Biography
Alexander Novikov was born and raised in a family of St. Petersburg intelligentsia. From an early age, his parents comprehensively developed the boy, in particular, they instilled in their son a love of theater. “I first encountered the art of Melpomene at the age of three,” recalls the actor. “It was then that my mother decided that it was time to introduce me to a production called “Unknown Man with a Tail” at the Bolshoi Puppet Theater.”
During his school years, the boy was sent to study music; he sang and played the drum quite well. Sasha graduated from a music school as an external student, majoring in percussion instruments, but did not want to continue his studies. He dreamed of becoming an actor, which was not at all part of his family’s plans.
When Alexander announced to his parents about his decision to enter the theater school, a flurry of indignation hit him: “There was a tragedy, it came down to hand-to-hand combat. I was destined for something completely different. Dad was a doctor, a gynecologist. And my family had radically opposite views of me: something close to this wonderful profession. And then suddenly - a theater institute. This is the same as if I said that tomorrow I will fly into space. Like a vaudeville act, a classic silent scene ensued, then everyone left, then they started taking action. But I turned out to be more stubborn and did not give up my positions. Although I cannot boast of an uncompromising grip on all other life issues, I have withstood all the battles here.”
Thus, having won the right to self-determination, the young man successfully passed the exams at the Leningrad State Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography (now the Academy of Theater Arts) and entered the course of the famous Soviet actor and director Igor Vladimirov.
Already at the entrance exams, creative contact and mutual sympathy arose between teacher and student. In one of his interviews, the actor said: “Igor Petrovich didn’t let me read at the entrance; I only had time to say my name and the title of the fable when he started laughing. He probably thought I was funny. He recruited us with an attentive and loving eye, it seems to me, already knowing then who would remain in his theater.”
Vladimir Novikov (actor): biography, photo
He has studied at VGIK, in the workshop of Sergei Fedorovich Bondarchuk. The stage of the theater on Malaya Bronnaya more than once met the actor in many characters and performances. At the very beginning of his work, he performed in a completely different capacity - as part of the Chorus group, led by composer Evgeniy Bednenko. Vladimir Novikov tries himself as a screenwriter, writer and poet. He is the author of poems and stories.
But the artist achieved real victories and well-deserved awards in the acting field. He has the title of People's Artist of Russia, also received the Lenin Komsomol Prize and became a State Prize laureate. One of the awards is generally unusual: it is from the Moscow City Internal Affairs Directorate. This is a premium traumatic pistol.
Theater
In 1990, after graduating from LGITMiK, the actor was accepted into the troupe of the theater. Lensovet, which was led by his favorite teacher. Later, Alexander shared: “For me, the decisive factor in entering the Lensovet Theater was not even the fact that I played on these stages as a student, but the personality of the master, his artistic policy, his human and creative principles, his energy.
I was lucky enough to play in several of Vladimirov’s performances: “The Players”, “Leopold the Cat’s Birthday”, “Baby”, “Doors Slam”. In “Carlson” he entrusted me with the role of Carlson after Ravikovich and Filatov.”
The theater became a home for the actor. On his stage, he played more than four dozen roles, trying on not only diverse human images, but also animals and fairy-tale characters.
The artist says about his characters: “Analyzing the gallery of images I created, I, to my great amazement, discovered that I had played a huge number of characters with four legs, a mustache and a tail. Among the animals whose images were created, along with the traditional dog and cat, there were also a lion and a raccoon, which was not at all easy. In the same company were two young men with difficult destinies - Prince Klaus and the thief Rulle, as well as two little-studied subjects - the Chieftain from The Snow Queen and Carlson.
In 2009, the actor played the role of Ivan Vasilyevich Lomov in Andrei Prikotenko’s play “Chekhov. Vaudeville". The author came up with a stage story based on short plays (“The Proposal”, “Anniversary” and “On the Harm of Tobacco”) by the outstanding playwright Anton Pavlovich Chekhov.
The artist about the performance: “This is the story of one disappointment. The story of a man who, at a fairly mature age (he is 35 years old in “The Proposal”), decided to get away from loneliness through marriage and build a happy life for himself.
My hero at the end of the play, at the monologue scene “On the dangers of tobacco,” represents the disintegration of the human personality: 33 years of marriage, seven children, an unloved, aged vixen wife...”
The play was a resounding success and brought the actor the Igor Ilyinsky prize “For Best Actor” at the IV All-Russian Festival “Russian Comedy” in Rostov-on-Don.
From time to time, Alexander Novikov tries himself on the stage of other theaters in St. Petersburg, but at the same time remains faithful to his native Leningrad City Council. “It’s difficult for me to be objective, and if I say that I love him very much, I won’t say anything,” the actor emphasizes. — It so happened historically that this is a boulevard theater. Confirmation of this is Pasi’s performance “Frederic, or the Boulevard of Crimes”: the material absolutely fell into its troupe, roughly speaking, who played the story about themselves. Our theater is accessible to the public, generally understandable, and speaks a very simple theatrical language.”
Theater works:
Theater named after Lensoveta:
“Tomorrow was the war” by Boris Vasiliev - Vovik Khramov “The Snow Queen” by Evgeniy Schwartz - Prince Claus, Atamansha “Trap” - Son of Greta “Doors Slam” by Michel Fermaux - Georges “Troubadour and His Friends” based on the play by Vasily Livanov and Yuri Entin - Dog “Talents and fans” by A.N. Ostrovsky - Migaev "Little" Jean Letraz - Jacques "The Birthday of Leopold the Cat" Arkady Khait - Leopold the Cat "Players" N.V. Gogol - Glove Jr. "Face" by Ingmar Bergman - Simson "Candlestick" A. de Musset - Genius of the Garden "Brother Rabbit in the Wild West" by E. Gaidai - Brother Raccoon "On a Lively Place" by A.N. Ostrovsky - The Unlucky "Ghost Lady" - Don Luis "Banana" - 2nd Man "The Imaginary Invalid" J.-B. Moliere - Cleante "Cabaret" by D. Kender, F. Ebba - Mr. Schultz "Barbarians" by M. Gorky - Tadpoles "Invitation to the Castle" by J. Anouilh - Romainville "Spanish Ballad" by L. Feuchtwanger, G. Strelkov, M. Belaya - Rodrigo “Frederic, or the Boulevard of Crimes” E.-E. Schmitt - Mu de Zvon, playwright "Little Girl" N. Berberova - Patrikeev "A Bed for Three" by M. Pavich - Snglf "Vladimir Square" F.M. Dostoevsky - Miller “Simplicity is enough for every wise man” A.N. Ostrovsky - Neil Fedoseich Mamaev "Funny Money" R. Cooney - Henry Perkins "The Kid and Carlson Who Lives on the Roof" A. Lindgren - Carlson "Night and Day" B. Srblyanovich - Milan, son of Ignyatovich "The Good Man from Sichuan" B Brecht - The Second God "Moor" by W. Shakespeare - Iago "The Government Inspector" N.V. Gogol - Artemy Filippovich Strawberry, trustee of charitable institutions "Reserve" S. Dovlatova, V. Senin - Mitrofanov "Chekhov." Vaudeville" A.P. Chekhov - Ivan Vasilyevich Lomov “Merry Christmas, Mr. Rossman!” B. Srbljanovich - The First All-Possible Convenience “Casimir and Caroline” by Eden von Horvath - Schurzinger “Forest” A.N. Ostrovsky - Arkady Schastlivtsev, actor, Uar Kirilych Bodaev “Macbeth. Cinema" by W. Shakespeare - Murderer, Son, Pianist "Shadow of the Tree" by Ekaterina Narshi - The Unloved Man "Don Quixote" by M. Bulgakov - Sancho Panza "City. Marriage. Gogol." N.V. Gogol - Zhevakin
Other theaters:
"Panic. Men on the verge of a nervous breakdown" - Leo (FMD-Theatre) "Fairy tales with an accent" - Marquis Giulio Antiquatti (FMD-Theater) "Translated by Gogol" - Marquis Giulio Antiquatti (FMD-Theater) "Lefty" - Tsar (Musical Comedy Theatre) ) “Love is not a potato” - Victor (Theatre “Dom”)
The turning point and the turn to ekrasense
Vladimir Novikov loves to read poetry, good books and communicate with interesting people. The actor, whose biography is full of not only pleasant moments, at a certain period of his life turned to healers. When robbers attacked his apartment and stole audio equipment, a camera, a TV, an award weapon and money, the clairvoyant and healer Juna did everything possible to ensure that the police found the thieves.
They were quickly identified while trying to sell the loot. Vladimir Novikov suffered the blow of fate with dignity. The actor only came to his senses two months later. Novikov remembers perfectly how everything happened, but there is much he cannot understand. For example, it is not entirely clear to him how the thieves got into the entrance by bypassing the intercom. The owner was at home, drinking heart drops and could not stop the robbers from doing their dirty deed. It later turned out that one of the thieves was a drug addict. Several award pistols were returned, but all other equipment was already sold out. “Juna cursed them,” says Vladimir Novikov himself.
The process of recovery from extreme stress due to the robbery incident was not easy, and Novikov ended up in the hospital. The actor already suffered a strong experience when his wife died. They lived together for about thirty years, but were still jealous of each other. Elena, knowing how filming sometimes goes, was always afraid of betrayal on the part of her husband. There was a lot of gossip about the personal life of the married couple, and there were divorces (their number was 14!). Then again fate united them again. Vladimir has always been a Russian Robin Hood with a noble soul and pure thoughts. He managed to play the same selfless hero in the film about the Japanese Bear. Giving all the money to the poor while living from hand to mouth is the law of life for Novikov.
The film about the Japanese Bear is an adventure film with elements of adventurous melodrama. The heroes of actor Novikov are living, real people. You endlessly believe in them, regardless of how long ago the film was made or sometimes the unsuccessful performance of the actors.
Cinema
The actor made his film debut in 1990 in the role of Beloglazov in Vitaly Melnikov’s historical drama “The Tsar’s Hunt” based on the play of the same name by Leonid Zorin. He starred in such multi-genre films as: the detective story “Memories of Sherlock Holmes” and the adventure film “Timur and His Commandos” directed by Igor Maslennikov; film adaptation of the popular fairy tale by Leonid Filatov “About Fedot the Archer”; historical drama “The Favorite” by Alexey Karelin; mystical thriller “Labyrinths of the Mind” by Victor Gonchar; melodrama “St. Petersburg Vacation” by Oleg Gaze and others.
However, most of all the actor likes to act in comedies. Among the most striking works in this genre: The non-drinking groom in Yuri Mamin’s film “Bitter!”; The second new Russian in the film about the heroes of the jokes “Vovochka” by Andrei Maksimkov; two roles at once, Teacher and Bandit, in the film about doubles “Purely in Life” by Vladimir Zaikin; Sokolov in “The True History of Lieutenant Rzhevsky” by Andrei Maksimkov.
The viewer is familiar with Alexander Novikov from such popular TV series as: “Streets of Broken Lanterns-4”, “Traffic Cops”, “Special Purpose Agent-3”, “PPS-2”, “One Day, One Night” and others.
"Secrecy of the investigation"
The actor became widely famous for his role as detective Fedya Kurochkin in Ilya Makarov’s detective story “Secrets of the Investigation” based on Elena Topilskaya’s novel “Dancing with the Cops.”
The artist shares his impressions of working in the project and his filming partners: “I have respect for this series in particular. The script's author, Elena Topilskaya, worked for a long time as an investigator on particularly important cases, so the script has a certain charm of complicity. What impresses him is the St. Petersburg lack of pretentiousness, he is strict, a little cold, but this is his peculiarity.
Only the first seasons of “Secrets” were filmed based on Topilskaya’s novels; a group of screenwriters has been working for quite some time, but all of us - the backbone of the acting group - have not cooled down to filming this project. Because the soul of the series was and remains Anna Kovalchuk, an amazing actress of our troupe. She and I played duet roles in many performances - brother and sister, lovers, husband and wife. It’s a pleasure to work with her, Anya has a great sense of humor and developed self-irony.”
Over the long years of the series’ existence, viewers began to involuntarily identify Alexander Novikov with his hero, but the actor himself does not see much similarity here: “Still, Fedya Kurochkin is not my other self.” But filming “Secrets of the Investigation” lasted for many years and continues, this is a big piece, a significant part of my life. And I take this work tenderly, warmly, very seriously.”
The actor's filmography already includes more than fifty films. He continues to star in the new season of “Secrets of the Investigation” and at the same time plays on the stage of the Theater. Lensovet.
Personal life and family
Personal life did not always allow me to relax. He and his wife, alternating between divorces and marriage registration, lived together for 26 years.
Elena Ivanovna died of a stroke. Novikov Vladimir raised her son Andrei from her first marriage. By the way, as mentioned above, the actor was not the only child in the family, and he has a trusting relationship with his sister Tatyana.
View gallery
Interview
About the theater
“I am madly in love with simple-minded theater and simple-minded heroes, for example, the deceived Molière simpletons about whom I dream. I hate obscure theater. I consider the highest manifestation of a director’s gift to be the ability to build a simple and understandable story, doing it easily and always with humor.”
“I hate theater that does not play on stage, and I am forever devoted to the theater where tears, passions, anger, despair and other wonderful things are the result of masterful acting, because the theater is such a strange place where true emotion can be incredibly false , and played with the height of grace and truth.”
“I think that theater today should stop, carefully look at where cinema and other forms of art are moving, remember this direction and confidently go in the absolutely opposite direction, without being afraid to stop any attempts to catch up with our wonderful life, attempts to correspond to it.”
“I admire those artists who take off the mask, and then there is another mask, and another, and under the last mask there is still a mask. Everything in the theater must be invented and unreal, only then will it be real.”
“I can hardly get more joy from anything in the theater than from partnering with a wonderful actress. Let my male partners forgive me, but for me the actress has always been the emotional center of the performance.”
“I value only one thing in partners - humor. A person who can make me laugh, including on stage, is always the object of my adoration and admiration. I consider a sense of humor to be the highest manifestation of an actor’s talent.”
About the profession
“There is a paradox: the absence of roles makes the artist a genius in his own eyes. And only being in demand is the only thing that allows an artist to really evaluate himself.”
“An artist must be able to play what he is given, remaining free within this lack of freedom, and it is your personal problem that you like it and are happy.”
“I hate “serious”, I’m allergic to it. I like to be close to the role, and not inside it. I don’t like it when an actor gets so into the role that you whisper to him: “Hey, the chandelier is falling,” but he doesn’t hear, he’s standing all wet from tension, the veins are strained in his neck - he’s in character. And then he lies there for three hours, unable to get up after the performance. In general, the absence of an artist’s visible effort on stage is a sign of aristocracy.”
About acting traits
“There is a saying among colleagues: if the sheets with a role fall, you need to sit on each one, otherwise the role will not happen. As an absent-minded person, I constantly drop sheets and am too lazy to believe in this sign. Even if something went wrong in the performance, the energy of loved ones can cover the most incredible flaws. That’s why I believe in good company on stage more than in omens.”
Based on materials from Wikipedia, sites: kino-teatr.ru, ruskino.ru, vokrug.tv, peoples.ru, rusakters.ru, actors.spb.ru, lensov-theatre.spb.ru, actors-spb.narod.ru, d-pils.lv, spb.aif.ru, ptj.spb.ru, news.sib.ru, rg.ru
Boris Novikov in cinema
“At the Quiet Marina” 1958.
In cinema, Boris Novikov’s career developed more successfully. Having first appeared on the screen only at the age of 30, he captured the attention of directors. One of the first notable roles was in the film “To the Black Sea” in 1957, where Isolda Izvitskaya and Anatoly Kuznetsov . In total, he starred in more than 100 films. He was especially successful in small roles of alcoholics, hooligans, and parasites.
“Seven Old Men and One Girl” 1968
Filmography: Actor
- Secrets of Investigation-19 (2019), TV series
- Secrets of Investigation-18 (2018), TV series
- Secrets of Investigation-17 (2017), TV series
- Secrets of Investigation-16 (2016), TV series
- Secrets of investigation-15 (2015), TV series
- One Day, One Night (2015)
- Secrets of Investigation-14 (2014), TV series
- Secrets of Investigation-13 (2013), TV series
- PPS-2 (2013), TV series
- Secrets of Investigation-12 (2012), TV series
- Secrets of Investigation-11 (2012), TV series
- Special Agent-3 (2012), TV series
- Secrets of investigation-10 (2011), TV series
- State Defense-2 (2011), TV series
- Special Agent-2 (2011), TV series
- Secrets of investigation-9 (2010), TV series
- Ligovka (2010), TV series
- Traffic cops (2010), TV series
- Secrets of the investigation-8 (2009), TV series
- St. Petersburg holidays (2009)
- Funny Money (2008), film-play
- Gold of Troy (2008)
- Night and day (2008), film-play
- Secrets of Investigation-7 (2007), TV series
- Secrets of the investigation-6 (2006), TV series
- Labyrinths of the Mind (2006), TV series
- Favorite (2005)
- Secrets of Investigation-5 (2005), TV series
- The true story of Lieutenant Rzhevsky (2005)
- Pari (2005)
- A Bed for Three (2005), film-play
- Bratva (2005), TV series
- Timur and his commandos (2004)
- Secrets of the investigation-4 (2004), TV series
- Unstoppable Chizhov (2004), TV series
- Baby (2004), film-play
- Purely in life (2003), TV series
- Frederick, or Crime Boulevard (2003), film-play
- Secrets of the investigation-3 (2003), TV series
- Short Stories (2002)
- We're all at home (2002)
- Streets of Broken Lanterns-4 (2002), TV series
- Secrets of the investigation-2 (2002), TV series
- Russian horror stories (2002),
- Secrets of the investigation-1 (2001), TV series
- The Tale of Fedot the Sagittarius (2001)
- Vovochka (2000), TV series
- Lethal force-1 (2000),
- Myths. Sochinushki (2000), short film
- Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (2000)
- Rosabella and the Troll (1998), film-play
- Little Merman (1998), film-play
- Bitterly! (1998)
- The Legend of Tila (1997), film-play
- Confessions to a Stranger (1995)
- Heart of Stone, 1995, film-play
- Brownie of the Old Castle (1995), film-play
- The King and the Cunning (1994), film-play
- Shikimoku (1993)
- Royal Hunt (1990)
