Igor Ugolnikov: “I was born a clown and I will die a clown”

Childhood of Igor Ugolnikov

In the winter of 1962, a boy was born into the family of Moscow engineers Ugolnikovs, namely on December 16th. They named him Igor. Despite his outward charm and attractiveness, the boy grew up undisciplined; at school he always sat alone at a desk near the door. And he had neither the time nor the desire to appear at school. The theater studio and hockey training took all of Igor’s strength. Classmates and parents understood perfectly well that Igor was not destined to continue the engineering dynasty.

Igor Ugolnikov in childhood

The sense of humor that he was endowed with from infancy did not allow him to take life and himself seriously, since in the country where he spent his childhood and youth, one could go crazy from taking reality seriously. Long hair, which he constantly threw back, smart clothes, black and white checks, which were present in his image, gave him a certain chic and bohemianism, which would later take hold in his life - he would become a man of art.

Ugolnikov and television

Returning from the states, the artist begins his first steps on domestic TV. His debut appearance on the screen was the TV show “Farewell to the USSR Anthem,” where Ugolnikov combined the positions of director and screenwriter.

As an actor, viewers watch him in the scandalous show “Both-on!” The television project was aired from 1990-1995, and in 1992 it became the first winner of the Golden Ostap humor award.

In 1994, the entire team of the humorous show was awarded the Ovation Award in the Best TV Show category.

After co-hosts N. Fomenko and E. Voskresensky left the show, Igor changed the name of the TV show to “Both-on!” Corner show." After the “modernization,” the show added parodies of compositions by popular domestic artists.

The main role was always played by Ugolnikov. Either he grimaces like Lika Star, or he parodies Oleg Gazmanov. The sparkling, caustic humor combined with the “wind of change” was liked by domestic television viewers. A total of 3 seasons of the TV show were released.

In 1995, Igor Ugolnikov, K. Ernst and L. Parfyonov created their own studio called “Master-TV”, one of the works of this collaboration was the artist’s original project “Doctor Angle”, which aired on the NTV channel. 1997 – a new television project of the famous artist “Good evening with Igor Ugolnikov” becomes successful. The TV show was produced until 2002.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Igor continues to search and try everything new. He leaves the “blue screen” and decides to concentrate on cinema as much as possible. True, in 2008, the TRO TV channel invited him to become the host of the TV program “Time of the Union”, Ugolnikov agreed.

The beginning of Igor Ugolnikov's theatrical career

In 1984, Igor Ugolnikov graduated from the acting and directing department of GITIS (State Institute of Theater Arts) and was sent to work at the Moscow Theater named after N.V. Gogol, where he played in such complex and at the same time interesting productions as “And this one fell out of the nest” , "Decameron", "Shore". Ugolnikov was destined to work in this theater until 1988.

Igor also had experience working in other theaters in Moscow - in the theater in the South-West, the Moscow Art Theater. A.P. Chekhov, Moscow Cabaret Theatre. As a dramatic actor of that time, he was remembered by his audience and theater director as a true professional in his field, but the life credo “never stand still” made itself felt, and Igor Ugolnikov decided to try himself in film and television.

Acting career

Igor Ugolnikov made a significant contribution to the development of Russian cinema. In 1989 he made his film debut. The actor’s first job was a role in the film “Safety Laws,” after which the artist began to be invited to other films.

He starred in such successful films as “Walk like that. Shoot like that, shoot…”, “Shirley-myrli”, “Nine unknowns”, “That’s how the stars aligned”. In 2020, 2 films with Ugolnikov’s participation were released – “Sleepers 2” and “Year of Culture”. To date, the actor has managed to star in 22 films.

The artist works in various fields of film production. Igor is the director of two full-length films – “It’s Not Serious” and “Casus Belli”. In addition, Ugolnikov wrote scripts for seven films, including “Brest Fortress” and “Battalion”. But most often he acts as a producer. The showman is the producer of two dozen films, half of which are documentaries.

The first films of Igor Ugolnikov

The actor played his first role in a feature film in 1990. In the film “Walk, walk like that, shoot, shoot like that.” It is from this year that Ugolnikov’s cinematic career begins, if we do not take into account the role of the boy Igor, which he played in 1971 in the film “Gentlemen of Fortune,” which was so small that it was not even listed in the credits.

According to the film of the early 1990s, directed by Mikhail Ashumov, it turned out that Igorek grew up and not only became fluent in acting, but was also ready to embody serious psychological images on the screen.

Igor Ugolnikov in the film "Shirley - Myrli"

Then there will be more roles in the films “Chernov”, “Meet me in Tahiti”, “The Time of Your Life”, “Shirley Myrli”, “Funny Things, Family Matters”, “Carnival Night-2”, “In the First Circle”, “ Zastava”, “The Man in My Head”, “On the Hook”, and others. And in a film like “It’s Not Serious,” Igor Ugolnikov also tried himself for the first time as a film director and screenwriter.

Another of his film director’s experience relates to the film “Casus Belli”. In the 2000s, he will be associated with cinema exclusively as a producer, in which he also needs to be able to transform and adapt. He became the producer of such acclaimed films as “The Rescuers. For, "Brest Fortress".

Igor Ugolnikov: films with his participation

Our hero's acquaintance with cinema occurred when he was a kindergarten boy. Ugolnikov played himself in the legendary film “Gentlemen of Fortune.” You can watch the film again and see the moment when the “kindergarten manager” Evgeniy Leonov teaches little Igor how to correctly portray a ferocious wolf.

Ugolnikov's first role was unconscious. And the second film with his participation was released in 1990. He was already 28 years old. In the film anthology “Walk, Walk Like That,” he received the main role of Vasya Petukhov.

In the period from 1990 to 1995, Igor Ugolnikov starred in several more films (“Meet me in Tahiti”, “Shirley-Myrli”, “Prorva”, etc.). Then two main roles awaited him - in the New Year's vaudeville "Carnival Night-2" (Lenya Krylov) and in the film "It's Not Serious."

Igor Ugolnikov's career on television

Since 1990, Igor Ugolnikov has become known to an even larger audience thanks to his active work in the television field. On television, he first announced himself as the author and director of the scandalous project “Farewell to the USSR Anthem”, and then the no less scandalous television program “Both-on!” It was published until December 1995, and Nikolai Fomenko and Evgeniy Voskresensky acted as co-hosts for Igor. After their departure, the show was renamed “Both-on!” Corner show." A total of 3 seasons and 58 episodes were filmed. This show was innovative and original, and most importantly, it had humor, which was so lacking in that harsh time of change. This program was recognized as the best in 1994 according to the Ovation Award.

Igor Ugolnikov - show “Both-on”

After 1995, Ugolnikov, together with Leonid Parfenov and Konstantin Ernst, founded the Master-TV studio. They are launching a new television project “Doctor Angle” on the NTV channel, lasting 48 episodes.

In 1996, he held the position of Deputy Director of the Television Broadcasting Directorate of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company. And a year later he leaves his position and becomes the author and host of the program “Good Evening with Igor Ugolnikov,” whose fate was very successful - from 1997 to 2002 this entertainment talk show aired on the RTR channel.

Igor Ugolnikov also came up with the idea of creating the talk show “VIP-VIPs,” which lasted on TV for only one year. And then Igor Ugolnikov left television. In the early 2000s, Igor returned to acting and performed as an actor at the Moscow Art Theater. Chekhov until 2003.

But the years 2004-2008 passed for Igor Ugolnikov in the role of general director and producer of the television satirical magazine “Fitil”, acting in this project as an actor, producer and director. Igor revived the old satirical program, giving it a new television sound.

Igor Ugolnikov - show “Wick”

TV shows

Upon returning home, Igor Ugolnikov begins a television career. The artist appeared on the screen and immediately loudly declared himself in the scandalous project “Farewell to the USSR Anthem.” Here Ugolnikov acted as a screenwriter and director.

Igor Ugolnikov in the show “Both-on!”

But in the no less scandalous project “Both-on!” viewers also saw Ugolnikov as an actor. The TV show was broadcast from 1990 to 1995 and became the first winner of the Golden Ostap humor award, established in 1992. Two years later, the group of comedians was awarded the “Ovation” award in the “Best TV Show” category.

Ugolnikov’s first co-hosts were Nikolai Fomenko and Evgeniy Voskresensky. But when the artists left the project, it changed its name to “Oba-na!” Corner show." The program gave a start to many film and show business stars. Among the project participants were Alexey Kortnev and Valdis Pelsh, Maria Aronova and Nonna Grishaeva, then still students at the theater school.

In the new format, parodies of songs by popular Russian performers were added to the main humorous block. The star of each issue was Igor Ugolnikov. The artist is remembered for his parodies of Lika Star, Oleg Gazmanov, and an unnamed group performing hard rock.

Innovation and sharp humor, which were welcomed in an era of change, were greeted by the audience with a bang. 3 seasons of the program were released.

In the mid-90s, Igor Ugolnikov, together with Konstantin Ernst and Leonid Parfenov, founded the Master-TV studio, as part of which a new project called “Doctor Angle” was released, broadcast on NTV.

In 1997, Ugolnikov presented the audience with a new project called “Good evening with Igor Ugolnikov.” The program turned out to be successful and was shown on screens for 5 years, until 2002.

In the early 2000s, the winds of change again swirled Igor Ugolnikov. The artist left television and concentrated on cinema.

Some time later, in 2008, on the TRO channel, the artist appeared as a TV host of the talk show “Soyuz Time”.

Igor Ugolnikov now

Today, Igor Ugolnikov is a permanent host of the talk show “Union Time” on the TRO television channel (Broadcasting Organization of the Union State of Russia and Belarus), of which he has been chairman since 2006.

In 2010, he acted as the author of the idea and general producer of the film “Brest Fortress” and the television series “Fortress” (full version of the film). Subsequently, he won in four categories of the TEFI-2011 award.

Igor Ugolnikov is the producer of the film “Brest Fortress”, which received 4 TEFI awards

Igor Ugolnikov’s work on television and film was also awarded a number of awards and diplomas, including for the highest achievements in the genre of satire and humor: the Ovation Award (1994) for the best television program, the Golden Chair Award (2002) in the category For charm and resourcefulness”, gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation (2007).

Since 2012, the actor can be seen on the stage of the Moscow Academic Theater of Satire, where he also combines performances with directing work.

In 2014, filming of the new film “Death Battalion” ended, where Igor acted as the author of the idea and general producer. This is a full-length film about the events of the First World War.

Work in theater and TV

1984-1988 - Theater named after. Gogol: “And this one fell out of the nest” (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) by D. Wasserman; “Decameron” by D. Boccaccio; “The Shore” by Yu. Bondarev and others.
1988-1990 - the role of Khlestakov in the play “The Inspector General” of the theater “In the South-West”.
1989-1992 - Moscow cabaret theater “The Bat”: “Reading of a new play” Gr. Gurvich.
1991 - author of the project “Farewell to the USSR Anthem”
1991-1995 - author and director of the television program “Oba-na!”
1992-1995 - Author of the TV program “Angle of the Show”
1996 - author, director and actor in the 48-episode television project “Doctor Angle”
1996 - publication of the book “Both-on!”
1996 - release of the disc “Both-on!” with songs performed by I. S. Ugolnikov, which sounded in the programs he previously created.
1996 - producer of the talk show "VIP - Especially Important Persons" (author - Alla Ugolnikova).
1997-2002 author and host of the daily entertainment talk show “Good Evening with Igor Ugolnikov” on the Rossiya TV channel.
2001-2002 - Moscow Art Academic Theater named after. Chekhov: Performance “The Beatle Girls”; performance "Hamlet in Hot Sauce".
2003-2007 - leading role in the play of the private theater "Empire of Stars" based on the play by Claude Magnier "Oscar" directed. Peter Stein.
2003 - Acting director of the “Editorial office of the satirical film magazine “Fitil””
2003—2007 — Producer of the television satirical magazine “Fitil”
2005 - Director and leading actor in the film “Big Wick”.
2007 - Producer of the documentary film “Killing Gauleiter”
2010 — Author of the idea and General Producer of the film “Brest Fortress”.
2011 - The role of the president in the film “Stories” directed by Mikhail Segal.
2012 - Main role in the play “The Husband Trap”
2013 - Author of a literary translation, director, actor in the play of the Satire Theater “Fools”[5]
2013 - Role in the play “Bad Habits”
2013 — Author of the idea and general producer of the film “Battalion”

Personal life of Igor Ugolnikov

Igor Ugolnikov is reluctant to let you into his personal life, and allows you to find out exactly as much about him as you should know about a person. According to some sources, he was married twice. And his first wife is Natalya Shumilina, who gave the actor a daughter, Irina.

At the moment, Igor Ugolnikov is married to his classmate Alla, with whom he has been friends since school. They have been working together for many years. There is a favorite dog, the Yorkshire terrier Zyama, named after his favorite actor Zinovy Gerd.

Igor Ugolnikov with his wife Alla

The famous actor and director is sure that the meaning of his life is not the endless parties and communication that were in his life until recently, but work. It is at work that he receives true pleasure and a comfortable livelihood. He devotes a special place in life to his little world, in which there is a home and family, and everything else is a meaningless waste of energy and time.

Film career

Remember the little boy Igor from the movie “Gentlemen of Fortune”?! Well, whom Leonov taught to play the evil wolf correctly?! Yes, yes, this is Igor Ugolnikov. This was his debut film role. The second work has become more conscious - the film “Walk, walk like that. Shoot, shoot like that,” published in 1990. This was followed by modest episodes in the comedy “Meet Me in Tahiti” and the drama “Prorva”.

After the mid-90s, the actor began to regularly receive offers to star in comedy films. Spectators watched Igor play in the films “Shirley Myrli”, “It’s Not Serious”, “Funny Things, Family Matters” and “Carnival Night - 2”.

With the beginning of the 2000s, the artist also remained in demand. Episodic roles in the films “Blind” (2004), “Nine Unknowns” and the TV series “Alexandrovsky Garden”. Since 2005, work in films followed:

"In the first circle";
"The Man in My Head";
"Outpost";
"Stories";
"Ghost".

The series “Thin Ice” was also very successful with his participation, where the actor played the role of a deputy. In 2020, the actor played Mikhail Gorbachev in the drama “The Way the Stars Aligned.” In October 2020, the film “Salyut-7” (the image of Boldyrev) was released, and at the beginning of 2020 the series Sleeping-2 (Shpalin). At this stage, two more films with the participation of the brilliant master of acting are in production - “Eternal Life” and “Hold on to the Clouds.”

With his arrival in cinema, Ugolnikov’s multifaceted talent helped him master the profession of producer. It turned out great!

Igor’s production works “Casus Belli”, “In June 41” and “Rescuers. Eclipse" was a great start. The military drama “Brest Fortress” is among the TOP 10 films about the war. In 2015, the film “Death Battalions” was presented to the audience , where Ugolnikov was employed as the author of the idea and general producer.