Alexander Leonidovich Vishnevsky

Vishnevsky, Alexander Leonidovich ( _ru. Александр Леонидович Виншевский (originally named Vishnevetsky, b. 20.01.1861, Taganrog, the Russian Empire, - d. 27.02.1943, Tashkent, the USSR.) – Russian actor, one of the founding fathers of the Moscow Art Theatre. Hero of Socialist Labour. Honored Worker of Arts of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.

Vishnevsky was born in Taganrog where he studied at The Boys Gymnasium and made friends with young Anton Chekhov.

Since 1883 he took part in the performances of the Taganrog Music-and-Drama Society. Later he acted in the theatres of Kharkov, Ekaterinoslav, Odessa, Saratov where he had a part of jeune premier. In 1898 he joined the troupe of the Moscow Art Theatre.

On the opening night at the Moscow Art Theatre Vishnevsky played the part of Boris Godunov in the play "Tzar Fyodor Ioannovich". In 1899 he was assigned to play the part of Boris Godunov again in "The Death of Ivan the Terrible" (1899).Vishnevsky was the first who played the title role in Chekhov's play "Uncle Vanya" in the Moscow Art Theatre. In 1933 Vishnevsky became the first actor to be awarded the title of Hero of Labor. Later that honorary title was renamed Hero of Socialist Labour.Alexander Vishnevsky died on February 27, 1943 in Tashkent where he lived in evacuation. He is buried in Tashkent.

Acknowledgement and Awards

* Hero of Labour
* Honored Worker of Arts of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Theatre Roles

(at the Moscow Art Theatre):
*1898 – "Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich" by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy – Boris Godunov
*1898 – "The Merchant of Venice" by William Shakespeare – Antonio
*1899 – "The Death of Ivan the Terrible" by Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy – Boris Godunov
*1900 – "Doctor Stockman" by Henrik Ibsen – Hovstad
*1902 – "The Lower Depths" by Maxim Gorky – Tatar
*1903 – "Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare – Mark Antonius
*1906 – "Woe from Wit" by Alexandr Griboyedov – Count Tugoukhovsky
*1907 – "Boris Godunov" by Alexandr Pushkin – Boris Godunov

Filmography

*1918 – "Cagliostro" (“The False Masons”), Russia, Rus, black-and-white
*1927 – "Woman's Victory" aka "Pobeda zhenschiny" (“Boyar Nikit Yurievich”), USSR, Mezhrabpomrus, black-and-white, 62 min.

Children

*Son – Alexander Alexandrovich Vishnevsky, journalist, a senior official at the TASS,
*Daughter – Natalia Alexandrovna Vishnevskaya

External links

*

References

* Encyclopaedia of Taganrog, 2nd edition, Taganrog, 2003