Childhood and youth
Viktor Ivanovich Balashov, a native Muscovite, was born on December 24, 1924 in a Soviet working family. The boy graduated from secondary school and was no different from his peers. Except that since childhood he showed a passion for art and dreamed of becoming an artist.
Victor Balashov in childhood
Striving for the goal of getting on the theater stage, after graduating from the tenth grade, Balashov entered the youth theater studio organized at the Moscow Art Theater. The young man showed diligence and diligence, which did not go unnoticed by the teachers.
In his youth, a handsome young man successfully went in for sports, or rather sambo, and was a student of A. Kharlampiev. Balashov received the title of master of sports and became the champion of Moscow. The young man from the pre-war photos is athletic, fit, with a bright appearance. It's no surprise that he's destined to hit the screens.
Victor Balashov in his youth
However, the plans were destined to wait for better times. In 1941, the Great Patriotic War intervened in the life of the Soviet people. Viktor Ivanovich’s father died at the front, commanding a division in the battle of Smolensk. For the young man, this was one of the reasons to go to the front line.
Yesterday's schoolboy had to lie and add a couple of years to his actual age in order to get to the front. However, Viktor Ivanovich recalled that the boys of the class did the same and every single one of them went to defend their Motherland.
Young Victor Balashov
Having found himself on the battlefield in 1942, Viktor Ivanovich remained in service until 1944 with the rank of private. During the war years he received three wounds, the first of which turned out to be especially serious. In June 1944, an army soldier was shell-shocked while taking a “tongue” during a reconnaissance operation. In the same year he joined the government communications regiment of the NKVD of the USSR.
Having been demobilized as a disabled person during the Second World War, the young man walked with a cane for a long time. I had to forget about my acting career. On the advice of friends, Viktor Ivanovich got a job at All-Union Radio, where the young man was accepted without competition.
Victor Balashov - television announcer, Wikipedia, biography
Victor Balashov was born in December 1924, the boy grew up in a working family from the Soviet Union. Victor completed his studies at a comprehensive school and was practically no different from ordinary boys in the neighborhood. The only difference between Victor and others is his love of art.
The very young Viktor Balashov strove to achieve his goal of getting on the theater stage. After finishing the tenth grade, Victor entered the youth theater studio organized at the Moscow Art Theater. The aspiring artist showed patience and always tried to give 100%, this was noticed by local teachers.
The young man spent his youth playing sports; Victor was very fond of sambo. It is worth noting that Viktor Balashov was one of Kharlampiev’s most beloved students. Later, Victor became a master of sports and champion of the capital of the Russian Federation. If you look at Victor’s pre-war photographs, you can see a sporty, fit guy with a bright, memorable appearance. It is not at all surprising that fate prepared for the guy a career as an artist.
Victor's plans changed slightly. In 1941, the Great Patriotic War began. Victor Balashov's father died at the front; he commanded a division in the battle of Smolensk. For the guy, the death of his father was a shock; he decided to go to the front line. Just yesterday Victor was a schoolboy, and now he is a man who wants to go to the front. To serve, the future artist had to add a couple of years to his current age. Later, the artist remembered that other guys did the same to help defend their homeland.
Viktor Ivanovich entered the battlefield in 1942. Then the soldier remained in service until 1944 and held the rank of private. During his years of service in the army, Victor was wounded three times; the first wound affected Viktor Ivanovich the most. In the summer of 1944, a soldier was shell-shocked while taking a “tongue.” In the same year, Victor ended up in the government communications regiment of the NKVD of the Soviet Union.
After the war, Viktor Ivanovich celebrated Victory Day with tears in his eyes. Doctors said that Victor was not in danger of becoming disabled. The guy’s body was extremely strong, doctors said that Victor would soon give up the cane and be able to move on his own. After Victory Day, Viktor Balashov returned to the capital of Russia and entered the Youth Theater Studio.
Victor listened to his friends and got a job at All-Union Radio, the guy was then accepted without competition. It is worth noting that Levitan himself was a colleague of the holder of two Orders of the Red Star and the Badge of Honor.
Career
Having become an announcer of the All-Union Radio, Balashov begins to work side by side with the legends of Soviet radio broadcasting, such as Yu. B. Levitan. In 1947, a young man received an invitation to the Central Television studio.
According to Viktor Ivanovich’s recollections, television broadcasting was just beginning in those distant post-war years and simply could not offer serious work. The creative activity consisted of announcing the broadcast film to television viewers.
Announcer Viktor Balashov
Of course, such work did not suit the young Balashov, striving for development. Then the hardworking announcer decides to go to the provinces. Having received invitations to three cities at once (Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Magadan), Viktor Ivanovich leaves for Vladivostok, where he gains experience for several years. I had to try out my skills in all guises - recording, editing and directing the material myself.
Already in 1950, the announcer again received a call to the capital on Central Television. This time Balashov's talent was appreciated. He hosts the country’s main news program “Time”, the program “Club of Frontline Friends”, where his military background played an important role. Every year Balashov congratulates the citizens of the Soviet Union from the TV screen in the Blue Light.
Victor Balashov
The main voice of Soviet television also had the opportunity to announce historical events in the country. It was Viktor Ivanovich who received the honor of talking about the legendary flight of Yu. A. Gagarin into space.
The announcer later recalled that he received an urgent call to the director of Central Television, who handed his subordinate a sealed envelope. The package was supposed to be opened strictly on a separate order. A couple of days later, Balashov received an order to familiarize himself with the contents of the envelope, in which he found a speech about the successful flight of the astronaut.
Host of “Blue Light” Viktor Balashov
In 1975, the announcer read parting words to the cosmonauts of the Soyuz-Apollo program instead of L. I. Brezhnev, who suddenly fell ill. There were also some reprimands addressed to the legendary announcer. In one of the reports, Balashov allowed himself to demonstrate and talk about the restored throne of Ivan the Terrible. For Soviet times, such news was classified as impermissible liberties.
In addition to television, he dubbed documentaries and feature films. The talented artist also had a chance to appear in episodes of several films by Soviet directors.
Viktor Balashov in the film “Christmas in Vigala”
Viktor Ivanovich worked hard and constantly improved his skills in working with a microphone. Balashov often went to the forest, where he trained the capabilities of his vocal cords. Work for the soul is what is most important, according to the owner of the voice of the Soviet era.
Viktor Ivanovich worked on television until 1996, when the announcers were replaced by presenters. By the way, Balashov has repeatedly spoken disapprovingly of today’s television broadcasting. According to the legend of the Soviet screen, the lack of ideology and a single cohesive team negatively affects quality, turning television into a farce.
Biography
Viktor Ivanovich Balashov was born on December 24, 1924. Before the Great Patriotic War, he lived in Moscow, Bolshaya Ekaterininskaya Street, building 9, apartment 7.
Having lost his father early, who commanded a division near Smolensk, he volunteered for the front. In the Red Army since 1942. On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War from February 28 to December 19, 1943 as part of the 379th Infantry Division on the Volkhov Front, from March 11 to March 20, 1944 - as part of the 200th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division on the Leningrad Front, from 9 to June 27, 1944 - as part of the 1267th Infantry Regiment of the 382nd Infantry Division on the Leningrad Front.
On August 2, 1943, the 379th Rifle Division went on the offensive, but the attacks were repulsed three times. For the fourth time, Soviet units burst into enemy trenches and hand-to-hand fighting ensued. In this battle, Viktor Balashov was seriously wounded.
He was lightly wounded for the second time on March 20, 1944, while crossing the Narva River, when he supported the advancing units on the opposite bank with fire from a heavy machine gun, and twice repulsed enemy attacks. The third time he was slightly wounded on June 27, 1944 during the capture of the city of Vyborg. Shell-shocked on June 27, 1944, while on reconnaissance to capture a “tongue” in the Praksin Gorodok area.
Since 1944 - private, line overseer of the 166th government communications company of the 4th separate Odessa Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Red Star of the government communications regiment of the NKVD of the USSR.[1][2]
Since the same 1944 - announcer of the All-Union Radio.
Graduated from the Youth Theater Studio at the Moscow Art Theater (course of A. Tarasova). After graduating from the studio in 1947, he came to work at the Central Television studio, to which he was hired out of competition.
It was Viktor Balashov who informed the citizens of the USSR about Yuri Gagarin’s flight into space. In 1975, instead of General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, who fell ill, he gave farewell to the cosmonauts of the Soviet-American Apollo Soyuz station.
Viktor Ivanovich hosted the country’s main information program “Time”, television programs “Winners”, “Club of Frontline Friends”, “Ogonyok...”, “Required, Required...”[3]. Worked in television until 1996.
Dubbed documentaries and feature films.
Worked at the radio station “Moscow Speaks”[4]
In 2005, he headed the LDPR electoral list in the elections of deputies to the Belgorod Regional Duma. After the results were announced, he refused his deputy mandate[5].
Master of Sports in Sambo (student of A. Kharlampiev[6]), champion of Moscow.
Personal life
Balashov can safely be called a secretive and mysterious figure in Soviet and Russian television. No details are known about the personal life of the announcer. Viktor Ivanovich managed to avoid questions about his wife and children, protecting his family from the public.
Victor Balashov at home
It is known that the wife whom the man met on the train passed away. Balashov has a daughter, already retired. The announcer's granddaughter and great-grandchildren live in France, so they cannot often visit their beloved grandfather.
Recognition and awards
- Order of Honor (February 3, 2015)[10]
- Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree (04/06/1985)
- Order of the Red Star
- Medal "For Victory over Germany"
- Order of the Badge of Honor
- Order of Peter the Great (public award)
- USSR medals
- Medals of the Russian Federation
Victor Balashov now
Despite his age, Viktor Ivanovich is full of strength and energy. In May 2018, an episode of the program “Let Them Talk” was dedicated to the announcer. On air, Balashov shared his opinion about the work of his modern colleagues and said that the secret of longevity is sport. By the way, old front-line wounds still remind of themselves.
Victor Balashov in 2018
On the air of the program, the legend of radio and television complained to Dmitry Borisov about loneliness and lack of female warmth. The speaker's family, friends and relatives were also present in the studio. The granddaughter of the program hero went on a video call with guests from distant France.
USSR Central Television announcer Viktor Balashov celebrates his 95th birthday
An idol of several generations of television viewers and radio listeners, with whom even in the era of censorship he spoke as friends, and also an actor, former Moscow sambo champion, front-line soldier and friend of astronauts. All this is about the announcer with a capital letter - Viktor Balashov, who turned 95 years old today. He doesn't like to be called a legend, but for many he is truly one of the symbols of the era.
If it weren’t for his career on television, Balashov would probably have become either a famous athlete or an artist. In his youth, he attended sambo training and classes at the Moscow Art Theater studio with equal interest.
All plans were dashed by the war. He volunteered for the front, was wounded three times and returned home in 1944 on crutches. Balashov ended up at the All-Union Radio studio by accident - a friend noticed an advertisement in the newspaper for the recruitment of announcers. This passage from Mayakovsky, which he read at the competition, became his passport to the profession.
The young talented announcer soon felt cramped within the radio, and soon TV viewers were able to appreciate his unique style. Balashov became the announcer of the “News Relay Race”, and then the “Time” program. It was he who informed the country about Yuri Gagarin’s flight into space, and in July 1975, instead of the ill Leonid Brezhnev, he gave farewell to the crew of the Soyuz-Apollo international station.
Whatever he read from the screen - a report from the Politburo or a program guide, Balashov tried to do it as if he were talking with good old friends. Once, having finished the episode, Balashov unexpectedly addressed the TV viewers: “I advise you to go to bed early and drink a glass of kefir at night.” The management was shocked. But his famous “and about the weather” became his calling card. Pronounced by a velvety baritone, with a unique Balashov charm, the phrase was instantly etched in my memory.
The announcers worked exclusively live and any reservation is an emergency. Once Balashov, reading out the composition of the Politburo, essentially the party elite, mixed up the names. And instead of a prominent party member he named Khrushchev’s personal enemy.
“Instead of Shelepin I say Shepilov, but he was considered a renegade. This is a terrible clause,” recalls Viktor Balashov.
Then the scandal faded away on its own. KGB Chairman Shelepin ordered not to touch the presenter.
“Tell him: don’t worry, here in the Central Committee we have Shepilov and Shelepin endlessly. I don't even know who I am. And it all turned out to be a joke,” says Viktor Balashov.
Balashov’s acting talent was especially evident in the New Year’s “Blue Lights”. The presenters not only spoke the text, but also acted out humorous skits with the guests. Olympic wrestling champion Alexander Ivanitsky was persuaded to look for a partner for a fight in the studio.
Viktor Ivanovich especially highlights one of his programs - “Club of Frontline Friends”. Front-line soldier Balashov takes everything related to the Great Patriotic War to heart. 65 years at the microphone. Voice of the era, television legend. Balashov, like no one else, managed to win over his interlocutor. No matter who he speaks to on camera - the Hero of Labor or the Marshal of the Soviet Union.
“If you smiled at him, he is already different, it is easier for him to communicate with you. He understands you, and you understand him,” notes Viktor Balashov.
Viktor Balashov celebrates his anniversary at home. This is already a tradition. The whole extended family will gather at the festive table. There will be congratulations from both friends and colleagues. And, of course, they will remember how Balashov was once jokingly called not Victor, but Announcer Ivanovich, Announcer with a capital letter.
