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 90) Moscow, Russian SFSR, 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) was born on July 19, 1935. He is a famous actor, director, and writer from Russia. He is best known for playing the detective Sherlock Holmes in a popular Soviet TV series. In 1988, he received the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR, which is a high honor for artists. He was also made an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2006.

Growing Up: Vasily Livanov's Early Life

Vasily Livanov grew up in a family deeply involved in theater. His grandfather, Nikolai Livanov, was an actor. His father, Boris Livanov, was also a very well-known actor and director at the Moscow Art Theatre. His mother, Eugenia Livanova, was an artist.

An Artistic Home: Who Visited Vasily's Family?

Vasily was surrounded by art from a young age. Many famous actors and artists, like Olga Knipper and 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.

Education and First Steps in Acting

After World War II, Vasily's family returned to Moscow. He finished the Moscow Secondary Art School in 1954. In 1958, he completed his acting studies at the Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute.

How Vasily Livanov Found His Unique Voice

Vasily's acting career began in 1959 with a main role in the movie Letter Never Sent. This movie was filmed in very cold weather, at -40°C. The director wanted the actors to record their crying sounds outside in the woods. Because of this, Vasily lost his voice. When his voice returned two weeks later, it had a unique, hoarse sound. This special voice became one of his trademarks.

Vasily Livanov's Work in Animation

In 1966, Vasily Livanov finished special directing courses. He then joined Soyuzmultfilm, a famous animation studio. There, he worked as an animation director, screenwriter, and voice actor.

Directing Animated Films: What Did He Create?

Over the next ten years, he wrote and directed several animated films. These included Most, Most, Most, Most and The Blue Bird.

The Bremen Town Musicians: A Musical Hit

One of his biggest successes was The Bremen Town Musicians. This animated musical was a modern version of a classic folktale. He created it with Yuri Entin and Gennady Gladkov. These films were special because they used a lot of rock and roll and hippie music, which was new for Soviet movies. Vasily Livanov directed the second part, On the Trail of the Bremen Town Musicians (1973). Famous singer Muslim Magomayev voiced almost all the characters in the sequel, making the series very popular.

Voice Acting: Famous Cartoon Characters

Vasily Livanov also lent his voice to many beloved Soviet cartoon characters. He was the voice of Gena the Crocodile in the Cheburashka series. He also voiced Karlsson-on-the-Roof in the Soviet version of Astrid Lindgren's fairy tale and Boa in 38 Parrots.

Playing Sherlock Holmes: A Famous Role

In the late 1970s and 1980s, Vasily Livanov became very famous for playing Sherlock Holmes. This was in the TV series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, directed by Igor Maslennikov.

Filming the Detective Stories

These popular movies were filmed between 1979 and 1986. Vasily Livanov's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes was highly praised.

A Statue for Sherlock and Watson

On April 27, 2007, a special sculpture was unveiled 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 screenplays for films, Vasily Livanov has also written many books since the 1960s. He has published novels, short stories, fairy tales, and memoirs. His memoirs include books about people he knew well, like his father Boris Livanov and writer Boris Pasternak.

Vasily Livanov's Family Life

Vasily Livanov has been married twice. His first marriage was to Alina Engelgardt, and they had a daughter named Anastasia. Since 1972, he has been married to Elena Artemievna Balabanova, who is an art director and animator. They have two sons, Boris and Nikolai.

Friendships in the Acting World

Vasily Livanov was very close friends with Vitaly Solomin and Rina Zelyonaya. Vitaly Solomin played Doctor Watson, and Rina Zelyonaya played Mrs. Hudson in the Sherlock Holmes series. Vasily Livanov wrote in his memoir about his friendship with Vitaly Solomin, saying that their bond was a part of his life and conscience.

Awards and Recognitions

Vasily Livanov has received many honors and awards for his work in cinema and arts.

• Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1981)
• People's Artist of the RSFSR (1988)
• Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class (December 1, 2005) – for his important contributions to national cinema.
• Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (February 20, 2006) – for his service to theater and performing arts.
• Order of Honour (October 27, 2016) – for his great services to national culture and arts.
• Special Golden Eagle Award (January 27, 2017) – for his outstanding contribution to the history of Russian cinema.

Selected Films and Animated Works