Vasily Livanov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vasily Livanov MBE
Livanov in 2017
Born	Vasily Borisovich Livanov (1935-07-19) 19 July 1935 (age 89) Moscow, Soviet Union
Occupation	Actor, animation director, film director, screenwriter, writer
Years active	1959–present
Spouse(s)	Elena Livanova (1973–present)
Children	3
Parent(s)	Boris Livanov and Evgenia Livanova

Vasily Borisovich Livanov (Russian: Василий Борисович Ливанов; born 19 July 1935) is a famous Russian actor, director, and writer. He is best known for playing the detective Sherlock Holmes in a popular Soviet TV series. He was given the special title of People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1988. He also received an MBE from the UK.

Vasily Livanov's Early Life

Vasily Livanov grew up in a family deeply involved in theatre. His grandfather was an actor, and his father, Boris Livanov, was a well-known actor and director at the Moscow Art Theatre. His mother, Evgenia, was an artist.

Growing up, Vasily was surrounded by famous artists. Many actors and writers, like Boris Pasternak, often visited his family's home. In 1940, when he was a child, he was baptized in a Catholic church. Later, he became part of the Russian Orthodox Church.

His family moved away during the early years of World War II. They returned to Moscow in 1943. Vasily finished art school in 1954 and then studied acting. His first movie role was in 1959 in a film called Letter Never Sent.

During the filming of Letter Never Sent, it was very cold. The director asked Vasily to record his voice outside in the freezing weather. This made him lose his voice for a while. When it came back, it had a unique, husky sound. This voice became one of his famous trademarks.

From 1958 to 1964, Vasily performed in different theatres. He also starred in other films. These included Blind Musician in 1960 and Colleagues in 1962. Colleagues was a big step forward in his acting career.

Working in Animation

In 1966, Vasily Livanov studied to become a director. He then joined a famous animation studio called Soyuzmultfilm. There, he worked as an animation director, writer, and voice actor. For ten years, he created many animated films.

One of his biggest successes was The Bremen Town Musicians. This was a musical cartoon based on an old fairy tale. He worked on it with Yuri Entin and Gennady Gladkov. The cartoon was very popular because it used modern rock and roll music. Vasily also directed the sequel, On the Trail of the Bremen Town Musicians (1973).

Vasily Livanov also lent his voice to many beloved cartoon characters. He was the voice of Gena the Crocodile in the Cheburashka series. He also voiced Karlsson-on-the-Roof and Boa from 38 Parrots.

Playing Sherlock Holmes

In the late 1970s and 1980s, Vasily Livanov became very famous for playing Sherlock Holmes. He starred in The Hound of the Baskervilles and other TV series about the detective. These films were directed by Igor Maslennikov.

The Sherlock Holmes movies were filmed between 1979 and 1986. Vasily Livanov's portrayal of Holmes was so good that many people around the world loved it.

In 2007, a special statue was put up in Moscow. It shows Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, looking just like Vasily Livanov and Vitaly Solomin played them. The statue is near the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Moscow.

Vasily Livanov as a Writer

Besides writing for films, Vasily Livanov has also written many books since the 1960s. He has published novels, short stories, and fairy tales. He also wrote memoirs, which are books about his own life and memories. These include stories about his father, Boris Livanov, and other people he knew well.

Personal Life and Friendships

Vasily Livanov has been married twice. He has a daughter named Anastasia from his first marriage. Since 1972, he has been married to Elena Artemievna Balabanova. They have two sons, Boris and Nikolai.

Vasily Livanov was very good friends with Vitaly Solomin and Rina Zelyonaya. Vitaly Solomin played Doctor Watson in the Sherlock Holmes series, and Rina Zelyonaya played Mrs. Hudson. Vasily Livanov wrote about his friendship with Vitaly Solomin in his memoir:

"When someone passes away, we often think of their actions as being in the past. But everything about my dear friend and partner Vitaly Solomin has become a part of my life. It will only be in the past for me when I pass away too."

Awards and Honors

Vasily Livanov has received many awards for his work in film and arts:

• Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1981)
• People's Artist of the RSFSR (1988)
• Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class (2005) — for his great work in Russian cinema.
• Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (2006) — for his contributions to theatre and performing arts.
• Order of Honour (2016) — for his long and successful work in culture and arts.
• Special Golden Eagle Award (2017) — for his amazing contribution to Russian cinema history.

Selected Films and Voice Roles