Actor of the theater and cinema Veniamin Smekhov: biography, filmography and interesting facts

Among the inhabitants of our country it is difficult to find a person who can not answer the question of who is Veniamin Smekhov. Mysterious Athos from the cult film "D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers" forever remained in the memory of the audience. What is known about the creative achievements and offscreen life of the "Count de La Fere", at one time conquered the hearts of millions?

Veniamin Smekhov: childhood

The man who was destined to play Athos, was born in Moscow, it happened in August 1940. Smehov Veniamin Borisovich was born in the family of a doctor-therapist and doctor of economic sciences. The parents of the future actor were Jews by nationality. His father could not see his father until he was five years old, as he participated in the Great Patriotic War.

In the first years of his life, the boy Venya dreamed of becoming a chauffeur, but soon this desire passed. Then he experienced his powers in the role of a writer, writing naive and funny tales. Those gradually replaced by poetry, however, and this hobby was abandoned, because the life of the child entered the theater. He was accepted into a dramatic circle, who worked at the Palace of Pioneers. The studio was known for being under the care of Rolan Bykov himself. At the same time Veniamin Smekhov fell in love with jazz. They even created a musical group, working in this genre, but the group did not last long.

Student years

When the actor is asked about why he chose his profession, he talks about the love of reincarnation. Only on the stage, a calm and reasonable boy Venya could try on attractive images of adventurers, hooligans and freedom fighters. However, he might not become a student of the "Pike", if he had not persuaded to enter there Uncle Leo. Veniamin Smekhov got on the course, led by Vladimir Etush.

Surprisingly, while studying in the second year of the future, Athos was expelled. The young man was considered too shy, boring and inexpressive for the stage. However, soon Smekhov managed to recover in the school, by the end of the training the student even became one of the favorites of Etush. The diploma was awarded to Benjamin in 1961.

First roles

Cinema entered the life of yesterday's student only a few years after the end of "Pike". Kuibyshev is the first city in which Veniamin Smekhov was able to make a statement. The actor's biography contains information that he spent one and a half years in this village, speaking on the stage of a local theater, and then returned to Moscow.

For a while, Smekhov remained without work, which even forced him to start thinking about changing his profession. However, in 1962, the beginning actor managed to get a job at the Taganka Theater. He sheltered the theater in his walls, Benjamin remained faithful for more than twenty years, managed to play several dozen roles. To part with the usual workplace, he decided in 1985, it was a protest against the expulsion of director Yuri Lyubimov from the USSR.

Of course, the fans are interested in the first films with Veniamin Smekhov. Cinematography broke into the life of a young man only in 1968. The first character, the image of which he embodied in the cinema, was Baron Krause. He got this role in the drama "Two Companions Served," dedicated to the civil war that broke out in 1920. Then Smekhov took part in the shooting of the film "Smoke and the Kid", aimed at the children's audience.

Starry hour

"D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers" is the most famous painting in which Benjamin Smekhov appeared. The films, in which he received the roles after, could not achieve the same deafening success. The hero of the actor Athos has won the hearts of thousands of Soviet spectators with his romanticism and mystery. The tape was presented to the public in 1978, after which Smekhov for many years forgot about quiet life. The admirers were watching him at home, filling up with letters containing confessions of love.

To play again the famous Count de La Fere Veniamin Borisovich happened in 1982. The star composition of the picture remained unchanged, the director was again Georgy Yungvald-Khilkevich. Continuation of the famous story, the plot of which is borrowed from the works of Alexander Dumas, was enthusiastically received by the audience.

Further film career

Of course, "D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers" is not the only successful film in which the talented Veniamin Smekhov played. Films, in which he was shot after, also had success with the audience. "In my death I ask to blame Klava K." - a piercing drama dedicated to unrequited love. In this tape, the actor embodied the image of the artist's uncle Seva, who is friends with the family of the beautiful girl Klavy.

One can not but mention the adventure film "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves", in which the actor was offered the role of Mustafa. Smekhov not only played one of the key characters, but also acted as the author of lyrics and took part in the creation of the script. Like the audience and his cure Maximin, the image of which he embodied in the detective drama "Trap for a lonely man." Finally, we should mention Dr. Stravinsky - the character that Smekhov played in "Master and Margarita".

Relatively new films with Veniamin Smekhov are also worthy of attention. For example, the fans of the star must certainly watch the multi-part drama "The White Pigeon Cordoba", in which he received an unusual role. The picture tells of the life of a genius artist-swindler, deftly copying the works of famous colleagues. Also deserves watching the saga "Captain's Children", in which he embodied the image of the husband of the main character.

Life Behind the Scenes

What else can you tell us about a talented person who is certainly Veniamin Smekhov, whose biography, whose personal life is still of great interest to fans and the press? In the life of the actor was a lot of women, but an important role in his fate played only two of them. The first wife of Smekhova became a student of the food institute Alla, on which he married during his studies at the "Pike". Alla produced two daughters. Alika and Elena also chose creative professions, the first became an actress and singer, the second preferred the role of a writer.

On the second marriage, Veniamin decided in 1980, his choice was the film critic Galina Aksenova. Spouses have been together for more than 30 years and do not plan to part.

Interesting Facts

Veniamin Smekhov likes to remember that for shooting in "D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers" he agreed because of his daughter Elena. The girl loved the work of Dumas, re-read it again and again, refusing to part with the heroes who fell in love.

In everyday life, the actor is unpretentious, takes pleasure in doing housework, likes to do dishes. The secret passion of Smekhov is cars. For example, a few years ago he bought a two-door Japanese "Subaru" in the States, which traveled all over America, even reaching Canada. In all travels, his beloved wife always accompanies him.