Vladimir Kenigson

Vladimir Vladimirovich Kenigson was born on Novembr 7, 1907, in Simferopol, Russian Empire (now Simferopol, Ukraine). He studied acting at the Studio of Simferopol Drama Theatre and became a member of the troupe in 1925. After having toured all over the USSR, he was invited by Aleksandr Tairov to join the Moscow Kamerny Theatre and worked there from 1940 until Tairov's retirement in 1949. From 1949 - 1986 Kenigson was a permanent member of the troupe at Maly Academic Theatre in Moscow. There his stage partners were such stars as Yelena Gogoleva, Varvara Ryzhova, Yevdokiya Turchaninova, Vera Pashennaya, Varvara Obukhova, Yelena Shatrova, Elina Bystritskaya, Boris Ravenskikh, Boris Babochkin, Mikhail Zharov, Nikolai Annenkov, Mikhail Tsaryov, Konstantin Zubov, 'Viktor Pavlov' (qv, Yuriy Solomin and many other notable Russian actors. Kenigson gave award winning performances as Yaroslav Prus in 'The Makropulos Affair', based on the eponymous novel by Karel Capek. Vladimir Kenigson was designated People's Artist of the USSR (1982), was decorated with the Order of Red Banner of Labor (1974), and received other awards and decorations for his achievements as an actor. He was awarded the Festival Prize of Czechoslovakia in 1973 for his stage performances as Yaroslav Prus in 'The Makropulos Affair' in that country. He played over 60 roles on stage and 30 roles in film and on TV. Vladimir Kenigson died on November 17, 1986, in Moscow, USSR.