Alexander Pankratov-Black

Aleksandr Pankratov-Black (Aleksandr Pankratov) is an outstanding Soviet and Russian actor, whose filmography consists of almost a hundred works. He was awarded the titles of "Honored" and "People's" artist of the Russian Federation, has established himself as an excellent director, theater, humorist, writer, public figure. And no matter what business he undertakes, he succeeds everywhere. His inexhaustible talent beats the key even at his 70 years of age.

Early years of the artist

Alexander was born in a small Altai village called Konevo on July 28, 1949. His parents were descendants of Cossacks: his father Vasily was from Chernigov, his mother Agrippina - from the Don. There were four children in their family, whom the mother had to raise and educate on her own. Father Alexander almost does not remember, he died when the boy was three.

From an early age Pankratov (prefix "Black" he took in his student years) showed his acting skills: invented jokes, showed pantomimes, organized performances. His childhood dream was to become a clown. His mother saw her son as a military man.

His childhood was difficult: his mother barely made ends meet, the family starved, the house had no electricity. The boy had to work from the age of six - he earned labor days. The school in the village was small and poor: there were 4 classes in one room. But the library shelves were full of books. The boy spent all his free time there. Reading became his favorite hobby, and he had already studied the classics of domestic and foreign literature in the primary grades. Later, the passion for books turned into a love for cinematography. When a mobile movie theater came to their village, Pankratov did not miss a single session.

In 1959, their family moved to Kolmogorovo (Kemerovo region). There he finished 8-year school and, taking advantage of his mother's absence, secretly went to Nizhny Novgorod to enter the theater school. Becoming a student turned out to be much more difficult: because of the Siberian colloquialism the guy was rejected. When he was crying in the corridor in frustration, the head of the academic department came up to him and started to calm him down. During the conversation he saw something special in young Alexander and ordered that he be accepted to the course.

Studenthood and the first steps on the career ladder

In his youth, everyone knew Pankratov-Black as a cheerful and cheerful guy. In higher education, he adored art history and literature. He continued his school hobby - writing poetry. He began to attend the writers' circle, and at the age of 17 he went to the All-Union seminar of young poets. Noticing his abilities, he was recommended to enter the Gorky University Philfaculty. He dropped out of the theater school and began to prepare for another university.

Evicted from the dormitory, for some time lived in an abandoned semi-basement. There he studied literature by candlelight, dreaming of the Moscow Literary Institute. But the tightening of censorship in 1967 made adjustments. One of Alexander's poems got into the KGB, he was forbidden to write. About the career of a poet had to forget.

Pankratov worked for a while in the museum as a janitor and made great efforts to return to the theater. With difficulty, but he managed it. True, they took him on a younger course.

Having received a diploma, the future actor began to develop in his field. Since 1968, he worked in the Penza Drama Theater. There he played in the following productions:

• "Faith, Hope, Love";
• "Shot";
• "April begins in March";
• "Pippi Longstocking";
• "The Grandmaster's Ball;
• "Treasure Island;
• "The Heir;
• "The Seven Geese Flew;
• "Vasilisa Melentieva";
• "A Few Disturbing Days";
• "Tot, Others and Major."

In 1976, he enters VGIK for directing, and two years later debuted in the movie. The picture was called "Siberiad". The first appearance was very successful. Then followed several secondary roles. In 1983, millions began to talk about him. Having starred in the movie "We of Jazz", he woke up famous. In this picture, he played next to the then famous and already very experienced artists. He not only managed not to get lost in their plan, but also to stand out among them. This was a key moment in his creative biography, after which offers of work to him sprinkled by the dozens.

"Cruel Romance", "Battalions Ask for Fire", "Where is Nofelet?", "Promised Heaven", "Shirley-myrly", "The Island of Unnecessary People", "The Master and Margarita" and other rating Soviet and Russian pictures added to his filmography. He was very much filmed, played diversified characters, each of his appearances on the screen was crowned with success.

Other activities of the actor

In addition to filming in the movies and playing in the theater, Alexander Pankratov-Cherny established himself as an excellent director. From under his hand came out such pictures: "The Pidings of Count Nevzorov", "Grown Son", "Beauty Salon", "System Nippel", "Dotchkin batki".
Since the early 2000s, he has been actively engaged in public activities: he participated in the elections to the State Duma, became president of the children's sports fund "Our Generation", is a member of the Board of the charitable organization "Blagomir", helps the Mikhail Yevdokimov Foundation.
He has not forgotten about his longtime hobby - poetry. He published several books with his poems, even wrote a prayer for the grand opening of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Personal life

Alexander Pankratov-Cherny was married twice. His first wife was his fellow student Irina Semikletova, who gave birth to a girl. The actor did not recognize the child, and the couple separated. The second wife was Veronica Izotova, the daughter of the famous artist Eduard Izotov.

Today he is in a civil marriage with film historian Julia Monakhova. Together they raised a son Vladimir (born in 1980). About personal he rarely talks and tries in every possible way to hide the family from prying eyes.

Alexander does not stop his creative activity, despite his 70-year-old age. And although he does not often appear on the screens, he is not going to "retire" yet.

Learn more about the activities of famous personalities of the present can be found in the catalog of artists on the website kontramarka.de.

Filmography (favorites):

• 1987 - "Sibiriada"
• 1983 - "Snapshot"
• 1983 - "We Are From Jazz"
• 1984 - "Cruel Romance"
• 1985 - "Battalions Ask for Fire".
• 1985 - "Winter Evening in Gagra".
• 1990 - "Ten Years Without the Right of Correspondence"
• 1991 - "Caravan of Death"
• 1993 - "Tram-tararam, or Bakhty-barakhty".
• 2000 - "Agent in a Miniskirt".
• 2002 - "Enter Through the Window"
• 2008 - "This Evening the Angels Wept"
• 2012 - "The Island of Unnecessary People"
• ♪ 2014 ♪
• 2016-2019 - "According to the Laws of Wartime"
• 2016 - "Kitchen"
• 2018 - "Japanese God"
• 2018 - "Dinosaur"
• 2019 - "IE Pirogova"