Vladimir Simonov - theater and film actor - was born in the city of Oktyabrsk on June 7, 1957. This man was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation.
Currently, Simonov lives in a quiet village near Krasnogorsk, where he can feel calm and secluded. In addition, the nature around is extremely beautiful: the house is located next to the forest, and cats and dogs live in the house itself.
Vladimir Simonov: biography
The Samara region became the homeland for the actor. He was born into a simple family: his father was an electric locomotive driver, and his mother was a secretary. The parents had nothing to do with creative activity, but they met on the stage of an oil base.
Due to the fact that his mother worked in the city committee, life was not always easy for Vladimir then: his peers in the yard beat him for this position, and at school, on the contrary, there were concessions from the teachers.
Little Vova was an obedient boy; his parents doted on him and tried to support him in everything. Then they could not even think that their son would become a great actor.
Vladimir Simonov, whose photo you see in the article, grew up as an ordinary boy and loved to kick a ball in the yard. He even admits that during his school years he indulged in port wine and played the guitar. The future artist grew up as a versatile boy, loved to read and kept pigeons, which he took care of himself. He loved these birds very much, and sometimes because of them he even had to fuss in front of his parents.
Biography of Vladimir Simonov
The biography of Vladimir Simonov began in the small town of Oktyabrsk, Samara Region. His father worked as an electric locomotive driver, and his mother was the secretary of the city committee.
“During school breaks, I really liked to copy the teachers. In class, I took great pleasure in playing pranks on my classmates and always dreamed of becoming a clown. Once I was reciting some essay in class and got into character so much that I really scared the teacher. I grew up very subtle and sensitive.”
While studying in high school, Vladimir attended theater productions with his mother. After that, he began to dream about stage and cinema. Having received a diploma of secondary education, he went to the capital of Russia to enter the Shchukin School. Unfortunately, he failed one of his exams and was forced to return home. He studied at the Kuibyshev Institute of Culture for two years. In 1976, he still managed to become a student at the Shchukin School.
Having received a diploma of higher education, Vladimir became a member of the troupe of the Vakhtangov Theater, but in 1983 he decided to move to the Moscow Art Theater, where he worked for about 6 years. In 1989 he returned to the Vakhtangov Theater. On the stages of these theaters, the artist performed in such productions as “The Seagull”, “Tartuffe”, “Uncle Vanya”, etc. In 2012, Vladimir Simonov’s play was Fr.
Vladimir Simonov’s first notable film work was the role of a lieutenant in the military film “Sashka,” which was released in 1982. Already in 1989, the actor received his first major role in the dramatic film “Live Broadcast”. In 1993, Simonov played a colonel in the film “White Horse”.
Vladimir Simonov and Tatyana Arntgolts in the film “Daughter”
Since the 2000s, Vladimir Simonov began actively acting in multi-part projects. So he appeared in such TV series as “Border. Taiga Romance”, “Stop on Demand”, “Kamenskaya”, “Children of the Arbat”, “Samara”, “Those Eyes Opposite”, “Kitchen”, etc.
Desire to become an actor
Vladimir Simonov's mother sang well, and his father played the accordion excellently. Vladimir recalls that there were always a lot of books in their house, and they were all serious. Nowadays it’s difficult for an artist to find a volume in his parents’ house that he hasn’t read. But, despite such a seemingly serious family, in the 8th grade he decides to become a clown.
After visiting the theater with his mother in Leningrad, he decided that he wanted to play on stage. And a year later I wrote a letter to the Shchukin School. Having received the entrance exam program, Vladimir Simonov prepared for them and submitted documents to the institution in 1974, but failed the Russian language exam, and therefore was not enrolled as a student.
Later he entered the Samara Academy of Culture and Arts to study as a director.
Artist's wives and children
In the personal life of Vladimir Simonov, everything is not going as smoothly as in his professional career. The actor was married three times, but never managed to find family happiness. The actor's first wife was the granddaughter of director Ruben Simonov. This marriage produced a daughter, Asya, who left with her mother for America after her parents separated. Asya made her father a grandfather, giving birth to a son, Oliver.
For the second time, Vladimir Simonov married actress Ekaterina Belikova. She gave birth to his son Vasily, who continued the acting dynasty. But these family relationships also reached a dead end.
The actor’s third wife was a young student of GITIS, who gave birth to Simonov’s son Vladimir, but the couple did not live together for long. The actor maintains friendly relations with all spouses and children , communicates with them and helps to the best of his ability.
In the summer he tries to take his sons to the sea and, despite the fact that there is a thirteen-year difference between his half-brothers, he finds interesting hobbies for them.
Now the actor lives away from the bustle of the city in a small village near Krasnogorsk. A dog and two cats help him share his loneliness. A housekeeper helps Simonov run the household. To keep himself in good physical shape, he does not play sports. He tries to eat right and, if possible, swim in the pool.
He travels to Moscow in an old Mercedes, which is already two decades old. Not because he cannot afford to buy a modern car, but because he is very attached to old things.
Creation
In 1976, he again applied to the Shchukin School and passed all the exams. Vladimir Simonov was enrolled in A. Kazanskaya’s course. At the institute, Simonov was nicknamed the Penknife, since by his nature he is a flexible person, both literally and figuratively. He could play any role, and could also get into places where, it would seem, a child could not get into! Simonov recalls how his classmates put him in a suitcase and locked him in it.
Five years later, he and his classmates work in the Vakhtangov group. In 1983 he moved to the Moscow Art Theater, and his first roles were played in the productions of “Tartuffe” and “The Seagull”. But six years later he returns to the Vakhtangov Theater and works there for more than twenty years. Spectators love Simonov so much that they not only attend his performances, but also attend rehearsals.
A new stage in Simonov’s life begins when a new director comes to the theater. In Rimas Tuminas, he saw a man charged with theatrical energy, and it was him who Vladimir thanks for his fame and popularity. He followed all the recommendations and advice of his mentor, because he wanted to become like him. Before the arrival of the new director, Simonov could not fully open up. Of course, he played all the roles amazingly, but there was no spark that would inspire him.
At the same time, he performed on the stage of the Stanislavsky Theater. Simonov's film debut took place in 1978, in the film “Siberiada”. One of the main films for him was “Uncle Vanya” based on Chekhov. It was this picture that brought him fame and popularity.
“The thing to be proud of is my number of roles!”
Vladimir appeared on the big screen for the first time in 1978, while still a student at the theater school. He was cast in the film “Siberiada,” directed by Andron Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky. Later he collaborated with Fomenko, Efros, Dykhovichny, Schweitzer... At the moment, the actor has 132 works on the set. Most of them are television series: “Kamenskaya”, “Daughter”, “Dostoevsky”, “Border. Taiga Romance" and others. Simonov’s last notable role was in Semyon Slepakov’s acclaimed project – “House Arrest” (2018). In this series, Vladimir plays the rector of Sineozersk University, Eduard Kargapolov, who has an affair with associate professor of history Marina Bylinkina (played by Marina Alexandrova).
Vladimir Simonov and Marina Alexandrova in the television series “House Arrest.” 2018
Vladimir Simonov played on many theatrical stages: at the Moscow Art Theater, the Drama Theater. Stanislavsky, “Et Cetera”, “Domino”, “Theater of Nations” and of course in the constant theater named after. Vakhtangov. The actor also tours a lot with the troupe. A year ago they performed the play “Uncle Vanya” on a world tour; they visited both Canada and the USA. This fall the theater troupe named after. Vakhtangova opened the season in Kislovodsk with the production of “Big Tours”.
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Vladimir Simonov: filmography
In 1982, he played a role in the film “Sashka”. In total, the actor took part in more than eighty projects, both television and cinema. Since the 2000s, he began working in TV series.
Popular melodramas in which he starred include the following:
- "Russian chocolate"
- "Samara".
- "Ermolaevs".
- "City Lights"
- "Dostoevsky".
Simonov himself admits that he would rather play a minor role, but well, than be offered to star in many films that do not require much effort. It's true: real artists often have to choose which roles they will play and which ones they will refuse.
Simonov appears in films of any genre - comedies, action films, detective stories, melodramas, historical films and thrillers. Vladimir himself does not have favorite roles, they are all the same for him, because he associates them with children, who cannot be unloved.
Simonov’s plans are to play philosophical roles, where you can reflect and think about your destiny. The actor does not agree to play roles whose types have already been presented to them on the screen.
The most famous films in which Simonov starred are the following:
- "Live Broadcast", 1989
- "White Horse", 1993
- "Hot Saturday", 2002
He played leading roles in these films, which is perhaps why they became so popular.
Marriages and divorces
Of course, fans are interested not only in the roles played by Vladimir Simonov. The star’s personal life is not one of the taboo topics that he refuses to discuss with journalists. It is known that the actor was legally married three times and divorced three times. He himself explains this by the fact that he is married to his own profession.
Vladimir’s first chosen one was the granddaughter of the famous director Ruben Simonov. The marriage did not last long, but the first wife managed to give the actor a daughter, Asya. Currently, the actor’s daughter lives in the United States and is raising her son Oliver.
After his divorce from the director's granddaughter, the actor did not remain alone for too long. His attention was attracted by actress Ekaterina Belikova, whom Vladimir soon married. From this marriage he has a son, Vasily, who decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. The young man graduated from Pike, then joined the troupe of the Vakhtangov Theater. Vladimir is proud of his son’s successes and looks forward to the moment when he surpasses himself.
Personal life
Vladimir Simonov, whose personal life interests many fans, was married three times. His first wife is the granddaughter of Ruben Simonov, who was a famous director of that time. The marriage produced a daughter, Asya, who currently lives in the USA with her family. She moved there while she was still in school, with her mother. Asya gave birth to Vladimir's grandson Oliver.
The second marriage was with actress Ekaterina Belikova, their common son Vasily graduated from the Shchukin School in 2010, following in the footsteps of his parents. Now he works in the troupe of the Vakhtangov Theater. Vladimir is proud of his son, believes that he is a good artist and plays all his roles well. He has to play with Vasily on the same stage, and sometimes he gives his son advice, to which he listens carefully. As Vladimir says, his son has all the makings that will help him surpass his father in creative activity.
And Simonov’s third marriage with a GITIS student also broke up. The couple had a son, Vladimir, who is already nine years old.
Vladimir Simonov is an actor whose personal life did not turn out the way he would like. But, despite the fact that Simonov has children from three different women, they communicate with each other, both with and without their dad. Simonov always tries to help his ex-wives; good relations have been maintained between them. They can ask him for help at any moment, and he will not refuse them.
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Vladimir Simonov was able to maintain friendly relations with his former lovers. He also maintains communication with all his heirs. Moreover, if necessary, he helps his children financially. On the Internet you can find photos in which the artist is captured together with his heirs and former lovers. There are also photos in which the artist appeared before the audience in one or another creative image.
As you know, Vladimir likes to relax away from the noisy city, in a village located near Krasnogorsk. He also loves to relax in nature with his colleagues and friends.
Awards
Vladimir Simonov has several awards and prizes in his track record. In 1995 he was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. Three times he was awarded the Seagull Prize for his roles in productions:
- "Don Quixote".
- "Othello".
- "Amphitryon".
In 2012, he won the Figaro Prize for his excellent acting over three years.
Every prize and award is important for Simonov, it’s like a new stage in life.
Theater
Vladimir Simonov is an actor who could hardly be called the darling of fate; he had to achieve everything on his own. While still a student, he began playing in amateur performances, honing his skills. It is not surprising that after finishing “Pike” the young man was readily accepted into the Vakhtangov Theater.
Already in 1983, Vladimir joined the Moscow Art Theater troupe; he remained a member of this creative team for about six years. Among the productions in which he played, “Tartuffe” and “The Seagull” became the most popular among audiences. Returning to the Vakhtangov Theater is a step that Vladimir Simonov decided to take in 1989. The actor, whose biography is discussed in this article, is a member of the troupe of this theater at the moment.
When Simonov is asked about the people who played an important role in his development as an actor, he invariably mentions Rimas Tuminas, calling this man “a director from God.” It was his instructions that helped his gift to reveal itself. It is also worth mentioning that Vladimir is a multiple winner of the honorary “Chaika” award. This award recognized the roles that the actor played in the productions of “Amphitryon,” “Don Quixote,” and “Othello.” Also in 2012, the actor was awarded the Figaro Prize.
Prediction
In his youth, a funny incident happened to our hero. When Vladimir Simonov was twenty years old, he was stopped by a gypsy who predicted his success as an actor. At this time, Simonov was already working in the theater. As the actor himself admits, gypsies have never pestered him in his life, and they certainly haven’t told fortunes for him. Vladimir gave her three rubles, and she said that success awaits him after 45 years. However, Simonov admits that the prediction has not yet come true, and he does not feel like a fully accomplished actor. Simonov says that he achieved greater success in the theater than in cinema.
Choosing a life path
It was not long before Vladimir Simonov came to the idea that he should connect his life with theater and cinema. In the eighth grade, the boy had no doubt that he would become a clown when he grew up. However, fate decreed otherwise. As a ninth-grader, Vladimir visited Leningrad with his mother, visited the Pushkin Theater and the Bolshoi Drama Theater. This was enough for him to start dreaming about the theater stage.
After graduating from school, Vladimir Simonov became a student at the Kuibyshev Institute of Culture. Before this, he tried to enter the Shchukin Theater School, but the attempt failed. It is known that Vladimir failed to pass the Russian language exam. But the second attempt to enter “Pike” turned out to be successful; this educational institution submitted to Simonov already in 1976. During his student years, Vladimir acquired the nickname “Penknife”, which was associated with his plasticity and flexibility.
