Gennady Sokolsky facts for kids

Gennady Mikhailovich Sokolsky (born December 1, 1937 – died December 27, 2014) was a talented Russian artist and animation director. He worked on many famous cartoons in the Soviet Union and Russia. He helped create over 170 animated projects, including the popular Happy Merry-Go-Round series. He was also a member of the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA).

Gennady Sokolsky: A Master of Animation

Gennady Sokolsky learned about animation at the famous Soyuzmultfilm studio from 1959 to 1961. He also studied at the Moscow High School of Arts and Industry. In 1961, he joined a special team led by Fyodor Khitruk. Sokolsky worked on his first film, The Story of a Crime (1962).

Creating Classic Cartoons

Sokolsky later worked on many other cartoons with Khitruk. These included the much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh trilogy. He even helped direct the third and longest part of the Winnie-the-Pooh series.

In 1969, Sokolsky and his friends created a children's cartoon collection called Happy Merry-Go-Round. This series quickly became a place for young directors to try new ideas. Sokolsky directed a short comedy for it, which featured a wolf trying to catch a small hare. This short was so popular that it became the famous Well, Just You Wait! series. A new director, Vyacheslav Kotyonochkin, took over the popular series.

Teamwork in Animation

At first, all the cartoons for Happy Merry-Go-Round were made together by the team. Sokolsky worked as a director, art director, and animator on different parts. An art director helps design the look of the film. Even after the original team left the project, they kept working together on each other's cartoons.

In 1974, Sokolsky, Anatoly Petrov, and Valery Ugarov tried to start another cartoon series for schoolchildren. However, it was not approved by the film committee. The pilot episode was then made into a 10-minute short film called Prodelkin at School. Later, in 1993, Sokolsky and his friends worked together one last time. They made Jester Balakirev, a film based on old stories about Ivan Balakirev and Peter the Great.

Famous Films and Collaborations

As a director, Sokolsky became known for his funny and environmental films. Some of his well-known works include:

• Silver Hoof (1977): Based on a fairy tale by Pavel Bazhov.
• Little Mouse Pik (1978): An adaptation of a short story about a mouse lost in the woods.
• Ivashka from the Pioneers Palace (1981): A funny fairy tale written by Eduard Uspensky.
• The Adventures of Lolo the Penguin (1986-1987): Sokolsky co-directed this film with Kenji Yoshida. This was the first animated project made together by the USSR and Japan.

Sokolsky also directed parts of the Fitil series. He also created animated scenes for other movies. For example, he worked on The Love of Mankind (1972) and How Czar Peter the Great Married Off His Moor (1976). A famous composer, Vladimir Martynov, often worked with Sokolsky's team. He used electronic music in his soundtracks, which was new for animation. He wrote music for Prodelkin at School, Silver Hoof, and Little Mouse Pik.

Later Life and Legacy

In the 1990s, Sokolsky started illustrating books, especially children's books. From 1998 to 1999, he taught animation in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Gennady Sokolsky passed away on December 27, 2014, after a long illness. He was buried at the Pyatnitskoye Cemetery. His wife, Tatiana Georgievna Sokolskaya, was also an art director and often worked with him on his films.

Selected Filmography