In Russia, the famous children's writer, screenwriter and playwright Eduard Uspensky, who created such characters as Cheburashka, the crocodile Gena, Uncle Fyodor, the cat Matroskin, the dog Sharik, the postman Pechkin, the Kolobok brothers, and Uncle Au, died in Russia at the age of 80. Uspensky’s heroes are so loved by many generations that they have long lived an independent life - they become brands, mascots, cartoons and TV series are made about them, and computer games are created.
We remember the heroes and stories that Eduard Uspensky gave, as well as his biography and interesting facts from life.
From engineer to screenwriter
In his youth, Eduard Uspensky wrote humorous stories and poems. At school I was a counselor for younger children. But his education was not philological or pedagogical, but engineering.
During his studies, he took part in the organization of skits, KVN. After graduating from the Aviation Institute, he worked in his specialty for three years. And then he went into literature, earning a living by writing scripts for cartoons, theatrical sketches, and children's poems.
And in 1966, his book “Crocodile Gena and His Friends” was published, after which he became famous. At the same time, at first the editors did not like the fact that the crocodile was looking for friends through an advertisement, and not in the work collective, and that there was nothing pioneering about Cheburashka.
Childhood and youth
Sergei was born and raised in Moscow in a family that had nothing to do with art in general or ballet in particular. But both Sergei and his younger sister Elena, having gone through a difficult creative path, became popular figures in Russian classical choreography. Filin began dancing at the age of 7 in the song and dance ensemble named after Vladimir Loktev, and it happened somewhat by accident.
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Sergei Filin in childhood with his mother Natalya
The fact is that as a child he had a passion for outdoor games, as well as a dangerous hobby - making fires in the yard of the house. Tired of constant complaints from neighbors, the mother decided to channel her son’s energy in a useful direction and took the boy to the swimming section. But just that day the pool was closed, so Seryozha had to enroll in a dance club.
After 2 years, Filin had a chance to change the direction of his activity - the boy was invited to shoot the children's film “The Sun in a String Bag”, where Sergei collaborated with Soviet pop stars - clown Oleg Popov, magician Hmayak Akopyan, actresses Natalya Krachkovskaya and Elena Tsyplakova. But the young dancer did not give in to temptation and continued his thorough ballet studies.
Stories given by the writer
Crocodile Gena, Cheburashka and their friends . This is the first work of the writer in prose, who previously wrote exclusively children's poems. After the cartoon was filmed, the characters became popular all over the world. Moreover, in the USA they loved Shapoklyak, and in Japan - Cheburashka. The writer said that he used Japanese yen and royalties for copyrights to build himself a country house.
Heroes from Prostokvashino . No less popular was the story about the village of Prostokvashino, where an independent boy beyond his years, Uncle Fyodor, went and met friends - the cat Matroskin, the dog Sharik, and also met the postman Pechkin. The writer copied the image of the cat from his friend, and instead of Uncle Fyodor in the story there was a forester who lived in a village with animals. But children's poet Boris Zakhoder advised to rewrite the plot and make the main character a boy.
Recently, a continuation of the cartoon “Three from Prostokvashino” was filmed in Russia, where Sharik became a video blogger and decided to post a cat - Matroskin. At the same time, Eduard Uspensky stated that Soyuzmultfilm launched a sequel without his knowledge and wrote an open letter to Vladimir Putin.
The investigation is being conducted by the Koloboks . Two charming detectives - pilot brothers - Chief and Colleague fell in love with many after the release of the animated series by Alexander Tatarsky. Eight computer games were created based on the plot. It was a parody of the famous TV series “The Investigation is Conducted by Experts.”
The first wife and the image of Shapoklyak
Eduard Uspensky studied with his first wife at the Moscow Aviation Institute, she quickly captured the attention of the then young man, and in 1963 they got married. Rimma gave birth to her husband’s daughter Tanya and was there when Uspensky began writing cartoon scripts, poetry, and then his world-famous books.
They lived in marriage for 18 years, and it seemed that nothing foreshadowed the sad development of events, but Edward fell in love with someone else. Uspensky met his second wife in the cafeteria of the animation studio.
Rimma did not expect such a turn of events. In addition, after the divorce, the writer took his daughter with him, and Tanya grew up in a family with a stepmother, who was able to become her friend.
Cheburashka’s father did not remember very flatteringly about his first wife:
“The prototype of the old woman Shapoklyak was my first wife - a harmful lady in all respects. Now I’m just wondering how we managed to live together for eighteen years! Although, to be completely honest, Shapoklyak also has my features. My character is also not angelic.”
Personal life
Uspensky had a rather stormy personal life. He was married three times. He lived with his first wife Rimma for 18 years. The marriage produced a daughter, Tatyana. In interviews, the writer repeatedly recalled that his first wife became the prototype of the harmful old woman Shapoklyak. At the same time, friends of the family note that she is more like Uncle Fyodor’s mother.
Photo: With daughter Tatyana
The writer left his first wife for his television colleague Elena, with whom he also lived for almost 20 years. He took his daughter Tanya to a new family. Eduard and Elena Uspensky did not have their own children, then they decided to take two twin girls, Irina and Svetlana, from the boarding school.
The writer met his third wife, journalist and presenter Eleanor Filina, when he was 65 years old and she was 41 years old. Together they broadcast a radio program called “Ships Came into Our Harbor.” They moved to a new apartment in Moscow, and their son from Eleanor’s first marriage lived with them. The couple was together for 10 years, and in 2011, they filed for divorce.
The divorce was not simple; the former spouses gave interviews in which they blamed each other. Eleanor Filina called Eduard Uspensky a tyrant, and in response, he cut off her accounts.
Photo: With Eleonora Filina and her son from her first marriage
“My son was sleeping at the bedroom door.”
— They say that Tatyana, her own daughter from her first marriage, does not visit her sick father?
- They have a complicated relationship. I treated all of Uspensky’s children the same as my own (Filina has two sons from her first marriage. - Ed.). I believe that a child is a child at any age, he needs to be loved and supported. But Eduard Nikolaevich has a different position.
— Did you manage to bring Uspensky and his daughter closer together?
- Certainly! They communicated. How much effort it took is another question. We built a huge house - I hoped that everyone would live there: my children, his children, grandchildren. But Eduard Nikolaevich is a different person.
— Did he raise your children and treat them like family?
- No. He tried to push them away. From that series: it would be better if they weren’t in our lives.
— They say that Ouspensky forbade you to enter your son’s room after you put him to bed. And the boy was afraid of the dark, crawled to your bedroom and slept there by the door. Then he froze and returned to his place...
- It was like that. I learned this from my son later... Eduard Nikolaevich found fault with his son, but I no longer want to remember it. The child who endured everything and was unhappy will soon be 23 years old. He's doing well now.
— Eduard Nikolaevich accused you of treason. Allegedly, you even brought a 19-year-old boy into the house, and the guy turned out to be your lover!
- About a boy - it’s just funny! He is actually the son of a friend of Uspensky, who asked the guy to temporarily live with us. He became friends with my son... This is such a vision of Uspensky that I left not from him, but supposedly to someone. In fact, I could no longer be near Eduard Nikolaevich, because aggression came from him, because he had such an attitude towards my child and towards all members of my family.
- So there was no betrayal?
- Of course not. After my divorce from Uspensky, I have been living alone for seven years, with my son. It’s just that Eduard Nikolaevich was sure that I would not leave for two reasons - because of wealth and because we have a common TV program. I endured it because there was blackmail: they say, I will close the program... As soon as I left, he immediately expelled me from the program.
— Uspensky, there are rumors, always tried to keep his wives at home?
- Yes. I had several offers to work separately from him. He didn't let me in. And then he said, they say, I didn’t work anywhere, I was sitting on his neck.
“My Uncle Fyodor will still attend Harry Potter’s funeral”: quotes about everything
“Once they told me that during the entire period of Soviet power, only three real literary characters appeared: Ostap Bender, Vasily Terkin and Cheburashka. Today I do not see a figure comparable in scale to them. Except Potter. But how long will he live? The longer a fairy-tale hero lives among people, the more interesting it becomes. We should better imagine what will happen to them in a hundred years or 150. I think my Uncle Fyodor will still attend Harry Potter’s funeral.”
“I don’t like this holiday (birthday - Ed.) , and if it is also associated with some, as they say, round date, then I don’t like it at all. You could say that I have long forgotten what day I was born. By and large, I don’t like holidays, they spoil my mood.”
“I am a purely Christian person. My works are sermons. Every time I want to say something to the guys, I start inventing a story. And she demands a hero. I'm starting to come up with a hero. This is how all my books appeared. Crocodile Gena is a sermon that there are animals and they are full members of the community on Earth. Uncle Fyodor - sermon “Give children more freedom.”
“Let's start with the fact that everyone needs money, and I need money too. I have a big house, I have a servant and a driver. I have to get my money... Five million (rubles - Ed. ) is not enough for me even for six months.”
“The country is divided into 10% smart people and 90% idiots. I believe that I am one of the ten smart ones, because this whole story with Crimea is ugly.”
Eduard Uspensky’s wife Eleanor Filina: “I told him more than once: “Ed, wake up!”
“For ten years I lived as if on a powder keg. I couldn’t shake the feeling that my beloved Edik had disappeared, and next to me was his clone,” admits Eleonora Filina, wife of the writer Eduard Uspensky, co-host of the program “Ships Came into Our Harbor.”
- “Lera, hello!” – the husband’s voice sounds cheerful. “Hello, Eduard Nikolaevich...” - “I installed a new lock in the apartment on Kutuzovsky. You won't appear there again now. Bye then!" I stand in a daze. How can he do this?! What should we do if my son and I are now banned from entering our Moscow apartment? Well, how much can you mock? There is an external school nearby where Vlad studies. This means that now we will have to navigate through traffic jams there from Peredelkino, where, with the highest permission of Eduard Nikolayevich, we are allowed to be. Well, knowing his character, this was to be expected.
Yes, I myself finally decided to leave him, realizing that our marriage was a mistake. But you can break up in a civilized way, and not like this, conveying through friends: “Tell her that she can live in a house in Peredelkino, but don’t bother with the rest.” And this despite the fact that everything I earned was invested in our shared life, in an apartment, in a house in Troitsk, where there is now 1200 sq. m. My husband lives alone. Uspensky does not want a divorce. And the conditions for coexistence he puts forward are unacceptable to me: “Your youngest son should not come into my sight. Although he can live there in another wing of the house.” Poor Vlad - he was not yet sixteen - had to endure many humiliations over the many years spent next to one of the most popular children's writers of our time.
We met Cheburashka’s “father” Eduard Uspensky exactly 20 years ago. At that time, he was very passionate about the “Ships Came into Our Harbor” program, which he himself invented. But the editor of Gavan unexpectedly quit. Uspensky began looking for a new editor through his friends. I was recommended to him, a 29-year-old enthusiast. At that time, I worked at Good Morning as a secretary, an administrator, and a novice interviewer.
... Soon, working at Gavan brought me very close to the author. At that time, we were both not free, so I had no intention of flirting with him.
Meanwhile, my first marriage was falling apart at the seams. Only a child, ten-year-old Denis, was holding it. Edward asked about my family life, and I did not hide my problems. We must give him credit: he listened to my confessions very carefully and gave advice. I went to him with an open heart... Wise, kind, witty - every day I was fascinated by him more and more. Uspensky behaved cautiously towards me and did not allow any liberties. But he cared a lot: “You supported me in difficult times, you do an excellent job, and valuable employees need to be encouraged, so I will give my fee for the program to you. I already have money.” I started to refuse, but then I agreed: there was a catastrophic lack of funds, and I worked like an ox. I confess that this gentlemanly act touched me.
Edward often drove me home. He encouraged me to take a driver’s course. My husband and I graduated from them, but when we bought a car, no one let me drive it. Having learned about this, Uspensky said that a friend had brought an old Toyota from Finland for his son-in-law. But the guy didn’t like the car. “Take it,” he suggested. “Yes, I don’t have that kind of money.” - “I’ll pay, and you’ll pay me back when you can.” And you’ll help me out a lot, otherwise it’s awkward in front of a friend.” I repaid the debt in tiny amounts and for a very long time.
Uspensky surrounded me with incredible care. But due to the big age difference, I didn’t immediately understand that it was he who was caring for me like that!
Yes , I’m not a soft person, so what?
I decided to divorce my first husband when we already had two children. The youngest son, Vladik, turned five, and Denis was 19 years old.
My friend started a marriage agency. And she suggested to me: “Let’s marry you to a Frenchman?” I agreed: look for a groom! Once I let it slip to Eduard. He exclaimed: “What about me?” I answer: “You have a family, children. But the role of a mistress is not for me.” Suddenly he says: “Ler, I love you. But I, an uncouth teenager from the yard (I still feel like one), never even dreamed of getting a wife as extraordinary in every sense as you! I was even afraid to tell you about it. But since things turned out this way... Let’s live together.” I agreed. I was no longer afraid of our age difference with Uspensky. I was 39, he was 65. Evil tongues accused me of self-interest. Nothing like this! God knows that if Edward had not had a penny to his name at that time, I would still have married him. Because she loved with all her heart, and also really wanted her son, six-year-old Vladik, to have a friend, an example of a real man.
In general, after our explanation, Edik decided to divorce his wife. We discussed for a long time how to correctly and sensitively present information to their ten-year-old daughters. It’s a shame that Eduard and Elena didn’t manage to part ways on good terms. The wife forbade Uspensky to communicate with the children. In response, Ed acted, in my opinion, very harshly. Angry, he began sending her threatening letters, promising to sue the children and review the deed of gift for the house. He practically stopped supporting his daughters. I would have taken this into account, but I was sure that he would always be noble towards me. After all, he really loves me, he talks about it every day. I admit, I was very surprised that Uspensky, having opened up on the other side, turned out to be so merciless and categorical towards the mother of his children. When I told him about this one day, he laughed: “Yes, I’m not a soft person, so what? But under Soviet rule, dozens of dishonest officials suffered at my hands. And I declared war on Elena Borisovna, because only in this way can I bargain for the right to see my daughters.”
Our life together began with surprises. Before that, I had no idea that Eduard Nikolaevich could be angry and irritated already in the morning. She didn’t reproach, but explained to herself: he was probably dreaming about his daughters, he was suffering. For ten years I knew another Uspensky and believed that soon everything would fall into place, but for now I should be nearby. Meanwhile, my own son entered first grade and lived with his grandmother. He also needed my attention. I felt terribly guilty before both of them. If I didn’t visit Vlad for a long time, my son would call and cry. As soon as I left for Vladik, Eduard exploded: “The child is fine, but I’m thrown into the trash heap!” When Vlad graduated from first grade, I decided it was time to introduce my two favorite men.
We arrived at Vladik’s, I introduced him: “This is Eduard Nikolaevich, he will live with us.” The son nods and is silent. Their relationship did not work out right away. I wouldn’t even say it that way - from the very beginning, Eduard Nikolaevich hated my youngest son. Vladka grew up as an affectionate child, every now and then he would run up to him, talk to him, and hug him. And Edward pulled away, even hiding his hands behind his back so as not to touch the child.
Edward raised the boy, as it seemed to him, like a man. For example, he forbade me to visit my son after lights out. And before that, Vladyusha and I had a tradition - every evening we went to bed together and discussed the past day. “You are developing an Oedipus complex in the guy! Turn off the light and leave." But Vladka was afraid to sleep in the dark; the house was still unfamiliar, especially since his room was located on the second floor, and ours was on the third. Several times he came to us, but came across Eduard’s cry: “Hurry to your place!” Recently my son confessed to me: “How scared I was to sleep alone! I was afraid of the dark, so I went and lay down in a ball under your door, next to you I felt calmer.” He went to bed in the morning, when he was freezing...
In an interesting way, Ed taught Vlad to do household chores. He shouted in a commanding voice: “Quickly go wash the dishes! Otherwise I’ll hang it up!” This is how my son became acquainted with swearing... Yes, the child should help, clean up, but why humiliate him?! When I intervened, an irritated voice rushed out: “You are acting like a stupid chicken! I feed him - and he must work too. And there’s no point in messing around with him - he’s not a girl.”
One day we flew with him on vacation, and the child and his grandmother went to the dacha. Over the course of two weeks, Vlad and I missed each other terribly, and after calling him, I promised that as soon as I arrived in Moscow, I would immediately visit him. Anticipating a negative reaction from her husband, she conducted reconnaissance in force: “Ed, we will return, and the next day I will go to Vlad.” - "Yes, sure". We arrive, in the evening I remind you about the planned trip, and again I hear: “Okay.” And early in the morning, as soon as I got into the car, a sleepy Eduard Nikolaevich appeared: “Where are you going? You have a husband, first of all you must feed him, and not fly at your son’s first request. You spoil it, you become a rag.”
How sad I felt! I started crying... Ed was infuriated by my tears: “What kind of sobbing?!” If you leave now, you don’t have to come back home.”
I, a psychologist by training, understood where his aggressiveness grew from. From the age of ten, Uspensky was raised by his stepfather, who beat him mercilessly. And out of three sons, the mother chose Edik as the unloved and persecuted. So he grew up so hard-hearted, indifferent to the pain of others. I explained all this to little Vladik, and he even felt sorry for Eduard Nikolaevich.
For ten years I lived as if on a powder keg. She took sedative pills by the handful and ended up in the hospital with a nervous breakdown. Every year my feelings for my husband diminished. I told him more than once: “Ed, wake up, stop! No normal woman will endlessly tolerate such rude treatment of her child.” But he, an incredibly confident man, did not attach any importance to my words.
The old Lera is no more
– I have long lived with the feeling that my beloved Edik disappeared ten years ago, and I live with his clone. I left Eduard Nikolaevich several times. Now he is threatening to kick me out of the program.
The last time we saw each other was recently, at the recording of the next episode of “Gavan.” We are professionals, so we communicated on camera, as always, at ease.
Now Uspensky threatens me the same way he once threatened his ex-wife. Flaunts connections and opportunities. Some acquaintances who are already aware of the upcoming divorce tell me: “What are you doing, Ler? Don't mess around. You know what kind of fighter he is.” But how can I not get involved when Eduard wants to take literally everything from me: my home, my job? I recently warned him that if he doesn’t stop bullying me, I will go to the media. I thought that caring for the image of a cheerful children's writer would stop his lawlessness. In response, he laughed: “Who will believe you?!” Just try to blather, I’ll smear you.” Our conflict has been going on for six months now. My son and I moved out of our house near Troitsk. In the 11th grade (!) Vlad had to go to an external school, so I asked Uspensky to give us the opportunity to live in Moscow three days a week. And then he cuts in new locks. Threats are still being sent through my friends. Intimidates that if I “behave badly”, it will only get worse for me.
It’s a pity, because there were good and bright things in our relationship too. But now I somehow don’t remember this.
Now I want only one thing - peace. I'm not happy with the fight, but I have to defend myself. The old Lera is no more, just as my crazy love for a talented but very cruel man is no more...
Alla ZANIMONETS, Telenedelya LLC, Moscow (especially for ZN), Photo by Andrey ERSHTREM, from the personal archive of Eleonora Filina
The owl has not forgiven anyone
The artistic director of the Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe testified in court. He told how the attack happened
Artistic director of the ballet troupe of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater Sergei Filin in the meeting room of the Meshchansky Court in Moscow. Photo: RIA Novosti
“I don’t forgive anyone for what happened,” said Sergei Filin, artistic director of the Bolshoi Theater ballet troupe, at a meeting of the Meshchansky Court in Moscow today. Having partially lost his sight as a result of an acid attack in January of this year, he spoke about the circumstances of the attack, the specifics of working in the theater, and also denied accusations of corruption and intimate relationships with dancers.
Unflattering statements about Filin were previously made by the main accused, the leading soloist of the Bolshoi ballet troupe Pavel Dmitrichenko, who is charged with organizing the attack. Together with him, his alleged accomplices appeared in court: a previously convicted resident of the Ryazan region, Yuri Zarutsky (he is accused of being the perpetrator of the crime) and an unemployed resident of the Moscow region, Andrei Lipatov, who drove him to the scene of the attack. During the first hearing in the case, on October 29, only Zarutsky admitted guilt in causing grievous bodily harm to Filin (part 3 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). Dmitrichenko and Lipatov declared their non-involvement in the crime.
