the initiation of criminal cases and changes in leadership.
Or maybe it would be better to immediately appoint a person who will not steal?
Semyon MANULOV.
Death
Vladimir Voroshilov died on March 10, 2001, the cause of death was a heart attack. The first alarm bell rang back in December, when the TV presenter lost consciousness right in the studio, and 2 days before his death he complained to Natalya Stetsenko about heart pain. He refused to go to the hospital - there was no time.
Later, playwright Mikhail Shatrov said that a friend became nervous because the management of the ORT channel, which broadcast the show, demanded a 5-digit sum in dollars for showing the anniversary episode.
Vladimir Voroshilov with mother and daughter
The farewell to Voroshilov was organized in the pavilion where “What? Where? When?”, buried at the Vagankovskoye cemetery. After 2 years, a monument in the form of a black cube was erected at the grave of Vladimir Yakovlevich. Designed by sculptor Nikita Shangin, this cube symbolizes the black box that so often appears in the famous intellectual casino.
After the director’s funeral, a scandal broke out over the division of a considerable inheritance, estimated at $6 million. It was rumored that in his youth Voroshilov had to live from hand to mouth and in debt, so he wanted his family not to be in need. However, during his lifetime, Vladimir Yakovlevich did not have time to dispose of the property, and the decision was made by the court. Two-thirds went to Stetsenko, the rest was distributed equally between mother, daughter and common-law wife.
Monument at the grave of Vladimir Voroshilov
Vera Borisovna, who died a year and a half later, bequeathed her share to her granddaughter. Klimova later got married, does not give interviews and does not allow photographs to be taken.
"What? Where? When?" in 2001, she was awarded the TEFI as the best television program, and Vladimir Voroshilov was awarded a prize for his personal contribution to the development of Russian television.
Voroshilov Vladimir Yakovlevich Kolmanovich Vladimir Yakovlevich
Russian television personality. Director. Artist. Academician. Host of the game show “What? Where? When?". President of the association of clubs “What? Where? When?". Honored Worker of Culture of Russia.
Vladimir Voroshilov was born on December 18, 1930 in the city of Simferopol, Republic of Crimea. During the Great Patriotic War, the family was evacuated, where his father supervised the sewing of army uniforms. At the end of 1943, the family moved to Moscow. Vladimir studied at the Moscow Art School for Gifted Children.
Vladimir Yakovlevich graduated from the painting department of the Academy of Arts of the Estonian SSR, the production department of the studio school of the Moscow Art Academic Theater, and the Higher Directing Courses. In 1954, he was assigned to East Germany for one year to work as an artist at the Theater of the Group of Soviet Forces.
After returning to Moscow in 1955, Vladimir Voroshilov worked as a production designer in many Moscow theaters: the Moscow Art Theater, the Maly Theater, the Stanislavsky Theater, the Operetta Theater, the Theater on Malaya Bronnaya, Lenkom, Youth Theater, as well as a director at the Sovremennik Theater and the Theater on Taganka. In 1966, he was invited to television, where he made documentaries and scientific and educational films.
In 1968, his project “Auction” appeared, the first live game show on Central Television. Six episodes were aired, after which the program was taken off the air by Soviet censorship, Voroshilov was removed from the airwaves, and then transferred to “freelance”, and for a long time became persona non grata on domestic television.
Soon, Vladimir Yakovlevich wrote scripts, participated in directing television programs, and gradually began working behind the scenes. In 1970, Voroshilov held the first teleconference in the history of broadcasting, through which Moscow contacted Tashkent.
From 1970 to 1972 he worked on the “Come on, guys” program. It was closed due to an accident, after one of the program participants tragically died on the set. Vladimir Voroshilov was fired from television again.
The first episode of the TV game “What? Where? When?" aired September 4, 1975. Voroshilov was the permanent author and presenter of this program for twenty-five years. He also acted as playwright, director and show director. I came up with a lot of new things: from the idea of the program to the absence of the presenter in the frame. Only his voice can be heard.
No one else has used this technique on television. The mysterious presenter intrigued the whole country for several years. Incognito was revealed only in 1980.
In 1989, a new TV game “Brain Ring” was released, where Voroshilov hosted the first episodes, but left due to being busy. Over the years of working on television as an author, director and presenter, he took part in the creation of a number of journalistic, artistic, documentary, information and entertainment programs: “Silver Mushroom Rain”, “Will of 1942”, “Stories about Professions”.
Vladimir Voroshilov was the author of the books: “The Phenomenon of the Game”, “Riddles of the Theater Director”, and a number of articles about television. In 1989 he became president of the International Association of Clubs “What? Where? When?”, general director of television, member of the Academy of Russian Television.
In 1997, the Academy celebrated the program “What? Where? When?" "TEFI" award. Four years later, Voroshilov himself was awarded the TEFI prize in the category “For personal contribution to the development of domestic television”, posthumously.
Vladimir Yakovlevich Voroshilov died on March 10, 2001 from a massive heart attack at his dacha in Peredelkino. He was buried in Moscow at the Vagankovskoye cemetery. The monument at the grave of Vladimir Voroshilov was made according to the design of the architect Nikita Shangin, a participant in the game “What? Where? When?". The black granite cube symbolizes the black box, one of the symbols of the game.
TV projects of Vladimir Voroshilov
TV projects of Vladimir Voroshilov
1967 - “Hiroshima” (documentary film) - author and director; 1967 - “Silver Mushroom Rain” (live television performance based on the play by Valery Osipov) - director (starring Alexander Maslyakov); 1968 - “Letters of '41” (documentary film) - scriptwriter and director; 1968 - “The Testament of '42” (documentary film) - scriptwriter and director; 1969-1970 - “Auction” (first advertising show; live) - author, director and presenter - together with Anatoly Lysenko and Roman Sinitsyn; six episodes aired; 1970 - “Contact” (first teleconferences) - director; 1970-1973 - “Come on, guys!” - author, director and presenter; 1973 - “Stories about professions” (series of programs) - author, director and presenter; 1975-2000 - “What? Where? When?" (television game; live since 1986) - author, director and presenter; 1976 - “Our biography. Year 1946" (documentary film) - director; 1976 - “Our biography. Year 1947" (documentary film) - director; 1977 - “Sprint for everyone” (sports game) - director and presenter (together with Alexander Maslyakov); three episodes aired; 1978 - “One of the meetings with Dean Reed” - director; 1990 - “Brain Ring” - author and presenter; 1997 - “The Trial is Coming” - presenter.
Family of Vladimir Voroshilov
Family of Vladimir Voroshilov
Officially he was married four times.
The fourth wife, Natalya Stetsenko, was a co-author of the program “What? Where? When?". It was to her son Boris Kryuk that Voroshilov left his life’s work.
The last chosen one of the famous TV presenter was Natalya Klimova. However, the marriage with her was not officially registered. At the age of 67, the presenter became a happy father; his common-law wife gave the director a daughter, Natasha.
10.03.2001
