Leonid Utyosov

Leonid Utyosov was a popular singer and band-leader in the Soviet Union who is best known for the leading role in 'Vesyolyye rebyata' (1934). He was born Lazar Iosifovich Weissbein on March 21, 1895, in Odessa, Russian Empire (now Odesa, Ukraine). His father was a small business owner and his mother was a homemaker. Young Utyosov studied violin and attended the Faig School of Commerse in Odessa, then dropped out of school and became an actor. At age 15 he joined Borodanov Circus troupe as an acrobat. In 1911 he began his acting career as a stand up comedian in Kremenchug. In 1912 he returned to Odessa and changed his artistic name to Leonid Utyosov. In 1913 he joined the troupe of K. Rosanov and also performed with Rishelyevsky Theatre. In 1917 Utyosov won a singing competition in Gomel, then he formed his first band for a tour in Moscow. There he got a regular gig at the "Hermitage Theatre" and established himself as a popular singer in Moscow. In 1919 Utyosov made his film debut as Lawyer Zarudny in 'Leitenant Shmidt - borets za svobodu' (aka... Lieutenant Schmidt - a freedom fighter). During the 1920s and 1930s Utyosov and his jazz-band toured in Leningrad, Riga, Kiev, Odessa, and in Europe. In 1923 Utyosov settled with his family in Leningrad (St. Petersburg). There he had a steady gig at the Music Hall and at Palace-Theatre and also performed on stage of "Svoboda-teatr" (Theatre of Freedom). At that time Leningrad (than called Petrograd) became the center for experimental arts where many talented friends of Utyosov's came from Odessa, Kiev and other places. Utyosov joined their experiments in music and film; he also had many choices of hiring good musicians for his growing band. In 1928, on a concert tour in Europe, Utyosov first experienced a taste of American jazz when he attended performances of the legendary Jack Hilton Big Band and then the Ted Lewis & His Orchestra. Utyosov was very impressed with the sound and style of the American bands, and immediately after that experience he updated his own band and directed a new show. Leonid Utyosov premiered his new show, titled "Tea-Jazz" ( aka.. Theatrical Jazz Show), on the International Women's Day on March 8, 1929, at the Leningrad Maly Opera House. It was a smashing success and became the talk of the town in Leningrad, triggering a string of successful tours and events in Moscow and across Russia. Utyosov and his jazz-band mastered many popular music styles and incorporated the spirit and beat of the American jazz and Argentinean tango, as well as the intimacy of French chanson and lyrical finesse of Italian songs, Ukrainian dances, Jewish folk music, and Russian lullabies among other international styles blended into their public performances. Utyosov also acted as a fine stand-up comedian during his shows. In the 1930s Utyosov and his jazz-band were having a regular gig as a dancing band at the Marble Hall of the Kirov Palace of Culture in Leningrad (St. Petersburg). At that time Leonid Utyosov and the Utyosov jazz-band gained tremendous popularity and became established as the first choice entertainers in Leningrad and Moscow for major events and celebrations. In Leningrad Utyosov met composer Isaak Dunaevskiy, and that meeting led to their fruitful collaboration in film. He starred as Kostya Potekhin opposite Lyubov Orlova in _Vesyolyye rebyata (1934)_ (aka... Jolly Fellows), which became a box-office hit in the 30s. The film introduced a variety of popular music to general public in the Soviet Union, which was a closed society and lacked the exposure to such popular styles as Jazz and Tango, among others. Utyosov's collaboration with composers Isaak Dunaevskiy and Nikita Bogoslovskiy produced many well known Russian songs, such as 'Shalandy' (aka..Boats Full of Mullet), 'U samovara ya i moya Masha' (aka.. Me and My Masha at the Samovar), 'Mishka-odessit' (aka... Mishka from Odessa), 'Marsh veselykh rebyat' (aka.. March of the Jolly Fellows), Temnaya Noch" (aka.. Dark Is the Night), 'Lyubimy gorod' (aka... Beloved City) and others, were admired by people of several generations in Russia and internationally, becoming best selling hits in numerous live and studio recordings. During the Second World War, Utyosov made numerous performances for soldiers at the front-lines as well as for the wounded in hospitals. He also donated money for building airplanes to fight the Nazis. During the late 1940s and early 50s, when many artists in the Soviet Union were attacked by the Communist Party under dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. Utyosov was censored and banned from public performances. His song 'Shalandy' and other music had been banned for several years until 1956 when the "Thaw" was initiated by Nikita Khrushchev. During the 50s, 60s, and 70s, Utyosov made hundreds of concert performances before sold-out audiences across the Soviet Union and abroad. His jazz-band became a school for many young musicians who apprenticed under Utyosov and became visible in the Soviet show-biz milieu. Utyosov was designated People's Artist of the USSR, and received awards and decorations for his contribution to music and film in the Soviet Union. Leonid Utyosov died of natural causes on March 9, 1982, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia. Leonid Utyosov was memorialized in numerous works of art and literature; in 2000 an impressive monument was opened in his native city of Odessa.