Oleg Vidov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Oleg Vidov
Vidov at Studio City, California, 2013
Born	Oleg Borisovich Vidov (1943-06-11)June 11, 1943 Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (present-day Russia)
Died	May 15, 2017(2017-05-15) (aged 73) Westlake Village, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, director, producer
Years active	1961–2014
Spouse(s)	Natalia Vasilievna Fedotova (1970–1976; divorced) Joan Borsten (until his death)
Children	2

Oleg Borisovich Vidov (born June 11, 1943 – died May 15, 2017) was an actor, film director, and producer. He was born in Russia and later became an American citizen. He appeared in 50 movies starting in 1961.

Early Life and Childhood

Oleg Vidov was born in the Moscow area of Russia. His mother, Varvara Ivanovna Vidova, was a teacher and a school principal. His father, Boris Nikolaievich Garnevich, was an economist. Oleg was raised by his mother and used her last name.

He spent his childhood living in different countries. These included Russia, Mongolia, and East Germany. His mother's work took them to these places. When his mother went to China, Oleg lived with his aunt in Kazakhstan. Eventually, his family moved to Moscow.

Acting Career

Oleg Vidov started his acting career in 1960. His first small role was in a teen drama called My Friend, Kolka! In 1962, he began studying acting at the VGIK. This is a famous film school in Russia.

While he was a student, he acted in several films. He played main characters in movies like The Blizzard and An Ordinary Miracle, both from 1964. He finished film school in 1966 and kept acting in many movies.

Foreign directors also noticed his talent. He was allowed to act in international films. These included Hagbard and Signe from Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland. He also appeared in Battle of Neretva, a movie made by several countries. Another big film was Waterloo, a joint Soviet-Italian-American movie.

In 1970, Oleg Vidov married actress Natalia Vasilievna Fedotova. They had a son named Vyacheslav. After some time, Oleg and Natalia divorced in 1976. Following his divorce, it became harder for Oleg to get big acting roles.

In 1978, he finished director's courses at VGIK. However, he had trouble getting his diploma. A famous director, Stanislav Rostotsky, helped him. Oleg finally received his diploma for his short film Crossing.

Moving to the United States

In 1983, Oleg Vidov was allowed to live and work in Yugoslavia. He lived there with his second wife, who was a Yugoslavian actress.

In 1985, Soviet officials told him he had to return to Moscow very quickly. An Austrian actor friend helped him get an Austrian visa. They drove to the border, and Oleg was able to escape into Austria. From there, he moved to the U.S. as a refugee. The International Rescue Committee helped him get a visa from the U.S. embassy in Rome.

In the U.S., Oleg Vidov married Joan Borsten. Together, they worked to share Russian animated films with the world. In 1992, they got the rights to distribute cartoons from the famous Soyuzmultfilm Studio. This helped many people outside of Russia see these award-winning animations.

Oleg Vidov also co-founded a recovery center in Malibu, California, in 2007. He was the chairman of the board, and his wife Joan was the CEO. They sold the center in 2014.

Death

Oleg Vidov passed away on May 15, 2017. He was 73 years old. He died from complications related to cancer at his home in Westlake Village, California. He is buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Selected Filmography