The vast majority of Russian-speaking viewers of the planet Alexander Adabashyan (photo below) is known for the phrase: “Oatmeal, sir!” In Soviet times, it was very popular. When it is pronounced, the image of the butler Barrymore from the painting "The Hound of the Baskervilles" pops up in memory. But very few people know that Alexander played it brilliantly.
For those who are seriously interested in cinema, Adabashyan is known as an actor (at the same time only for secondary and episodic roles). A significant number of people remembered Alexander for the film adaptation of the works of Boris Akunin about the lucky detective Erast Fandorin, which was released in 2002. This article will describe a short biography of Adabashyan. So let's get started.
Childhood and study
Adabashyan Alexander Artemovich was born in Moscow in 1945. Since childhood, the boy had artistic inclinations, so the parents planned to develop their son in this particular path. Cinema was not part of Adabashyan’s life plans. In 1971, Alexander graduated from art school and unexpectedly found himself in a completely different field. Naturally, it was a cinema. How did this happen? There were two reasons for this. Firstly, Alexander had a writing and journalistic gift. Secondly, Adabashyan had an acquaintance with a number of famous filmmakers (Nikita Mikhalkov and others). It was they who advised the young man to try himself in a new area. And Alexander Adabashyan followed their recommendations.
Carier start
It immediately became clear to everyone that the hero of this article is a talented person. Soviet viewers will surely remember the picture "Among the strangers." Now she has become the undisputed classic of the genre. So, Alexander, along with the director and actors, took part in creating the indescribable atmosphere of this film. He worked as a production designer. He also played a cameo role in the film.
Filmmaker
Perhaps, this title Alexander Adabashyan deserved like no other. At the moment, the actor has over twenty paintings. In addition to the legendary role of Barrymore in The Hound of the Baskervilles, he was remembered by a wide range of viewers in two more ways - the bailiff (12) and Berlioz (The Master and Margarita).
Production designer and screenwriter
In this capacity, Alexander Adabashyan is the creator of such films as “Black Eyes”, “Relatives”, “Five Evenings”, “Slave of Love”, etc. In general, his creative piggy bank has about twenty films.
Producer
Alexander Adabashyan himself calls his debut in this field an adventure. It all started in 1992, when the French invited him to write a script for the film "Mado, on demand." The novel was based on the writer Simone Arez. As a result, Adabashyan wrote a script that was completely different from the original.
The French read everything and began to ask Alexander clarifying questions. Adabashyan so artistically and enthusiastically defended his own version that the producers decided to entrust him with the production of the film. After entering the screens, the picture received prizes at several festivals. Alexander also said that he did not consider himself a director and hadn’t filmed anything for more than ten years.
The next directorial work of Adabashyan was the film adaptation of the novel-detective "Azazel", written by Boris Akunin. The premiere took place in 2002. Akunin, under the terms of a contract concluded with ORT, could choose both the actors and the director to film his work. He was offered a rather long list, and Boris chose Adabashyan. The writer explained his decision by the fact that he really liked the film of Alexander "Mado". Akunin also considered the hero of this article a talented artist and screenwriter.
Opinions of colleagues
Alexander is very much appreciated in the professional community. All colleagues in the shop respond only positively about him. Here is how actress Marina Pupenina, who starred in his Azazeli, described Adabashyan: “We came to visit him. The maestro treated us with incredible stories. Four hours passed quickly. Alexander Artemovich is an aristocratic, delicate and refined man. I would love to work with him again. ”
Confession
Adabashyan Alexander, whose biography is presented above, is not too well known to the mass audience. But in professional circles, everyone knows about his merits and consider him a true master. Alexander Artyomovich - laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan, Honored Artist of Russia, winner of Silver Pegasus (prize for the best foreign script) and Fellini award winner. In addition, do not forget that the hero of this article was the production designer of the Khovanshchina and Boris Godunov for the two most famous theaters in the world - La Scala and Mariinsky.