Frunzik Mkrtchyan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frunzik Mkrtchyan PAA
Born	Mher Mkrtchyan (1930-07-04)4 July 1930 Leninakan, Armenian SSR, Transcaucasian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died	29 December 1993(1993-12-29) (aged 63) Yerevan, Armenia
Resting place	Komitas Pantheon
Nationality	Armenian
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1945–1993
Relatives	Albert Mkrtchyan
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Mher Musheghi Mkrtchyan (Armenian: Մհեր Մուշեղի Մկրտչյան; born July 4, 1930 – died December 29, 1993) was a famous Armenian actor. Many people knew him by his nickname, Frunzik (Armenian: Ֆրունզիկ; Russian: Фрунзик). He performed on stage and in movies. Mkrtchyan is thought to be one of the best actors from the Soviet period. He was loved by people across Armenia and the entire Soviet Union. In 1984, he received a very special award called the People's Artist of the USSR.

Discovering Mher Mkrtchyan's Early Life

Childhood in Leninakan

Mher "Frunzik" Mkrtchyan was born in a city then called Leninakan. Today, this city is known as Gyumri. His parents, Mushegh and Sanam Mkrtchyan, had both survived the terrible Armenian genocide. This was a time when many Armenians faced great hardship. Mushegh came to Gyumri from a place called Mush. Sanam escaped from Van.

His parents met while working at a textile factory in Leninakan. This factory was built in the 1930s. Later, Mushegh worked as a bricklayer. Sanam worked washing dishes. Mher was their first child. He was the oldest of four children. His brother, Albert Mkrtchyan, was born in 1941. Albert later became a film director. Mher also had two sisters, Clara (born 1934) and Ruzanna (born 1943).

Mher got his nickname, Frunzik, from a Soviet general named Mikhail Frunze. As a child, Mher loved the arts. He went to a local art and music school. He often put on small shows for his neighbors. Frunzik's father saw his acting talent. However, he wanted Mher to become a painter instead.

Life was hard after World War II. Many families faced poverty and hunger. To help his family, Mher's father took cotton from the factory. He sold it to earn extra money for food. Mushegh was arrested for this. He was sent to work for 10 years in Nizhny Tagil, Russia. So, Frunzik and his siblings grew up with their mother, Sanam. Many say she gave him his great sense of humor. When he was 17, Mher began studying and performing. He joined the Leninakan Askanaz Mravyan Theatre Group. This was his first official acting experience.

Starting His Acting Journey

In 1953, Mkrtchyan moved from Gyumri to Yerevan. He wanted to continue his education. He studied at the Yerevan State Institute of Theater and Arts. After finishing his studies, Frunzik joined the Sundukyan Academic Theater. This happened in 1956. The director, Vardan Ajemian, had noticed his talent in 1955.

In the same year, Mkrtchyan made his first movie appearance. It was a small role in the film In Search of an Addressee. Around this time, when he was 28, Mher Mkrtchyan met Donara Pilosyan. She was 18 and also an actress. They fell in love and later married. After his first film, he got many roles in Armenian and Russian movies. Some of these became very famous. These included Why is the River Noisy (1959), Kidnapping, Caucasian Style (1966), and Aybolit-66 (1966). These movies made him known as a comedic actor. However, he was also a serious actor from his many years in theater.

Frunzik Mkrtchyan's Film Career

2013 Armenian postcard honoring Mkrtchyan and his movie roles.

From the late 1960s, Frunzik Mkrtchyan starred in many films. These movies became classic Armenian and Soviet cinema. Some of his famous films include Yerankyuni ("Triangle") (1967) and Menq enq, mer sarere ("We and Our Mountains") (1969). He also starred in Mimino ("Hawk") (1977) and Hayrik ("Father") (1973). Other notable films were Nahapet ("Patriarch") (1977) and Ktor muh Yerkinq ("A Piece of Sky") (1980). He also appeared in Hin oreri yerge ("The Song of the Old Days") (1982) and Mer mankutyan tangon ("The Tango of Our Childhood") (1985).

There are interesting similarities between Frunzik's real life and some of his movie roles. This is especially true for The Tango of Our Childhood. His brother Albert wrote and directed this film. The movie takes place in Leninakan, Frunzik's hometown. The story also shows a conflict between a father and son. The son wants to be an actor. This was similar to Mkrtchyan's own challenges with his family. At the end of the film, the father is arrested. He is sent to a labor camp. This was also similar to what happened to Mkrtchyan's own father.

Understanding Frunzik's Personal Life

Frunzik's first wife was Donara Pilosyan. They had a daughter named Nune and a son named Vahagn. The couple acted together in several films. These included Kidnapping, Caucasian Style and Khatabala. Their marriage started happily. However, Donara later faced serious health challenges. She needed treatment in a special institution.

Mkrtchyan then became a single parent to his two young children. He became very sad because of his wife's illness. His son Vahagn also developed similar health issues. Both Donara and Vahagn later went to France for treatment. Mher Mkrtchyan married again in 1988. His second wife was Tamar Hovannisyan.

The End of a Life

Family members shared that in his final days, Frunzik Mkrtchyan was very sad. This was due to his son's health issues. He was also grieving the death of his close friend and fellow actor, Azat Sherents. His daughter Nune said that her father felt he would pass away soon. He even talked to her about how people might react to his death.

On December 29, 1993, Frunzik Mkrtchyan passed away in Yerevan, Armenia. When he died, thousands of people came to his funeral. They gathered to say goodbye to their beloved actor. He was buried at the Komitas Pantheon. This special place is located in the center of Yerevan.

Awards and Recognition

Mher Mkrtchyan received many awards during his life. These honors recognized his important contributions to film. In 1971, he was given the title of People's Artist of the Armenian SSR. He also won the Armenian SSR State Prize in 1978.

Later, in 1984, Mkrtchyan won the highest honor: the People's Artist of the USSR. This was a very special award. Only 12 artists in the entire Soviet Union received this honor that year.

Selected Filmography