Sergei Alexandrovich Martinson is a famous Soviet theater and film actor who began his biography in the 19th century. He played more than 100 roles and received the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR for his creative activity in 1964. He was called the "king of comedians" and he was a true professional in his field.
Sergei Aleksandrovich’s skill is admired even today, recalling his Duremar in Golden Key or Bonnie in Silva, where he delightfully performed the cancan, but not many people know that his whole life has dreamed of a serious dramatic role that he never embodied in screen. He continued to act until 85 years old, and passed away almost forgotten by all, alone, in his Moscow apartment.
Childhood
Martinson was born in the winter of 1899 in St. Petersburg into a noble family, although some sources said that the birthplace of the future great actor is Paris. Father was a baron of Swedish descent and an honorary citizen of St. Petersburg. Mom - a noblewoman, nee Petrova.
From an early age, the boy was surrounded by love and care and brought up in an atmosphere of art. Together with his parents, he constantly visited opera, cabaret and ballet, and at home the family often arranged holidays and theatrical performances. In his school years, Sergei up to his laughter made his classmates and teachers laugh. He was even called the "main school clown."
At home, the boy always liked to portray someone, putting on his mother’s clothes and showing various funny little performances. For example, at the age of five, Sergei portrayed the Snow Maiden, from the image of which everyone was simply delighted.
With the advent of cinema, Sergei became interested in watching movies and often went to the cinema in the center of St. Petersburg. And then, at home, he again made performances, portraying various heroes he saw on the screen.
The boy received an excellent education in the gymnasium, knew several languages, although he did not stand out among the students for good performance and devoted most of his time to the theater scene. Having entered the technical institute after the gymnasium, he soon realized that the future profession was not for him and returned to the theater again. After graduating from the Institute of Performing Arts, he began his creative career.
Theater and Cinema
Martinson worked for a long time at first in the theater of the Revolution, and then he was invited to join the troupe by Meyerhold, where he acquired a celebrity. After some time, they even began to call him Russian Chaplin for his talent and eccentricity.
In the movie, Sergei Alexandrovich appeared in 1934. His first role was in the film "Puppets." Then the film “The Death of Sensation” followed, and soon “Golden Key”, where he embodied on the screen the image of Duremar - the seller of leeches, organically merging into one row with the puppet characters.
During the war, Martinson twice starred in the image of Hitler, for which he promised to personally get even with the actor. In the following years, Sergei Alexandrovich often got the role of villains. Spectators remembered his roles in Scout's Feat and Dowry.
Towards the end of the war, the musical film "Silva" was set, where the actor got the role of the cheerful, elegant dandy - Bonnie. The film was based on the operetta by I. Kalman, and Martinson appeared in front of the audience in a completely new way.
The last time a movie actor starred shortly before his death. It was the film "And Life, and Tears, and Love", which told about the life of war veterans.
