УДК: 792.071

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2022-1-62-78

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Marina G. Litavrina

D. Sc. in Art Studies, Leading Researcher of Laboratory of Cultural History at History Department, Lomonosov Mоscow State University, University, professor of the Department of Russian Theatre History
Lomonosov Mоscow State University, Russian Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS)
Moscow, Russia
E-mail: itavrina55@gmail.com

Vladimir Sokolov: the American years

Abstract

Russian actor Vladimir Sokoloff (1889–1962) passed away in the US 60 years ago, in 1962. He was famous due to his achievements in European theatre and supporting character roles in numerous Hollywood films. Though he remained unknown in his own homeland. This phenomenon is typical with Russian émigré actors of so-called post-revolutionary cultural wave, which brought to foreign shores millions of Russian refugees. Unlike many of them, gone into nowhere, Sokolov (or Sokoloff in Europe) has gained international fame and continued successfully his professional career. According to some statistics, he performed characters of 35 nationalities and cooperated with world-known colleagues and directors, such as Doughlas Fairbanks, Greta Garbo, Gary Cooper, Antoni Quinn, Ernst Busch, Yul Brynner, and so on. But in Soviet Russia no one of ideologists or colleagues was eager to pay tributes to Vladimir Sokoloff (former Moscow Kamerny theatre virtuoso actor, a friend of Tsvetaeva and Marienhoff). No reviews were published in the Soviet press on his personal highlights abroad or simply talked about his films or outstanding theatre performances. Unless a highly appreciated by the Soviet spectators and officials international film star, Jean Marais, per chance stated in his interview to Soviet film weekly: Look, I was a pupil of your fascinating actor and outstanding teacher, “the great Sokoloff”. The journalists posed questions to film historians, as no one had a clear idea of “that great Sokolov”. This paper is published in memoriam of hardly known in Russia, but still outstanding actor.

Keywords

Vladimir Sokolov (1889–1962), Russian actor in exile, Kamerny theatre, European theatre of 1920–1930-s, Hollywood.

For citation

Litavrina M. G. Vladimir Sokolov: the American years. Theatre. Fine Arts. Cinema. Music. 2022, no. 1, pp. 62–78.

DOI: 10.35852/2588-0144-2022-1-62-78

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Received: 12.01.2022

Revised: 02.02.2022

Accepted: 11.02.2022