Childhood and youth
Andrei was born in the northern capital of Russia in 1938 into a family of prominent representatives of the Soviet intelligentsia. The boy's parents were teachers at the Leningrad Printing College. Father, Vasily Dmitrievich Myagkov (1908-1978), professor, worked at a technical school from 1935 to 1954, and from 1954 went to work at a technological institute. Mother, Zinaida Aleksandrovna (1813-1989), worked at the technical school as a mechanical engineer from 1946 to 1968. Andrey has a sister, whose name is Tatyana.
Together with his parents and sister, Andrei survived the siege of Leningrad in early childhood. In those hungry months, the boy was surprised why his mother and father constantly did not want to eat, not realizing that their parents were saving every morsel for their children. From 1942 to 1944 they were evacuated.
During his school years, Andrei was easily given exact sciences, for which he received excellent grades. In high school, the young man became interested in theater, in which he really enjoyed playing, and most often the main roles. Parents were skeptical about their son's hobby, considering these activities not worth attention. His father wanted Andrei to become a scientist in the future.
After graduating from school, the young man, on the advice of his father, entered the Chemical Technology Institute (today the St. Petersburg Institute of Technology). The parents wanted their son to get a serious profession, and then decide whether to follow the acting path or not.
Andrei did not like studying at the university; the only outlet was the student theater , where the young man enjoyed spending time taking part in various amateur performances.
During the summer holidays, he went on tour with the theater. During the production of “The Forest Song,” Andrei was noticed by members of the visiting admissions committee of the Moscow Art Theater School and suggested that the young man enroll in a theater university. Andrei did not accept the offer; first he graduated from university, received an engineering degree in 1961 and worked a little at the Institute of Plastics to please his father.
Feeling a great craving for acting and having received his father’s permission, he goes to Moscow and the first time he enters the Moscow Art Theater School in the workshop of the Honored Artist Vasily Petrovich Markov (1907-1997).
On the course, Andrei was the oldest student in age. His classmates were: Vera Alentova, Irina Miroshnichenko, Vladimir Menshov and others. In 1965, he successfully graduated from a theater university, becoming a qualified actor.
Andrey Myagkov: biography
The actor who breathed life into the movie character Zhenya Lukashin, without whose appearance on the TV screen the New Year in Russia is now simply unthinkable, People's Artist of the RSFSR Andrei Myagkov was born in Leningrad. His parents were serious technical people. Mother, Zinaida Aleksandrovna, worked as a mechanical engineer at the Leningrad Printing College, and father, Vasily Dmitrievich, Candidate of Technical Sciences, worked at the same technical school as deputy director for educational work until he moved to the Technological Institute.
It was at the insistence of his father that Andrei, having received a school certificate, took it to the Leningrad Institute of Chemical Technology, and after graduation he went to work at the Institute of Plastics. The country would never have recognized the actor Myagkov if one day, by an amazing coincidence, a teacher from the Moscow Art Theater School had not come to the amateur performance “The Forest Song” in which Andrei played. The young man so impressed him with his dramatic talent that he persuaded the guy to demonstrate it to the selection committee of the acting department.
Myagkov easily passed the entrance examination and entered the course of the legendary Soviet actor Vasily Markov. After graduating from the theater, the young actor was happily accepted into the Moscow Sovremennik Theater.
Professional activity
After graduating from a theater school in 1965, he was accepted into the Moscow Sovremennik Theater, whose director was Oleg Efremov . The actor worked in the theater from 1965 to 1977, playing the first roles in a serious classical repertoire. Among the productions in which the actor took part were: “At the Lower Depths”, “Uncle’s Dream”, “An Ordinary Story”, “Balalaikin and Co” and others. However, acting in the theater did not bring much popularity.
From 1977 to 1987, the actor moved to the Gorky Moscow Art Theater. He played in the plays: “Woe from Wit” (Repetilov), “Boris Godunov” (Mikhail), “The Seagull” (Treplev), “Uncle Vanya” (Voinitsky), “Three Sisters” (Kulygin) and many others. After the split of the theater in 1987, he remained to work at the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater with the director Oleg Efremov. He worked on the theater stage for more than 25 years.
He made his film debut in 1965 in the comedy “Adventures of a Dentist” directed by Elem Klimov, where he immediately played the main role of dentist Chesnokov. But the film could not be shown to audiences right away; it was shelved and shown only 20 years later.
In 1968, Andrei starred in the melodrama The Brothers Karamazov, playing the role of Alyosha Karamazov, which the actor considers the best in his film career. The film was shown with great success on television screens and was also nominated for an Oscar.
The actor received fame and recognition 10 years after graduating from theater school, during the period of collaboration with director Eldar Ryazanov. The film “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!” became a cult film, in which the actor played the iconic role of Moscow surgeon Zhenya Lukashin . After the release of this comedy, Andrei was recognized by every person in the Soviet Union. He instantly became a sought-after and recognizable actor.
Until now, the country's main holiday, the New Year, is not complete without this film, quotes from which have already been heard in the mouths of viewers for many decades.
Later he took part in such famous works by Ryazanov: “Office Romance” (1977, Anatoly Novoseltsev), “Garage” (1979, Semyon Khvostov), “Cruel Romance” (1984, Yuliy Karandyshev). These film projects made the actor a popular favorite.
Fans attacked him; his popularity prevented the actor from living. Walking down the street, he was afraid to look up and tried to disguise himself. Only abroad did he feel calm, since he was not recognized there.
Andrei was considered mainly a comedic actor, but his filmography includes dramatic characters. For example, careerist Vladimir Shvyrkov in the film “Afterword” by director Marlen Khutsiev.
Colleagues always said that Andrei professionally has the ability to convincingly play love in films. His heroes are most often touchingly intelligent characters who are similar to Don Quixote. This is how he has attracted viewers of all generations for more than 40 years. Outwardly he looks impractical, but internally he is a strong person.
In addition to filming films, the actor worked as a theater director, staging on the stage of the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater: “Good Night, Mom,” “Retro,” and “Autumn Charleston.” He was also involved in film scoring, taught at his native Moscow Art Theater School , and participated as a member of the jury of the KVN Major League. The actor has many awards, prizes, commendations and orders.
Recent projects in which the actor starred: “Who Comes on a Winter Evening” (2006, Nikolai Filatov), “The Irony of Fate. Continuation" (2007, Evgeny Lukashin), "The fog is clearing" (2008, KGB chairman Kryuchkov).
Today, the actor is one of the most recognizable artists in Russian cinema. His filmography includes 70 works in films of various genres, in many of which he played leading roles. In recent years he has not been working in cinema and theater due to health problems for him and his wife. Leads a solitary life.
Biography[ | ]
Origin[ | ]
Andrei Vasilyevich Myagkov was born on July 8, 1938 in Leningrad. Father is a teacher, candidate of technical sciences. Mother is a mechanical engineer[6].
At the insistence of his father, he graduated from the Leningrad Technological Institute (now the St. Petersburg State Technological Institute), and worked for a short time at the Institute of Plastics[7]. At the amateur performance “Forest Song” he was noticed by one of the teachers of the Moscow Art Theater School, who invited him to try his hand at them[7].
In 1965 he successfully graduated (course of V.P. Markov) and at the same time became an actor at the Sovremennik Theater.
Acting career[ | ]
One of her first theatrical roles was the role of Uncle in the production of “Uncle’s Dream”[8]. On the stage of the theater, Myagkov also played roles in the plays “At the Lower Depths,” “Balalaikin and Co,” “Ordinary History,” “Bolsheviks” and many others[8].
In 1973, director Alexei Korenev refused the actor the role of Nestor Petrovich in the comedy television film “Big Change”[7] due to the fact that Myagkov set a condition for the director - the teacher Svetlana Afanasyevna should be played by his wife.
The film “The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!” brought him national fame, where he played the main role: Zhenya Lukashin[9].
In 1976, when “The Irony of Fate” was released, Andrei Myagkov, according to a survey by the magazine “Soviet Screen”, was recognized as the best actor of the year and was awarded the USSR State Prize[9].
“This film put an end to my career,” said the actor. “Everyone thinks I’m an alcoholic, although in reality I don’t like alcohol, and I just don’t see a bathhouse!” I haven’t watched this film for about 20 years. It’s violence against the viewer when it’s shown on New Year’s Eve[9].
In 1977 he moved to the Moscow Art Theater; after the split of the theater in 1987, he remained with Oleg Efremov - at the Moscow Art Theater. A.P. Chekhov[10][11].
He taught at the Moscow Art Theater School[8]. Invited to the jury of the KVN Major League.
Since 2010, he has practically not acted in films, explaining this by the fact that Russian cinema began to imitate American cinema[12]:
| We imitate the Americans so shamelessly! Action movies, fights, endless action. The cinema has become insensitive, heartless. This is not Russian art. We completely abandoned it. Soviet cinema had its own face, but now they took it, turned it around and painted an American face on it. |
The last time he appeared on the stage of the Moscow Art Theater. A.P. Chekhov in May 2013 in the play “White Rabbit”[13].
Hobbies[ | ]
The author of three detective novels, which he wrote, according to his admission, “only because his wife lacks interesting literature”[7]. Screenwriter Alexander Borodyansky based a series on Myagkov’s book, and a trilogy of his detective stories “Grey Horse” was released[14].
He was interested in portrait painting[8]. For his friend and teacher Oleg Efremov, he painted the painting “Portrait of Oleg Efremov”[7]. He painted portraits of Mikhail Gorbachev and Galina Volchek[14]. In recent years, he led a solitary life, practically not giving interviews[7].
Public position[ | ]
He was against Vladimir Putin’s policy towards Ukraine and spoke out against the annexation of Crimea to Russia, saying[15][16]:
| I wish all Ukrainians, on both sides, only peace. This requires will, intelligence, endurance and love for your neighbor. I wish and even ask, beg, to resolve everything peacefully. I beg you. |
Death[ | ]
Andrei Vasilyevich Myagkov died on February 18, 2021 in Moscow at the 83rd year of his life[17][18]. The cause of death was acute heart failure[19]. Farewell to the actor took place in Moscow on February 20, 2021 at the Moscow Art Theater. Chekhov. He was buried at the Troyekurovskoye cemetery next to the grave of his friend and People's Artist of the USSR Valentin Gaft. [20][21][22][23].
Personal life
The actor's first love was actress Tamara Mikhailovna Abrosimova (born in 1939). Her most notable works are: “Major Whirlwind” (1967, radio operator Anya) and “Garage” (1979, director of the Kushakova market). They studied together at the Institute of Technology and studied in a theater studio, went on tour. She was the first to leave and enter the Moscow Art Theater School.
Conversations on the actor’s personal topic are taboo. The actor considers himself a monogamist. He has been married for 55 years. His wife is actress Voznesenskaya Anastasia Valentinovna (born July 27, 1943). They met in the first year of theater school and were classmates. When he first saw Anastasia, the actor realized that she would be his wife. Nastya was a beautiful girl with a beautiful figure and face, almost all the boys in the year were in love with her, but the actress chose Andrey. In 1964, in their second year, they got married and have never been apart since.
After graduating from university, they began working together at the Sovremennik Theater. The spouses always and everywhere supported each other, in sorrow and in joy, in health and in sickness.
Their couple is called Siamese twins, since they are together everywhere all their lives: at home, at work, on set, in the theater, on tour, on vacation. They never part. The actor believes that love is given to a person once and for all. The actors created their own world into which they do not let anyone in, only the closest people. In the fickle acting community, their marriage causes envy.
The couple avoids the attention of the press and does not go to any social events. They have no children, since their profession has always come first. Now they really regret it. They realized their parental talent in their theater university students, including Nikita Vysotsky, Natalya Negoda, Alexander Feklistov, Roman Kozak and others.
Since 2013 they have not appeared on the theater stage. Today, despite health problems (Anastasia has diabetes, and Andrei underwent surgery to replace heart valves in 2009), they are together.
Since Anastasia became interested in reading detective stories back in the 90s, which she loves to read, Andrei, for the sake of his wife, decided to write them. The following works came from his pen: “Grey Gelding” (2008), “The Stradivarius Violin, or the Return of Grey Gelding” (2011), “Caution, Glass! Gray gelding. The Beginning" (2012).
Andrei Myagkov died at the age of 83 on February 18, 2021. The cause of the artist’s death has not been named; some sources report that Myagkov died of heart failure.
Personal life and children of Andrei Myagkov and Anastasia Voznesenskaya
The creative biography of Andrei Myagkov is long and rich: he played roles that earned the popularity and love of television viewers. Despite his wide popularity, the actor did not like the increased attention, especially to his personal life. Andrei Myagkov was a very famous but private person. In 1963, the artist married Anastasia Voznesenskaya: the actress became the only woman in his life. They met while studying at the Moscow Art Theater School.
Before meeting his missus, Andrei Myagkov, while a student at the Leningrad Institute of Chemical Technology, was in a relationship with Tamara Abrosimova. Classmates were brought together by their love of theater. They rehearsed together in the studio and went on tour. However, Tamara Abrosimova decided to go to Moscow and become a professional actress, but first, get a diploma from the capital’s theater university. So the couple broke up. However, Andrei Myagkov continued to communicate with his former lover. Soon he himself came to Moscow, and after some time a fateful acquaintance with Anastasia Voznesenskaya occurred.
Andrei Myagkov and Anastasia Voznesenskaya lived happily for 58 years, but only together. Children's laughter never sounded in their small family. The actors consciously did not want a child. Initially, they lived in a hostel, were together both at home and at work, worked at Sovremennik, then at the Moscow Art Theater.
Andrei Myagkov was repeatedly asked why he and Anastasia Voznesenskaya did not have children. He constantly answered: he and his wife devoted themselves to work, and there was simply no time for anything else.
“I didn’t have the chance to have my own precisely because of my profession.” Your life somehow involuntarily fades into the background, you think less about it.
However, Andrei Myagkov and Anastasia Voznesenskaya were never traumatized by the fact of having no children: they got used to living the way they lived. The actor was content to communicate with the students of the Moscow Art Theater School.
Interesting Facts
- In reality, Andrey is a closed and strict person. He has charm and self-irony, this makes anyone fall in love with him, he is noble and intelligent. He never liked company, he always speaks the truth, never mumbles or begs for anything, for this he is respected and feared.
- The actor has a hobby - painting, paints portraits with oil paints. He painted portraits of Oleg Efremov, Galina Vovchek, Mikhail Gorbachev and others.
- He doesn’t like to take steam baths; he always took alcohol in moderation. He sings beautifully.
- Unpretentious when it comes to food. He cannot live without the first course, he loves cabbage soup very much.
- He has been driving a car all his life, even today, when the actor turned 80 years old. At first I drove different Zhiguli models, and then switched to inexpensive foreign cars.
- Rarely gives interviews. He is called the most private People's Artist of Russia. Today, the actor goes out only to go to the store or pharmacy. Together with his wife, he protects his private life from unnecessary attention.
