Vladimir Tolokonnikov – Honored Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Biography

Soviet and Kazakh theater and film actor, Honored Artist of Kazakhstan Vladimir Tolokonnikov was born during the Great Patriotic War. The father went to the front, the mother raised her son alone.

In the post-war years they lived very poorly. From an early age, Vladimir helped his mother and worked part-time. Since childhood, I read a lot and drew well.

During his school years, Vladimir studied in a drama club, where he had a dream of becoming an actor.

For three years he tried to enter theater universities in Moscow, but was unsuccessful.

After the army, Vladimir Tolokonnikov again went to Moscow. I submitted documents to VGIK and did not pass for the fourth time. Then he went to Yaroslavl, where in 1973 he graduated from the acting department of the theater school.

Childhood and youth

The future actor was born on June 25, 1943 in Alma-Ata, which in those years was a shelter for wounded soldiers and evacuated civilians. One of these fighters, who lived in the house of the future actor’s mother, became his father. Having recovered his health, the soldier left, leaving the woman before the birth of her son.

Vova grew up in poverty and hunger. His mother worked at a bio-processing plant, receiving a very modest salary. Her son helped her as best he could, at least they always had perfect cleanliness and order in the house. He drew wonderfully, dreamed of becoming a pilot, like many Soviet boys, and also invented a heroic father for himself, telling various fables about him to his friends.

Vladimir Tolokonnikov in his youth

In principle, he was a great dreamer, even then he showed artistic inclinations and performed brilliantly at school evenings. When he read the stories of grandfather Shchukar from Sholokhov’s “Virgin Soil Upturned,” the audience literally cried with laughter. It was clear to everyone that the boy’s place was on stage.

In high school, he attended a drama club, which worked under the guidance of director and teacher Mikhail Azovsky, by the way, simultaneously with Alexander Filippenko and Lev Tiomkin.

Movie

Tolokonnikov made his film debut in 1981 in the action film “The Last Crossing.”

He gained all-Russian fame only seven years later, after Vladimir Bortko’s film “Heart of a Dog,” in which he played the role of Polygraph Poligrafovich Sharikov. True, Vladimir Alekseevich himself did not really like being associated with this character. The role brought Tolokonnikov the State Prize of the RSFSR named after the Vasilyev brothers.

Then the actor repeatedly appeared on movie screens. Among his works: “Cloud-Paradise”, “Dreams of an Idiot”, “Sky in Diamonds”, “Kolya - Tumbleweeds”, “Ghost”, “The One Who is Tender”, “Hottabych”, “Black Sheep”, “Super Beavers” .People's Avengers" and others.

Further career

The artist’s creative baggage included other interesting and significant works, but something as high-profile as “Heart of a Dog” never happened to him. When the excitement surrounding the film died down, Tolokonnikov returned to Alma-Ata, began building a house, spent happy hours with his family, worked on local television and occasionally acted in films.

In 1990, he talentedly embodied the colorful image of Filomeev in the tragicomedy “Cloud-Paradise” by Nikolai Dostal. A year later, he appeared in the role of Ivan in the action movie “Ghost,” where the main character was played by Nikita Vysotsky, the son of the legendary bard.

Vladimir Tolokonnikov in the film “Cloud-Paradise”

In 1993, he played Adam Kozlevich in the Russian-French comedy “Dreams of an Idiot,” based on the novel “The Golden Calf” by Ilf and Petrov. His partners on the site were Alika Smekhova, Sergei Krylov, Evgeny Dvorzhetsky, Stanislav Lyubshin, Vladimir Etush.

Vladimir Tolokonnikov and Stanislav Lyubshin in the film “Dreams of an Idiot”

In 1996, 4 film projects were released with the participation of the artist. Among them, we should highlight the Kazakh series “Crossroads”, which made him very popular in his homeland, and the drama “Shanghai”, in which he played the key role of Grandfather Stepanych. It was this work, together with “Heart of a Dog,” that was most familiar and loved by American audiences, which became clear during the artist’s tour to the United States in 2003.

In 1999, the actor could be seen in the action comedy film The Sky in Diamonds as the President of Russia. In 2001, he played a small role as a forensic expert in the multi-part project “Citizen Chief,” where his co-stars were Yuri Stepanov, Egor Beroev, and Nadezhda Markina.

At the same time, the artist worked on Kazakhstan television as the host of the program “In the Kitchen with Tolokonnikov,” meeting and talking with guests, touring screen stars, and in partnership with Gennady Balaev in 2001-2004. laughed with all his might in the sketch comedy “Tolobaiki”, an analogue of the Russian “Gorodok”.

Vladimir Tolokonnikov in the series “The Enchanted Site”

In 2002, the artist was chosen for the role of Uncle Sasha in the TV series “Deadly Force 5”, the cast of which included many stars - Konstantin Khabensky, Andrei Fedortsev, Giuliano Di Capua, Gerard Depardieu, etc. Then he brilliantly played a minor character, accountant Yulyukin in the series “Plot” with Sergei Bezrukov, in 2006 - the main character, a genie-computer ace in the adventure comedy “Hottabych”, becoming the idol of viewers of the new generation and receiving an MTV film award in the category “Best Comedy Role”.

In 2007, the series “Soldiers” was released, where he was cast in the role of the uncle of Ensign Shmatko. Then - the miniseries “Gromovs”, in which he got the role of Pakhomych. In 2009, he appeared in the image of partisan Andreev in the military television series “The Disappeared,” based on the work of I. Bolgarin and V. Smirnov “No Way Back.” In the same year, for his great contribution to the development of the art of cinema, he was awarded the Order of Friendship.

Vladimir Tolokonnikov in the film “The Disappeared”

Colleagues about the actor

The actors highly appreciate Tolokonnikov's human qualities. “Pathos, swagger, complacency were alien to him... Vladimir Alekseevich was a very gambling person - he easily agreed to participate in a flash mob at the Almaty airport, going out to air passengers in the costume of the Mayor from the play “The Inspector General.” Although theoretically he could have refused, citing being busy,” say the actors of the theater where Vladimir Alekseevich served. According to their recollections, he was an example for young people and never let his native theater down.

Vladimir Bortko: “I remember him from our joint work, although it was thirty years ago, it turned out to be quite successful. And this success is largely due to him. I have been lucky in my life to have met such an actor. I would like to say that he was a very great and good person,” said the director.

last years of life

In the 2010s, despite his advanced age, the artist, capable of amazingly embodying diverse images on screen and stage, continued to actively and successfully act in films and TV series. In 2010, six film projects were released with his participation, and five in 2011.

These were mainly comedies, with low ratings but a large audience: “Mixed Feelings”, “Corporate Party”, “Granny of Easy Virtue” (released a month after Vladimir’s death). There were also more serious projects, for example, the dramas “Grandfather” and “Baltic Spirit”, in which Tolokonnikov played the main roles.

Vladimir Tolokonnikov in the film “The Baltic Spirit”

In 2020, he appeared in the family comedy film “SuperBeavers,” playing one of the key roles of the head of a family, whose members acquired incredible qualities after a meteorite hit their house. In particular, he himself became immortal, his son-in-law received the ability of teleportation, and his granddaughter - among other things, the ability to fly.

Until the last days of his life, Vladimir Tolokonnikov remained part of the theater troupe in Almaty and acted in films. As his son Rodion recalled, the actor often received offers to appear in advertising in the image of Sharikov for a lot of money, they were even promised an apartment in Moscow, but he remained adamant and did not want to exploit his most successful role.

Filmography: Actor

• Super Beavers. People's Avengers (2018)
• Super Beavers (2016)
• I'm not me (2010)
• Black Sheep (2010)
• Chinese Granny (2010)
• We are from Jazz-2 (2010)
• Justice of the Wolves (2009)
• Disappeared (2009)
• Invaders (2009)
• It happened in Gavrilovka-2 (2008)
• Scratch (2007)
• Soldiers-12 (2007), TV series
• Ensign Shmatko or E-moe (2007)
• Gromov. House of Hope (2007), TV series
• Hottabych (2006)
• Enchanted Site (2006), TV series
• Kolya-tumbleweed (2005)
• The Master and Margarita (TV series) (2005)
• Spetsnaz in Russian-2 (2004)
• Soldiers (2004 - 2007), TV series
• Plot (2003), TV series
• Showcase (2000)
• Sky in Diamonds (1999)
• Ompa (1998)
• Bitter Smoke of Autumn (1997)
• The one who is more tender (1996)
• Shanghai (1996)
• Dreams of an Idiot (1993)
• Show for the Single Man (1992)
• Merry Christmas in Paris! (1991)
• Ghost (1991)
• Cloud Paradise (1991)
• Life is a Woman (1991)
• Night of the Long Knives (1990)
• Harem of Stepan Guslyakov (1990)
• Wolves in the Zone (1990)
• Harem of Stepan Guslyakov (1990)
• Romantic (1989)
• Heart of a Dog (1988)
• Balcony (1988)
• The Last Crossing (1981)

Personal life of Vladimir Tolokonnikov

The artist, who, according to his colleagues, was a man of rare inner beauty and charm, gentle and very intelligent, was married to a physics teacher, Nadezhda Nikolaevna. She gave her husband two sons. In 1983, their first-born Innokenty appeared, 8 years later - Rodion. Having matured, the sons moved to Moscow. The younger followed in his father’s footsteps, graduated from VGIK and became an actor.

Family of Vladimir Tolokonnikov

Vladimir Alekseevich was a passionate gardener who grew roses. He greeted them in the morning, talked, and when cutting the stems, he apologized, considering them alive. One of his most favorite writers was Bulgakov.

Vladimir Tolokonnikov was a passionate gardener who grew roses

Excerpt characterizing Tolokonnikov, Vladimir Alekseevich

“Take off your hat... take off your hat,” they said in the crowd, turning to each other. The translator turned to one old janitor and asked how far it was from the Kremlin? The janitor, listening in bewilderment to the alien Polish accent and not recognizing the sounds of the translator's dialect as Russian speech, did not understand what was being said to him and hid behind others. Murat moved towards the translator and ordered to ask where the Russian troops were. One of the Russian people understood what was being asked of him, and several voices suddenly began to answer the translator. A French officer from the advance detachment rode up to Murat and reported that the gates to the fortress were sealed and that there was probably an ambush there. “Okay,” said Murat and, turning to one of the gentlemen of his retinue, he ordered four light guns to be brought forward and fired at the gate. The artillery came out at a trot from behind the column following Murat and rode along the Arbat. Having descended to the end of Vzdvizhenka, the artillery stopped and lined up in the square. Several French officers controlled the cannons, positioning them, and looked into the Kremlin through a telescope. The bell for Vespers was heard in the Kremlin, and this ringing confused the French. They assumed it was a call to arms. Several infantry soldiers ran to the Kutafyevsky Gate. There were logs and planks at the gate. Two rifle shots rang out from under the gate as soon as the officer and his team began to run up to them. The general standing at the cannons shouted command words to the officer, and the officer and the soldiers ran back. Three more shots were heard from the gate. One shot hit a French soldier in the leg, and a strange cry of a few voices was heard from behind the shields. On the faces of the French general, officers and soldiers at the same time, as if on command, the previous expression of gaiety and calm was replaced by a stubborn, concentrated expression of readiness to fight and suffer. For all of them, from the marshal to the last soldier, this place was not Vzdvizhenka, Mokhovaya, Kutafya and Trinity Gate, but this was a new area of ​​a new field, probably a bloody battle. And everyone prepared for this battle. The screams from the gate died down. The guns were deployed. The artillerymen blew off the burnt blazers. The officer commanded “feu!” [fallen!], and two whistling sounds of tins were heard one after another. Grapeshot bullets crackled against the stone of the gate, logs and shields; and two clouds of smoke wavered in the square. A few moments after the rolling of shots across the stone Kremlin died down, a strange sound was heard above the heads of the French. A huge flock of jackdaws rose above the walls and, cawing and rustling with thousands of wings, circled in the air. Along with this sound, a lonely human cry was heard at the gate, and from behind the smoke the figure of a man without a hat, in a caftan, appeared. Holding a gun, he aimed at the French. Feu! - the artillery officer repeated, and at the same time one rifle and two cannon shots were heard. The smoke closed the gate again. Nothing else moved behind the shields, and the French infantry soldiers and officers went to the gate. There were three wounded and four dead people lying at the gate. Two people in caftans were running away from below, along the walls, towards Znamenka. “Enlevez moi ca, [Take it away,” said the officer, pointing to the logs and corpses; and the French, having finished off the wounded, threw the corpses down beyond the fence. No one knew who these people were. “Enlevez moi ca,” was the only word said about them, and they were thrown away and cleaned up later so they wouldn’t stink. Thiers alone dedicated several eloquent lines to their memory: “Ces miserables avaient envahi la citadelle sacree, s'etaient empares des fusils de l'arsenal, et tiraient (ces miserables) sur les Francais. On en sabra quelques'uns et on purgea le Kremlin de leur presence. [These unfortunates filled the sacred fortress, took possession of the guns of the arsenal and fired at the French. Some of them were cut down with sabers, and the Kremlin was cleared of their presence.] Murat was informed that the way had been cleared. The French entered the gates and began to camp on Senate Square. The soldiers threw chairs out of the Senate windows into the square and laid out fires. Other detachments passed through the Kremlin and were stationed along Maroseyka, Lubyanka, and Pokrovka. Still others were located along Vzdvizhenka, Znamenka, Nikolskaya, Tverskaya. Everywhere, not finding owners, the French settled not as in apartments in the city, but as in a camp located in the city. Although ragged, hungry, exhausted and reduced to 1/3 of their previous strength, the French soldiers entered Moscow in orderly order. It was an exhausted, exhausted, but still fighting and formidable army. But it was an army only until the minute the soldiers of this army went to their apartments. As soon as the people of the regiments began to disperse to empty and rich houses, the army was destroyed forever and neither residents nor soldiers were formed, but something in between, called marauders. When, five weeks later, the same people left Moscow, they no longer constituted an army. It was a crowd of marauders, each of whom carried or carried with him a bunch of things that seemed valuable and necessary to him. The goal of each of these people when leaving Moscow was not, as before, to conquer, but only to retain what they had acquired. Like that monkey who, having put his hand into the narrow neck of a jug and grabbed a handful of nuts, does not unclench his fist so as not to lose what he has grabbed, and thereby destroys himself, the French, when leaving Moscow, obviously had to die due to the fact that they were dragging with the loot, but it was as impossible for him to throw away this loot as it is impossible for a monkey to unclench a handful of nuts. Ten minutes after each French regiment entered some quarter of Moscow, not a single soldier or officer remained. In the windows of the houses people in greatcoats and boots could be seen walking around the rooms laughing; in the cellars and basements the same people managed the provisions; in the courtyards the same people unlocked or beat down the gates of barns and stables; they lit fires in the kitchens, baked, kneaded and cooked with their hands rolled up, scared, made them laugh and caressed women and children. And there were many of these people everywhere, in shops and in homes; but the army was no longer there. On the same day, order after order was given by the French commanders to prohibit troops from dispersing throughout the city, to strictly prohibit violence against residents and looting, and to make a general roll call that same evening; but, despite any measures. the people who had previously made up the army dispersed throughout the rich, empty city, abundant in amenities and supplies. Just as a hungry herd walks in a heap across a bare field, but immediately scatters uncontrollably as soon as it attacks rich pastures, so the army scattered uncontrollably throughout the rich city.

Unfairly slandered

After this picture, actor Vladimir Tolokonnikov disappears from view for some time, and this gave the “hound writers” the right to confuse him with dirt. And Vladimir Alekseevich lived in his beloved city, built a house, raised two sons and played on the stage of his favorite theater. And the roles were very good - both Quasimodo in “Notre Dame Cathedral” and Sharikov in “Heart of a Dog.” This performance has been staged hundreds of times, and Poligraf Poligrafovich is just as brilliant, but somewhat different - the artist is very demanding of himself and is constantly working to improve the roles he has already played.

Death

On the night of July 15-16, 2020, Vladimir Tolokonnikov died after returning to Moscow from filming the second part of “Super Beavers,” which took place in Gelendzhik. The actor’s heart stopped at the age of 75. The artist suffered from bronchitis for a long time, as a result of which heart failure developed. Nevertheless, Tolokonnikov continued to work.

Farewell to Vladimir Tolokonnikov

Before his death, the artist starred in the war film “Red Dog” and in the comedy “Granny of Easy Virtue.” In 2020, the drama “Drawings by Rain” is being prepared for release, in which Vladimir played a supporting role.

The funeral took place in Moscow at the Troekurovsky cemetery, the funeral service took place in the Sretensky Monastery.

Born 06/25/1943, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Honored Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan Laureate of the State Prize of Russia Cavalier of the Order of Friendship (2009)

Childhood

Vladimir Tolokonnikov was born in 1943 in Alma-Ata. During the war, wounded soldiers were sent to Kazakhstan, placing them with single women to improve their health. One of these soldiers became the father of the future artist. Later he disappeared without even leaving a photograph, but Vladimir’s mother never spoke ill of him...

Vladimir Tolokonnikov’s mother worked at a bio-processing plant and raised her son alone. The post-war years were difficult, hungry, there was not enough money, and Vladimir helped as best he could. Of course, every boy feels the need for a father. So Volodya, being a dreamy boy, invented a father for himself, endowing him with all sorts of positive qualities, and then told his friends about him. Moreover, his stories were so convincing that they believed him!

Volodya grew up as a talented boy. He drew wonderfully and at one time even planned to enter art school. Also, like many of his peers, he dreamed of becoming a pilot, he raved about Valery Chkalov, endlessly asking his mother why she didn’t name him after this hero. In the class, Volodya was a real leader and favorite; he performed brilliantly at school evenings, even then demonstrating his artistic inclinations.

Perseverance

The head of the drama club, Mikhail Azovsky, was the first to see the actor in the young man. At that time, Azovsky trained many talented guys who later became famous, including Lev Prygunov, Vadim Abdrashitov, and Lev Temkin. Thanks to Azovsky, Vladimir Tolokonnikov also believed in himself.

Before the army, Vladimir Tolokonnikov managed to work in the youth studio of Yu. B. Pomerantsev on television and even joined the auxiliary staff of the Republican Academic Drama Theater of the Theater. Lermontov. From time to time he appeared on stage as an extra. At the same time, the young man began to storm the capital's theater schools. Three years! And all to no avail. And the admissions committee seemed to like him, but for some reason they didn’t take him, advising him to come next year...

Then there was service in the army, in Germany, in the missile forces, which Vladimir Alekseevich remembers with gratitude. He believes that he went through a good school of courage, learning patience and discipline. In the army, in addition to combat training, Vladimir was also involved in amateur performances, preparing concerts and parodying superior officers.

Having completed his service, Vladimir Tolokonnikov again went to Moscow. I submitted documents to VGIK and again did not pass. This time they explained to him that his appearance was too specific, and there was a danger of remaining an actor of one role...

The disappointment was strong, but Vladimir no longer saw himself in any form other than an actor. He went to Kuibyshev and got a job there at the local Youth Theater. After working for one season and playing more than ten roles, Vladimir Tolokonnikov then nevertheless entered the theater school, only not in one of the capital’s, but in Yaroslavl. However, he never regretted it later.

Theater

After completing his studies, Vladimir Tolokonnikov returned to his native Alma-Ata, worked for one season at the local Youth Theater, and then was invited to the Lermontov Republican Academic Theater of Russian Drama, the largest theater in Kazakhstan. I started, like many, with episodes, but I never complained about it. In general, he believed and still believes that episodes are a good acting school. After all, it is very difficult to play a small role; for it to be successful, the actor must set himself a super task.

The actor's first big role on the stage of the theater named after. Lermontov became Leshy in Vasilisa the Beautiful (later Tolokonnikov also played the Old Man in this performance). And although the role was negative, how the children liked this character!

Then there were the roles of Cardinal Wolsey in “The Royal Games” by Grigory Gorin, Luke in “The Lower Depths” by Maxim Gorky, Salzdon Mowbray and the Robber in the play “Noise Behind the Stage” by M. Frain. Tolokonnikov did not always appear on stage in leading roles; in the same “French Lessons” he played the supporting role of Pastor Joseph. But the audience went to the performance precisely in the hope of seeing their favorite artist.

Among the most successful theatrical works of Vladimir Tolokonnikov is Quasimodo from the play “Notre Dame Cathedral.” This is how critics spoke about his work: “The actor is not afraid to be ugly, because he understands: the main thing is not the external, the main thing is what is in the soul. Here he touchingly brings flowers to the gypsy Esmeralda, in love, takes care of her, and the gypsy girl, in a moment of terrible despair, calls him, feeling a kind heart nearby ... "

Sharikov

If things went well for Vladimir Tolokonnikov in the theater, for cinema he remained out of sight for a long time. And this despite the fact that the actor himself really wanted to act. No, not for fame. He just felt that he was ripe for cinema, he had something to say to the viewer...

The actor’s screen debut took place already in adulthood, and Tolokonnikov was “discovered” by Vladimir Bortko to the mass audience. For a long time, the director could not decide on a candidate for the role of Sharikov in the film adaptation of Bulgakov’s “Heart of a Dog.” Bortko is embarrassed to admit, but when choosing an actor, he asked to bring photographs of the ugliest ones. “It was said: please find me people who look like dogs,” the director recalls. They brought him photographs of eight actors, among whom were the famous Nikolai Karachentsov and Alexey Zharkov. The most recent was a photo of the unknown Almaty actor Vladimir Tolokonnikov, suggested by the director’s assistant Galina Galtseva. He and Zharkov ended up being selected by Bortko for the final tests. At the audition, Tolokonnikov won over the director. Vladimir Bortko recalls: “Tolokonnikov completely killed me. At the test, he acted out a scene with vodka: “I wish that’s all!” He grunted and hacked so convincingly, the sip traveled so amazingly down his neck, his Adam’s apple twitched so predatorily that I confirmed him immediately.”

By a strange coincidence of fate, just at the same time, Tolokonnikov was approved for the role of Sharikov in his native Republican Academic Theater of Russian Drama named after Lermontov. On stage, Tolokonnikov played this role no less brilliantly than in the movies, but in a completely different way. The actor laments that that performance was not filmed at the time. Viewers would be interested in comparing these two works...

And glory and stigma...

The success of “Heart of a Dog” exceeded all expectations. Following its successful debut in the Soviet Union, the film triumphantly traveled to 32 more countries around the world and was included in the hundred best films of the century. Vladimir Tolokonnikov instantly became a global star. The role of Sharikov, brilliantly played by the 45-year-old actor, brought him official recognition in the form of a State Prize and, more importantly, popular love.

True, national popularity for a long time was very original. Vladimir Tolokonnikov was often approached on the street for an autograph. “Do you even know my last name?” - the actor asked and received the answer: “I know - Sharikov.” Often he heard exclamations on the street: “Look, Sharik is coming!”, which also did not bring pleasure. It really annoyed and irritates the actor when journalists continue to ask him, who has played dozens of roles on the silver screen after Sharikov, about “Heart of a Dog.”

However, this is not the fate of Vladimir Tolokonnikov alone. Alexander Demyanenko, for example, remained in the memory of the audience as Shurik, and Vyacheslav Tikhonov as Stirlitz. But Tolokonnikov got Sharikov. The actor understands that starring in a work by such a master as Mikhail Bulgakov is happiness; it’s just a shame that little is said about his other works. But many deserve it...

90s

The fact that Tolokonnikov is not a Russian, but a Kazakh actor is a revelation for many. Therefore, when in the 90s after “Heart of a Dog” he fell out of sight of the Russian audience, everything was written about him in the newspapers. They say he drank himself to death and lives like a dog in some kind of kennel... Meanwhile, he successfully worked in his native theater, acted in films (both in films by Kazakh and Russian directors), built a house, and raised his sons. In a word, he lived a full life.

Somehow, without much noise, Nikolai Dostal’s brilliant tragicomedy “Cloud-Paradise” (1990) screened, which collected a bunch of awards at film festivals. Vladimir Tolokonnikov played Filomeev incomparably. In 1993, the actor starred in the comedy “Dreams of an Idiot” (based on the famous work by Ilf and Petrov “The Golden Calf”). The film turned out to be unsuccessful, but even the most devastating articles noted Tolokonnikov’s excellent performance in the role of Adam Kozlevich. This role is dear to the actor himself.

In his homeland, Vladimir Tolokonnikov became a cult figure after the first Kazakh TV series “Crossroads,” which was released in the mid-90s - the actor played the mechanic Pasha. It is worth noting Tolokonnikov’s work in the films “The Sky in Diamonds”, “Shanghai”, “The One Who is More Tender”.

TV projects

Ironically, Vladimir Tolokonnikov was for some time much more famous in Russia than in his homeland of Kazakhstan. The situation was changed by participation in the series “Crossroads” and other Kazakh films. This was followed by the project “In the Kitchen with Tolokonnikov,” which began airing on local television. In this program, the actor met with many Russian celebrities who came to Kazakhstan. Tolokonnikov himself admits that it was after this program that his last name was finally learned in his homeland.

Another TV project by Vladimir Tolokonnikov is the humorous program “Tolobaiki”. To some extent, this is an analogue of the Russian “Gorodok”. Together with Gennady Balaev, they act out various stories and anecdotes on the screen. Tolokonnikov himself selects costumes for all scenes, composes plots... The program has been successfully broadcast on the Kazakh channel KTK for several years. At one time it was shown in Russia, where it also found its fans.

New Age

Vladimir Tolokonnikov still lives in Almaty, works in the theater, on television and, despite the enormous distance separating him from Moscow, gladly accepts offers from Russia. He starred in the famous TV series: “Citizen Chief” (forensic expert), “Two Fates” (Nadya’s grandfather), “Plot” and “Enchanted Plot” (accountant Yulyukin), “Deadly Force-5” (Uncle Sasha), “Soldiers” (Evgeniy Petrovich), “Ensign Shmatko” (Uncle Zhenya), “Viola Tarakanova. In the world of criminal passions" (Russian language teacher Akim) and others.

In 2005, the actor starred in the continuation of Nikolai Dostal’s film “Cloud-Paradise” - “Kolya - Tumbleweed,” playing the same Filomeev. A colorful, memorable character! His phrases from the film, such as “The earth is round, but life is flat,” became catchphrases.

The film by Pyotr Tochilin “Hottabych”, where Vladimir Tolokonnikov played the main role, also did not pass by the attention of the audience. At first, the producer of the film was skeptical about Tolokonnikov’s candidacy - what kind of Hottabych was he? And he gave up only when Tochilin, taking a photograph of Vladimir Alekseevich, added a beard to him in Photoshop. Tolokonnikov, creating the image, tried to abstract himself from the well-known image of 1956. His Hottabych turned out to be completely different. “My Hottabych, the slave squeezed out of himself, he was tired of fulfilling someone else’s will for many years. It turns out he is a hero... And then he falls into the jug again. And from there - to the Internet,” says Vladimir Alekseevich about his character...

The actor has no shortage of film offers. Yes, he never managed to play some roles. For example, Woland in “The Master and Margarita” - he feels that he would have succeeded in this role. Well, you have to play what they offer. Among the actor’s latest works: the legless disabled man Nikolai Trofimovich in Vladimir Fatyanov’s mystical drama “Justice of Wolves”, warehouse director Alexander Leonidovich Kazakov in Radda Novikova’s crime melodrama “Invaders”.

Symbol of friendship between Russia and Kazakhstan

Vladimir Alekseevich is satisfied with his life. Wife, two sons, interesting job, own house with a fireplace. The actor’s special pride is his own rose garden. How he loves his roses! When he goes out into the yard in the morning with a cup of coffee and a cigarette (he can’t get rid of this bad habit), he always says hello to his flowers. Waters them and prunes them. In general, Vladimir Alekseevich in life is the complete opposite of his on-screen hero Sharikov. He understands perfectly well how dangerous such soulless creatures are to society. Perhaps it is precisely because of this contrast that such a memorable image was created.

Vladimir Alekseevich is remembered and loved in Russia. And for Sharikov, and for Filomeev, and for Ensign Shmatko’s uncle. On his 65th birthday, Tolokonnikov received an official congratulatory telegram from Sergei Mironov, Chairman of the Russian Federation Council. And in 2009, the President of Russia signed a decree awarding the wonderful actor the Order of Friendship. “This award shows that there are no barriers to art, that this is a symbol of friendship between Russia and Kazakhstan. And I, as a connecting link: I work here in the theater, I film mainly in Russia,” says Vladimir Alekseevich.

Igor BIN

Materials used: “Vladimir Tolokonnikov dreams of playing Woland”, “Theatrical Alma-Ata”, https://mylove-theatre.narod.ru; “Vladimir Tolokonnikov. Unknown facts", https://www.kazakh.ru; Valeria Morozova, “Vladimir Tolokonnikov: “And I got Sharikov,” 09.13.2006, https://www.redstar.ru; Elena Zhernova, “Vladimir Tolokonnikov: “I hate insolent people!”, “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” - Week” No. 3639 dated November 26, 2004; “Vladimir Tolokonnikov. A Purely Heartfelt Confession,” Rolling Stone, No. 26; Nadezhda Rubleva, “Vladimir Tolokonnikov: Bulgakov guessed everything that will happen to us...”, https://www.semsk.kz; “Vladimir Tolokonnikov finally received the Order of Friendship,” https://www.today.kz

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His acting career developed progressively, but very successfully - from the role of Leshy in “Vasilisa the Beautiful” to Luka in the play “At the Lower Depths”. But the actor dreamed of cinema, knowing that he could reveal his talent there even more. And he revealed it, and how! The film “Heart of a Dog” was shown in 32 countries always with constant success - world fame came to V. A. Tolokonnikov. Of course, the entire cast of the film is brilliant: Boris Plotnikov in the role of Bormental is magnificent, and in the creative biography of Evgeny Evstigneev, Professor Preobrazhensky is not in last place. And the fact that an unknown actor played Sharikov no worse than the “aces of the profession” deserves only admiration. But both Nikolai Karachentsov and Andrei Zharkov auditioned for this role. Much has been written about this role, as well as the film as a whole, and it is duly appreciated - it was included in the hundred best films of all time.

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At one time, V. A. Tolokonnikov was not very well known in his native Kazakhstan; his popularity came after the series “Crossroads”. There were also programs on local television - “In the Kitchen with Tolokonnikov” and “Tolobaiki”. In the latest television project, together with actor G. Balaev, Vladimir Tolokonnikov seemed to be repeating “Town” with Oleinikov and Stoyanov. Vladimir Alekseevich, who himself came up with the costumes and scripts, consoled himself with the fact that his Russian colleagues “slammed” the project from Benny Hill. Now V. A. Tolokonnikov is a cult figure in Kazakhstan, and everyone knows him, and he is allowed into the Medeo skating rink (now Medeu) for free.