Valery Leontiev

Perhaps the most stellar representative of the Airborne Forces is Valery Leontiev. There is little information on this on the Internet, but users of the "landing" forums proudly call the artist their own and even know the number of the unit where he served.

Fedor Dobronravov


"Matchmaker of All Russia" Fedor Dobronravov also knows firsthand about parachute jumping. The artist admitted that the service made him disciplined, executive and ... romantic.

"There is a lot of romance in the army. It is both in service and in weapons, in the same as you guys, in the sky, in the Motherland that you are defending. We call colleagues, meet, congratulate each other on this day," quotes the actor "Evening Moscow". By the way, in the fourth part of "Matchmakers", where Dobronravov played the main role, for the first time the phrase "Who served in the army does not laugh in the circus" was uttered.

Vladimir Tishko


For two years Vladimir Tishko honestly "unwound the footcloths" in the 83rd Guards Airborne Assault Brigade. The service was not easy: he was afraid of heights, but he jumped like everyone else. The presenter recalled that the slings had hurt his neck, but noted that all these were trifles, because the service in landing troops ah tempered him.

Alexander Pyatkov


The star of the film "Kolkhoz Entertainment" Alexander Pyatkov, after the first parachute jump, wrote a song, which he now calls the unofficial march of the airborne troops. When the composition went to the people, the commander of the Airborne Forces, General Shpak, handed Alexander the watch from his hand.

In the film about the paratroopers "In the zone special attention"the actor played the fearless captain Zuev. This role is considered one of best works Pyatkova.

Ivan Demidov


TV presenter Ivan Demidov also gave the landing party two years. In 1981-1983, he served in one of the military units Lithuania.

Jan Tsapnik


The actor who played the entrepreneur Arthur in The Brigade, excellent physical form obliged including the Airborne Forces. Yan Tsapnik served in a special intelligence platoon, but basically does not celebrate the day of the blue berets.

"The holiday unfolds according to the same scenario: a touching beginning, laying flowers, and in the final showdown and a scuffle. I got a little older for all this ... By the way, I first came to the St. Petersburg Theater Academy wearing a blue beret," he admitted in one of the interview.

Maxim Drozd


Maxim Drozd on the set of the film "Parent's Day"

Maxim Drozd, who recently starred in new version The film "The Dawns Here Are Quiet" was taken to the Airborne Forces thanks to his youthful hobby. While still in school, he started boxing and eventually became a master of sports. A fit and strong guy was assigned to the paratroopers. After the service, Drozd made his dream come true and entered the theater, and the army experience was more than once useful to him in the acting profession ...

Valery Leontiev - a legend Russian show business, whose popularity has not diminished over the years, and representatives of the 4th generation of listeners continue to admire the artist's work.

At one time, the singer became the first to bring the traditions of musical and theatrical shows to the stage, turning in a short time from a modest provincial boy into a star international class, dubbed The One Who Gives Love by American fans.

Childhood and youth

Valery Leontiev was born in March 1949 in the village of Ust-Usa, Komi. His family had nothing to do with art. The Leontievs lived modestly. Father Yakov Stepanovich was a Pomor from the Arkhangelsk region, was engaged in reindeer husbandry and worked as a veterinarian. Mom Ekaterina Ivanovna Klyuts was born in Ukraine. The boy was a late child - he was born when his mother was 43 years old. In addition to him, I grew up in the family elder sister Maya (died 2005).


Soon from Ust-Usa, the family moved to their father's homeland, to the Arkhangelsk region. Early childhood Valeria took place in the village of Verkhniye Matigory. When their son was 12 years old, the Leontievs moved again, this time to the Ivanovo region. We stopped in the city of Yuryevets, on the picturesque bank of the Volga.

In childhood and adolescence, Valery's relatives noticed that the boy was drawn to creativity. He drew well, was plastic and sang well, even soloed in the school choir. He also participated in school amateur performances and enjoyed going to the drama club. But the boy from a poor family did not even dream of becoming an artist or singer.


At the end of the 8th grade, Leontyev passed his documents to the radio technical school in Muromsk, but failed the exams and returned to finish his studies at his native school. Apparently, the genes of the Pomor father affected, and Valery more and more begins to dream of work related to the sea. In high school, after graduating from school, he practically decided to leave for Vladivostok and enroll in an oceanologist, but for a family with a modest income, such expenses were not within their power.

At that time, Valery Leontyev realized that there was another profession with which he would like to connect his life. And he took a chance and in 1966 he submitted documents to the Moscow GITIS, choosing the acting department. But the indecision and complex of the provincial did their job: at the last moment Leontyev changed his mind about acting.


Returning to Yuryevets, Valery immediately went to work. In his youth, the future pop star tried many professions: he worked as an electrician, a postman, a laborer at a brick factory and even a tailor. But he had to get an education, and Valery entered the mining institute in Vorkuta.

In the evening he studied, and during the day he earned money for a living, working as a laboratory assistant at a research institute and a draftsman at a design institute. Leontiev finished his studies only until the 3rd year and dropped out of school - his soul did not lie to future profession... But the further, the more I wanted to sing and perform on stage. The spotlights and the full halls of the cheering audience attracted the guy more and more.

Music

Start creative biography Valery Leontyev was commissioned in 1972. His first solo concert took place on April 9 at the Vorkuta House of Culture. The first success inspired the young performer, and soon he became the winner of the regional competition "We are looking for talents" in Syktyvkar.

The reward for the victory was study in Moscow, in the All-Union Creative Workshop of Variety Art Georgy Vinogradov. But Valery did not stay in the capital for long. Without completing the course, he returned to Syktyvkar, to the local philharmonic society.


Soon Leontyev becomes a member of the Echo collective. The musicians prepared 2 programs and, together with the new soloist Valery Leontyev, toured almost all cities Soviet Union... But the concerts were not held in large halls, but only on the stages of local houses of culture.

Only in 1978 Valery first performed on the stage of the concert hall in Gorky. The concert took place with great success, and the singer received an invitation to work in the city philharmonic society. He agreed, but on the condition that he be sent to the Yalta All-Union musical competition... And so it happened. For the performance of the musical ballad "In Memory of a Guitarist" in Yalta, Leontiev was awarded the first prize.


The competition was broadcast throughout the country. Summer next year Valery Leontyev has a new, resounding victory - the main prize at the 16th International Pop Song Festival "Golden Orpheus" in Sopot. There he first appeared in an original stage costume of his own making, for which a Bulgarian fashion magazine presented him with a special prize.

In the early 80s, everyone already knew Valery Leontyev, he sang in almost all group concerts and at the most famous venues. At one time Leontiev tried to break into television, but he managed to do this only after meeting the composer.


Together they prepared an act that was filmed for the Blue Light program. However, the audience did not get to see him - he was cut out. Moreover, further joint creativity, as well as victories in international competitions made Leontyev famous.

Oddly enough, the black streak in the artist's life began because of his success at the festival in Yerevan. He received the popularity prize, but fell into disgrace due to a compliment American journalists, who wrote that Leontiev is similar in manner of performance.

Valery Leontiev - "Hang-glider"

Soviet cultural officials did not like this, and for 3 years Leontyev is not shown on television and is not invited to Moscow concerts.

In addition to creative troubles, during this period Leontiev underwent a serious operation to remove a throat tumor. Fortunately, the voice was soon restored, and the singer, who already had considerable influence at that time, helped the singer return to the stage.


In addition, the artist remembered that he still has no education. This time he entered and graduated from the Institute of Culture in Leningrad, where he received a diploma with a degree in Director of Mass Performances. At this time, Valery Leontyev gave almost 2 dozen concerts in the city on the Neva, which were sold out.

In 1983, Valery Yakovlevich again bathes in fame and popularity. And again thanks to the composer Raymond Pauls. It was he who gave the performer a whole section of his author's evening, which took place in the capital's concert hall "Russia". By this time appear famous hits“There, in September”, “Where did the circus go”, “Hang-gliding flight”, “Singing mime”.

Valery Leontiev - "Disappeared sunny days»

In 1988, the show of the first video of the artist "Margarita" starts, although video versions of the performance of Leontyev's popular compositions have appeared earlier. The singer works in different genres. He succeeds in songs with humorous overtones ("Traffic Light") and lyrical ("Sunny Days Gone"). Later, the artist's repertoire included bright hits "Augustine" and "Casanova".

In 1991 Valery Leontyev won The World Music Awards as the best selling sound carrier in the USSR. Indeed, by 1993, the pop star had 11 discs, sold in millions of copies.


In 1996 Valery Yakovlevich Leontiev became the People's Artist of Russia. In 1998, the singer's nameplate was laid on the Moscow Square of Stars.

During his long and rich creative activity, the popular performer has recorded over two dozen studio albums. The debut, entitled "Muse", was released in 1983. The last one for today is "This is Love" - ​​in 2017. The whole country knows his best songs. In the career of Valery Leontyev, there is even a joint performance with the president. In 2006 in Sochi, at a concert for the heads of CIS states, Leontyev was summoned for an encore, and he began to sing "Hope". Suddenly, he was joined by the President of Russia, to whom Leontyev handed over a microphone.


Leontiev chooses all his concerts and dance shows himself. His original costumes are also author's. Valery Yakovlevich is also known as an actor. On account of his paintings "At someone else's holiday", "Want to love", "Colonel's daughter" and others. More than once Leontyev appeared on the screens as the hero of documentaries about life and work.

Many copies were broken due to the nationality of Valery Leontiev. Information often appears on the Web that the singer is not Russian, but Mansi.


In 2017 Leontiev celebrated his 45th birthday creative activity... In one interview, the artist said that he was not going to leave the stage yet.

Regular sports help him to be vigorous, fit and maintain a combat weight, proper nutrition, long sleep, good films and books. And if earlier he carried a suitcase of books with him on tour, now he has mastered the iPad. Also Leontiev is very active for busy person user social networks... He has an account on Instagram, a page on Facebook... According to the singer, he often reads comments under the photo and personally communicates with fans.


According to many Internet users, Valery is too fond of plastic surgery, which is why he ceased to be like himself. Leontyev himself said that he did not use the services of plastic surgeons as often as everyone thinks. In addition, the artist never appears on stage or in public without makeup, although several photos of the singer without makeup have been leaked online.

According to Leontyev, at concerts zealous fans strive to grab his hair, hoping to see an idol without a wig. But the legend of the Soviet and Russian stage hinted that they will not succeed, since his hair is real.

Personal life

The personal life of Valery Leontyev is jealously guarded from prying eyes, the singer rarely gives comments. Therefore, a lot of rumors always swarmed around his person. Talked about gay, about an existing child, about an affair with a prima donna and much more.

Actually Leontiev for a long time was married to bass player Lyudmila Isakovich. They have been together since 1972, but officially registered the relationship only in 1998. Valery Yakovlevich's wife now lives in Miami.


Information appeared in the tabloids that Leontyev alone lives in a Moscow apartment and no longer flies to America. He allegedly left his house in Miami ex-wife... Some secular chroniclers said that the singer divorced many years ago, but did not advertise this event.

Leont'ev's personal life is shrouded in secrets, legends are made about her. At one time in the program "Let them talk!" concluded that the singer's mother was his older sister Maya, and Leontyev's alleged parents were his grandparents. Valery almost sued, but the conflict was resolved.


He was credited with great amount novels with the prima of the Soviet stage, Laura Quint. Laura was the only one who admitted the veracity of such assumptions. Also in the mid-2000s, rumors began to circulate that Leontyev had grown daughter.


Valery Leontiev and his "son" Alexander Bogdanovich

At the same time, the performer Alexander Bogdanovich appeared on the stage, who was recorded as a relative of the star. According to information that appeared in the press, the mother young man at one time there was a short romance with an artist, as a result of which a boy was born. The message turned out to be a journalistic duck.

V recent interviews Leontyev has repeatedly mentioned about spending time together with his wife Lyusya. With her he was going to celebrate New Year, vacationed with her in Spain.


The singer suggests not believing the gossip about divorce spread by the tabloids. Between the spouses was established, in their words, "a friendly marriage." They spend 3 months together in the USA, after which Valery returns to Russia, where he is actively touring.

When asked why Leontyev had no children, he joked that with his schedule and frivolity of character, he did not imagine that he could be a good father. Previously, the press wrote that his wife Lyudmila categorically did not want to become a mother.


Rumors that Leontyev are going to leave the stage are periodically resumed on the Web. In addition to physical activity associated with frequent concerts, the consequences of a knee injury, which he received at the beginning of his career, affect. The artist requires regular joint cleaning operations and drug therapy. But according to Valery, he decided to hold on to the last, since “lying on the couch and saving up fat” is not for him.

Valery Leontiev now

The artist's creative activity does not subside over the years. In 2018, his repertoire was replenished with new tracks "Like Dali", "Time Does Not Heal". He is greeted with full houses at the best venues in the country - at the festivals "New Wave", "Song of the Year", "Retro FM Legends", at a concert celebrating the birthday of the Muz TV channel, an anniversary concert of the Oktyabrsky Big Concert Hall.

Valery Leontiev - "Time does not heal"

At the beginning of 2019, Valery Leontyev became a guest of the Tonight program, the release of which was dedicated to creativity. On the air, the artist sang the maestro's song "Steamships". Alla Pugacheva and others participated in the TV show. Also, the pop star congratulated Raymond Pauls on his birthday, speaking at the composer's author's evening.

Valery Leontiev in the program "Tonight" in 2019

Now the artist is preparing to perform on the stage of the State Kremlin Palace, which will take place on March 10, 2019. Leontyev will present the audience with a concert program "I'll be back ...".

Discography

  • 1983 - Muse
  • 1986 - Disco Club
  • 1988 - I'm just a singer
  • 1990 - "The Wicked Way"
  • 1995 - On the Road to Hollywood
  • 1999 - "Everyone wants to love"
  • 2001 - Augustine
  • 2005 - "I Fall into Heaven ..."
  • 2011 - The Artist
  • 2014 - "Love Trap"
  • 2017 - "This is Love"

The actor is grateful to fate, which gave him the opportunity to try many professions.

30.04.2016, 07:45

He can be safely called one of the most sought-after actors in modern Russian cinema. He is successfully given both comedic and dramatic roles... There are already more than 130 of them! STS recently successfully launched new series"Eternal Vacation", where Jan Tsapnik plays the father of the main character. And in May, viewers will see another sitcom on the same channel with the participation of this actor - "Pushkin".

On the way to acting career Jan changed several professions - from a handball player to a pastry chef - and even managed to serve in the airborne troops.

In an interview that the performer of the main roles in the films "Bitter!" China.

GOOD POLICE OFFICER

- Jan, tell us, where are you filming now?

- They are shooting the series "Pushkin", where I play a police major. My hero really loves his job. This is a native of the Soviet Union. And the concept of honor and what is good and what is bad has been hammered into it from the school bench. This is how he differs from many young heroes who are also present in the picture. But when this whole story with Pushkin is twisted ( In the film, this is not a poet, but a pickpocket - Approx. ed.), played by the wonderful actor Sasha Molochnikov, then fate and life begin to make their own adjustments. The major becomes more flexible and even kind ... I look forward to the release of the wonderful film "Partner", in which Seryozha Garmash, Ksenia Lavrova-Glinka, Lizochka Arzamasova and others also play. The whole film has not yet been collected, since there are a lot of computer work... But I hope it will turn out to be a bright and good movie. And soon I will start filming for the Ice project.

ZIGZAGS OF FATE

- It is known that you have very difficult biography: first sports, then special forces, and after - theatrical institute. Why such a spread, what is it connected with?

- Come on, I'll tell you in order, and you will understand everything. My dad is an actor and my mom is an athlete. Therefore, my mother dreamed that I would become an actor, and my father - an athlete. ( Smiling.) And I did not have my childhood in the usual performance: I played the violin in a music school, then in the theater - the role of boys, until I grew out of all the costumes. Then he studied at the School of the Olympic Reserve, became a master of sports in handball and played in the reserve league. I wanted to enter the Lesgaft Institute of Physical Culture and Sports, to become a coach. But at that time, I already had various injuries, and I understood that professional sports would not bring me to good. I worked as a third-class pastry chef at a garment factory for the deaf and dumb, it came in handy in my life too ... Yes, I have studied many professions! I even wanted to become a pilot. But since I was in a sports class and for two last years I was only six months in school, and spent the rest of the time in competitions, then there could be no question of passing mathematics and other subjects perfectly. Therefore, apart from theater institute, I had no other road. ( Smiling.) So I went there, and even before the army, in 1985. And after the second year he left to serve.

- And then, when you served, recovered?

- Not certainly in that way. It turned out that I drove through Peter and the chief of the patrol got to the bottom of my airborne uniform. He got in chest, and I had to get away with my feet. And when I was running along Mokhovaya, I saw a theater institute. And I thought: why should I go to Sverdlovsk, where my course is already finishing its studies, when it is possible to study here? As I was in uniform, I went to college. And I was lucky: the master said that he was gaining a great course. I was offered to read something. I remembered the program with which I entered for the first time, read all the same. The master asked me to play the instrument, and there was just a violin ... So they took me.

"THE ACTOR IS A MAN, NOT AN ANSWER MACHINE"

- As far as I understand, you were a consultant when creating the image of the paratrooper stepfather in the film "Bitter". After all, you know firsthand what landing troops are.

- Well, a consultant - it says loudly. But the people who wrote the script did not serve in the special forces. And sometimes the director and one of the screenwriters Andrei Nikolaevich Pershin - aka Zhora Kryzhovnikov - allowed me to add something of my own.

- For instance?

- Oh, now I don’t remember everything. One of the jokes that I suggested: "The main one did not open - don’t pull the spare." It's about a parachute. This is all from the army, from my life!

- Do you miss the army days?

- People always miss their youth. I was young then and it was great and comfortable for me to live. And in the army I fulfilled my duty to the Motherland, which I am still proud of.


- In general, do you often propose to bring something into the script, into your characters?

- I am still a pupil of the old school - I served 14 years at the Bolshoi Drama Theater of St. Petersburg, where I had five main roles and six reprimands for carelessness. I believe that an artist is primarily a person, not an answering machine! True, there are some: they wrote to him, he learned and went. But this is not my way! Yes, I offer directors hundreds and even thousands different options, and they already say: this is necessary, but this is not. Fortunately, the directors tolerate this, and I am very grateful to them for that. This is real actor, not an answering machine.

FAVORITE CHINA

- Jan, you are in great demand now, and of course, most of the time is taken by shooting. But at least sometimes there are weekends? What are you doing on these days?

- Of course, I have days off. But they often pass away from the family and look something like this: you will sleep in a hotel until one o'clock, getting enough sleep the whole previous week. You get up - your head hurts. Get dressed, go out for a snack. Then you return to the hotel, read the script, watch a good movie on your tablet, and go to bed.

- A vacation?

- And on vacation, which usually falls from December 25 to January 14, we go to China with the whole family. We rest, swim, go for massage and acupuncture.

- And why exactly to China?

- My wife is an orientalist, candidate of sciences, knows Chinese... So for our family, China is our everything!

- And when did you go there for the first time?

- In 2007. And when I saw South China, I was cultured! High-speed roads, trains running at 400 kilometers per hour or more. Quality goods - whatever they say. And man is a brother to man. There are a lot of nationalities and cultures ... China can be studied for a lifetime. With every trip I discover something new in it. This is amazing!

HOBBIES

- In one interview you said that part of the first fee was spent on the purchase of tin soldiers. Do you keep collecting them?

- No, I don't collect them anymore. I love edged weapons, knives. I love to shoot very much. True, now I rarely do this, as with age, I began to see worse. I love the sea. If possible, I always go somewhere to fly, steer.

- That is, you yourself sit at the helm?

- Exactly. At the helm of an airplane and a helicopter. To plant them, however, no one gives me. But as a co-pilot I fly. And I get incredible pleasure.

DAUGHTER

- And your daughter Liza, in whose footsteps does she want to follow: in yours or in her mother's?

- She took all the best from both my mother and me. Mom knows languages ​​well - and her daughter speaks English and French well. And from me Liza took my "trouble": she goes to the theater studio. In the movie, however, has not yet been filmed, but in China they say very well on this score: "Nothing happens sooner or later - everything always happens on time."

- And how old is Lisa?

- 14. She was born on May 16. And I congratulate her every month on the 16th. No matter where she is on this day, flowers are always delivered to her from me. She recently came from St. Petersburg with classmates to Moscow. And then she stayed with me for a few more days. And already in my hotel a bouquet of flowers was waiting for her.

The Winged Infantry, or Blue Berets, as the Airborne Forces are called, celebrates its main holiday.

The birthday of the Airborne Forces is considered August 2, 1930. Then in the Soviet Union parachute landing was carried out for the first time. There are legends about how "Uncle Vasya's troops", as they are also jokingly called, celebrate their holiday. On the day of the Airborne Forces, the site finds out which of the stars really served in the Airborne Forces, which means that it has every right to swim in the fountains and arrange other madness.

Jan Tsapnik


Like his character in the film "Bitter!", The actor served in the Airborne Forces. Yan Tsapnik, a former professional handball player, joined the army after his second year at the Sverdlovsk Theater Institute, and ended up in a special intelligence platoon. Demobilized in 1989, he transferred to the Leningrad Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography.

As the actor later recalled, the first time he came to LGITMiK in a blue beret, he went to exams in an airborne uniform. True, Tsapnik does not celebrate the day of the Airborne Forces. “I'm too old for this,” the actor, who will turn 50 in August, admitted in one of his recent interviews.

Fedor Dobronravov

Private bussiness

The star served in Azerbaijan. In 1978, after school, Dobronravov wanted to enter the clownery faculty of the Moscow circus school - but then young men were admitted there only after the army. The future actor was a strong guy, since childhood he played a lot of sports - boxing, basketball, swimming (he had a second adult category in diving and jumped with a parachute three times).

“Service in the Airborne Forces from childhood attracted me with its romance, so long before the call I firmly decided to give two years to the“ winged guard ”, - he later said. Fyodor Dobronravov has the warmest memories of the army: as the actor admits, then there was so much romance in his life that everything negative was forgotten over the years. He still calls up his former colleagues, on August 2 they congratulate each other on " professional holiday"- in the afternoon of the Airborne Forces.

Ivan Demidov


For the TV presenter, director and producer, August 2 is also a personal holiday. In the early 80s, the future presenter of "MuzOboz" did military service in airborne troops in Lithuania, served in the 285th UPDP. In the early 90s, on August 2, he appeared at Muzoboz in a vest and an Airborne Forces beret, for many spectators this was a novelty: in those years, the paratroopers had not yet organized such a large-scale celebration as they do today.

“It is very difficult to forget this,” Ivan Demidov recalled about the time he served in the Airborne Forces. A year ago, he admitted that the day of the Airborne Forces itself “does not particularly celebrate”, but he does not see anything reprehensible in the fact that his “brothers in arms” are bathing in fountains.

Maxim Drozd

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While still at school, the actor began to seriously engage in boxing, by the end of which Drozd was already a master of sports. Not having entered the first time in theater university, Maxim went to the army. At the recruiting station, he was assigned to the Airborne Forces, he served in the reconnaissance company. Subsequently, Maxim Drozd admitted that the army experience was very useful to him in life. “Every man must go through army service"- says the actor.

Vladimir Tishko

Therefore, on the set of the film, it was not difficult for him to realistically perform the song “The blue splashed” together with the paratroopers. The actor admits that he owes his good physical shape to service in the Airborne Forces - in a special intelligence platoon. And although Ian first came to the St. Petersburg Theater Academy wearing a blue beret, he himself does not particularly favor the Day of the Airborne Forces. “The holiday unfolds according to the same scenario: a touching beginning, laying flowers, and in the end a showdown and a scuffle. I got a little older for all this, ”the actor admits.

Still from the film "Bitter!"

Fedor Dobronravov

Broken merry fellow Ivan Budko from the TV series "Matchmakers" is a tough man in life, who has received a real army training in the Airborne Forces. In 1978, Dobronravov came to Moscow to enter the circus school at the clownery faculty. But then, young men who had not served in the army were simply not admitted to the school. And the future artist was offered to return after demobilization, two years later. By distribution, Fedor ended up in Azerbaijan, in airborne troops, where he served from 1979 to 1981. He later admitted that serving in the army made him disciplined, executive and romantic. “There is a lot of romance in the army. She is in service, and in weapons, in the same as you, guys, in the sky, in the Motherland, which you defend. We call our colleagues, meet, congratulate each other on this day, - said Dobronravov. “During my service, I learned to follow orders, which is very good for an artist.”


Shot from the series "Matchmakers"

Vladimir Tishko


TV presenter Vladimir Tishko. Photo: Global Look Press

Two years of his life, the TV presenter honestly served in the 83rd Separate Guards Airborne Assault Brigade. Vladimir admits that it was the army that tempered him and made him a man. Despite the fear of heights, he jumped with a parachute along with the others. “Great feelings remained, although the service was not easy,” Vladimir recalls. - Once the parachute lines hurt my neck. But these are trifles, because service in the Airborne Forces has become the best school life ".

Maxim Drozd

As a boy, he dreamed of continuing family tradition and become an actor. But to follow in the footsteps of his father, Georgy Drozd, who was the People's Artist of Ukraine, immediately after school, Maxim did not succeed. Having failed the exams at the theater university, Maxim went to the army. He got into the Airborne Forces thanks to his youthful hobby - while still at school he began to seriously engage in boxing and even became a master of sports. The athletic and strong guy was quickly assigned to the paratroopers.

After the service, Drozd made his dream come true and entered the theater. According to him, the army experience has come in handy for him more than once in the acting profession: “And not only in work, but also from an everyday point of view, the army gave me a lot. I served in reconnaissance because I was an athletic guy with a good reaction. You understand that in intelligence it is necessary to think and act quickly and accurately. I believe that every man should undergo military service. Such experience is simply necessary: ​​to sleep a little, not to eat enough in the name of a serious man's business. I have great respect for service people who take the oath and then follow their duty, no matter what the cost. "


Still from the film"Late repentance"

Alexander Pyatkov

In the film about the paratroopers "In the Special Attention Zone" the actor played one of his best roles- the fearless captain Zuev. This year the painting celebrates its 40th anniversary.

“I will never forget that time, and I always say that the birthday of the airborne troops is also my birthday as a citizen and as an actor. And Vasily Margelov, commander of the USSR Airborne Forces, is my Godfather, - says the artist. - He sent me straight from the service to shoot the film "In the Special Attention Zone". I consider it a great happiness that I got this role then, and I will be forever grateful for it. The winged infantry is second to none in the world. I congratulate everyone with the words with which we, paratroopers, usually begin to greet each other: "Glory to the Airborne Forces!"

After the first parachute jump, Pyatkov wrote a song, which he now calls the unofficial march of the airborne troops. When the composition became truly popular, General Shpak, who commanded the Airborne Forces, presented the actor with a watch from his hand.


Actor Alexander Pyatkov. Photo: Global Look Press

Ivan Demidov

The famous TV presenter also gave the landing party two years. And this despite the fact that Ivan's father had the post of Deputy Minister of Communications of the USSR, in 1981 he sent his son into the army. Conscript service Demidov took place in parts of the Airborne Forces in Lithuania, where he received the rank of junior sergeant.


TV presenter Ivan Demidov. Photo: Global Look Press

Evgeny Sidikhin

As a child, the future actor dreamed of becoming a sailor, and having matured, he ended up in Afghanistan. A talented freshman student of the acting faculty of Leningrad state institution theater, music and cinematography were unexpectedly drafted into the army due to shortages. I even asked for Eugene National artist Russia Igor Vladimirov (husband of Alisa Freundlich): went to the military commissar, and he promised that the guy would study.

“Then, apparently, some kind of check came to them, and, naturally, as a“ thug ”, they first of all took me away for two years,” Sidikhin recalls. - We were sent first to the Turkestan military district, and then we were assigned to Afghanistan. I served there for a year, it was in 1983-1984. I fell ill with typhus, I was admitted to the hospital. However, Afghan seemed to me a very worthy place. "

In Afghanistan, Sidikhin had to take part in hostilities. Demobilized in 1985, Eugene recovered at the institute, having entered the course of Lev Dodin, where he studied until he successfully graduated in 1989.


Shot from the film "Viking"