Mikhail Zharov
Biography
Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov was a Soviet actor born in Moscow on 27 October 1899. He began his stage training at the studio of the Artistic and Educational Union of Workers' Organization, graduating in 1920. Zharov performed with several companies, including Theatre No. 1 of the Revolutionary Military Union of the Republic, the Safonov Theatre, the Baku Workers’ Theatre, the Realistic Theatre and the Moscow Chamber Theatre. In 1938 he joined the Maly Theatre as actor and director. His screen career started in 1915 with an appearance as an oprichnik in the film “Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible.” He was honored as People’s Artist of the RSFSR in 1944 and as People’s Artist of the USSR on 26 October 1949. Zharov died on 15 December 1981 at the age of 82.
Career overview
Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov was born on 27 October 1899 in Moscow, Russia, and died on 15 December 1981 at the age of 82. He began his screen career in 1915, appearing in a minor, practically unnoticeable role as an oprichnik in the film “Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible.” After completing his theatrical training in 1920 at the studio of the theater of the Artistic and Educational Union of Workers’ Organization, Zharov pursued a prolific stage career, performing with several companies including Theater No. 1 of the Revolutionary Military Union of the Republic, the Safonov Theater, the Baku Workers’ Theater, the Realistic Theater, and the Moscow Chamber Theater.
From 1938 onward Zharov served both as an actor and a director at the historic Maly Theater, solidifying his reputation in Soviet performing arts. His contributions were recognized with the title People’s Artist of the RSFSR in 1944 and later People’s Artist of the USSR on 26 October 1949. Over his lifetime he amassed a substantial body of work, with the TMDB database recording 70 credited performances across film and television, confirming his status as a prominent Soviet actor.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Village Detective: A Song Cycle (2021) as Self - Actor / Various Roles (archive footage)
- The Power of Darkness (1978) as Митрич
- Aniskin Again (1977) as Aniskin
- Aniskin Again (1977) Director
- Aniskin and Fantomas (1974) as Фёдор Иванович Анискин, старший лейтенант милиции
- Aniskin and Fantomas (1974) Director
- Aniskin and Fantomas (1974) Creator
- The Ostrovsky House (1974) as Лыняев
- That's How It Will Be (1973) as Воронцов
- Aniskin and Fantomas (1973) as Фёдор Анискин
- Aniskin and Fantomas (1973) Director
- Our Friend Maxim (1973)
- The Very Last Day (1973) as Семен Митрофанович Ковалев
- A Narym Divorce (1972)
- Zharov Tells... (1970)
- The Village Detective (1969) as Fyodor Ivanovich Aniskin
- Elder Sister (1967) as Ukhov
- Attention! The Magician Is in the City! (1963) as cook
- Cain the XVIII-th (1963) as Minister of War
- Чужой бумажник (1962)
- Milky Way (1959)
- A Girl with Guitar (1958) as Sviristinsky
- Ivan the Terrible, Part II: The Boyars' Plot (1958) as Czar's Guard Malyuta Skuratov
- Red Leaves (1958) as (as M. Zharov)
- Boots (1957)
- Involuntary auditors (1955) as Лаптев
- The Anna Cross (1954) as Artynov
- Vassa Zheleznova (1953)
- Michurin (1949) as Khrenov
- Happy Flight (1949) as шофер Зачесов
- For Those Who Are at Sea (1948)
- A Noisy Household (1946) as Semibab
- A Noisy Household (1946) Director
- Twins (1945) as Vadim Spiridonovich Yeropkin
- Ivan the Terrible, Part I (1944) as Czar's Guard Malyuta Skuratov
- Air Taxi (1943) as Baranov
- In the Name of the Motherland (1943) as Globa
- Young Fritz (1943) as Fritz
- Actress (1943) as Reciter in hospital
- The Tale of Tsar Saltan (1943) as Tsar (voice)
- The District Secretary (1942) as Gavril Fedorovich Rusov
- Defense of Tsaritsyn (1942) as Perchikhin
- Bohdan Khmelnytskyi (1941) as cantor Havrylo
- Our Cinema (1940) as (archive footage)
- Stepan Razin (1939) as Lazunka, boyarin's son
- Engineer Kochin's Error (1939) as Lartsev
- The Vyborg Side (1939) as Platon Vassilievich Dymba
- Man in a Shell (1939) as Михаил Александрович Коваленко (учитель истории и географии)
- Peter the First, Part II (1938) as Alexander Danilovich Menshikov
- The Bear (1938) as Grigori Stepanovich Smirnov
- The Return of Maxim (1937) as Platon Dymba
- Peter the First, Part I (1937) as Alexander Danilovich Menshikov
- Love and Hate (1935)
- Three Comrades (1935) as Zaitsev
- Marionettes (1934) as Border checkpoint commander
- Thunderstorm (1934) as Koudryash
- Dreamers (1934)
- 26 Commissioners (1933) as menshevik
- Outskirts (1933) as Krayevitch, a student
- House of the Dead (1932)
- Road to Life (1931) as Фомка «Жиган»
- The Living Corpse (1929) as Hired witness (uncredited)
- Two-Buldi-Two (1929) as Chairman of the revolution committee
- Don Diego and Pelagia (1928) as Mikhail Zharov
- The White Eagle (1928) as Official
- The Yellow Ticket (1928) as Visitor in the brothel
- The Man from the Restaurant (1927) as Waiter
- Who Are You? (1927) as Student
- Anya (1927) as Zhdan
- Miss Mend (1926) as Waiter at the inn
- His Call (1925) as Factory worker
- Chess Fever (1925) as House Painter
- Aelita: Queen of Mars (1924) as Actor in Play
- The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom (1924) as sluzhashchiy i nosil'shchik
- Tsar Ivan Vasilevich The Terrible (1915) as Soldier