Valentin Gaft Explained

Valentin Gaft
Birth Name:Valentin Iosifovich Gaft
Birth Date:2 September 1935
Birth Place:Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Death Date:12 December 2020 (aged 85)[1]
Death Place:Zhavoronki, Moscow Oblast, Russia
Occupation:Actor
Yearsactive:1956–2020
Awards:Order of Friendship
(1995)
Signature:Автограф Гафта.png

Valentin Iosifovich Gaft (Russian: Валенти́н Ио́сифович Гафт; 2 September 1935 – 12 December 2020) was a Soviet and Russian actor. He was a People's Artist of the RSFSR (1984).[2] [3]

Biography

Early life and education

Gaft was born in Moscow to Jewish parents, Iosif Ruvimovich Gaft (1907–1969), a lawyer, and Gita Davydovna Gaft (1908–1993). He had a sister, Rima Iosifovna Gaft-Shtrom (1930–2021). The family moved to Moscow from Poltava, Ukraine[4] or Pryluky, Ukraine.[5] During World War II Iosif Gaft served in the Red Army finishing with the rank of Major.[6]

Gaft took a great interest in theater while in school and took part in the school theater amateur performance.[2] He graduated from the School-Studio at the Moscow Art Theatre (1953–1957). Among the students of the same course were future popular actors Oleg Tabakov and Maya Menglet.

Theatre

After graduating Gaft worked for a number of theaters including the Mossovet Theatre, Lenkom Theatre (under famous director Anatoly Efros) and Theater of Satire. In 1969 he started to work for the Sovremennik Theatre and worked there until 2019.[7]

Film

Gaft started his work for the cinema in 1956 in the Mikhail Romm's film Murder on Dante Street.[8]

Later he starred in the movies The First Courier (1968), Mad Gold (1977), Centaurs (1979), Black Hen, or Underground Villagers (1981), Fuete (1986). Prominent roles were played by Gaft in the musical comedy The Sorceress (1982), the tragicomedy Through Main Street with an Orchestra (1986), the action film Thieves in Law (1988), The Visit of the Lady (1989), Night Fun (1991), Encore, Once More Encore! (1992).[2]

In 1994, Gaft played Woland in Yuri Kara's film The Master and Margarita, which was only released in 2011.[2]

However, the real popularity came to Gaft only after cooperation with Eldar Ryazanov. In 1979, he played the chairman of the garage cooperative Sidorkin in the comedy The Garage, in 1980, starred in the tragicomedy Say a Word for the Poor Hussar, in 1987, starred in the movie Forgotten Melody for a Flute, and in 1991 in the film Promised Heaven.[2]

In addition to theater and cinema, Gaft played many roles on television – the main character in the television series based on Thomas Mann's novel Buddenbrooks, Lopatin in Lopatin's Notes, Jasper in the four-part film Edin Druid's Secret, Kramin in the television movie For the Rest of His Life, Prince Borescu in the television show The Archipelago Lenoir, The Kid in Kings and Cabbage, Butler in the television film Hello, I'm Your Aunt! and others. Teleplays with Gaft's participation included Just a few words in honor of M. de Moliere, Widow's Home, Players, Aesop, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?[2]

Personal life

Gaft was married to the actress Olga Ostroumova from 1996 until his death.[9] He was the author of sharp and popular epigrams against many theatrical and movie figures.[10] In the 2013 film Yolki 3, he read some of his own poetry.[11]

Gaft converted to Orthodox Christianity in 1990; his wife persuaded him to get baptized.[12]

In 2015 to the Ukrainian internet publishing "Gordon", Valentin Gaft proudly announced that he was a Putinist.[13]

In 2016, Gaft was banned from entering Ukraine, for "statements contradicted the interests of our national security".[14]

Gaft died on 12 December 2020 in Moscow at the age of 85.[15]

Selected filmography

Honors and awards

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://tass.ru/kultura/10240093 Умер Валентин Гафт
  2. Web site: Валентин Иосифович Гафт. Биографическая справка. RIA Novosti. 2 September 2010 . Valentin Iosifovich Gaft. Biographical reference.
  3. Web site: Биография Валентин Гафт. Biography of Valentin Gaft. peoples.ru.
  4. Web site: Валентин Гафт: " Я обязательно приеду в русский Севастополь!". sevastopol.su. 14 March 2014 .
  5. Web site: Гафт Валентин Иосифович. ktoestkto.ru (archived). https://web.archive.org/web/20160304133211/http://ktoestkto.ru/names/namesG/2008/04/09/namesG_12463.html . 2024-04-08 . 4 March 2016 .
  6. Web site: Валентин Гафт. VokrugTV. 18 May 2024 .
  7. Web site: Валентин Гафт: "Театр "Современник" — это мой дом". Argumenty i Fakty. Lena Chugui. 2 September 2010.
  8. Web site: Валентин Гафт. Биография. Vesti.ru. Valentin Gaft. Biography.
  9. Web site: Ольга Остроумова о браке с Валентином Гафтом: "Мне хотелось досадить прежнему мужу". StarHit. 23 September 2017.
  10. News: Самые колкие эпиграммы Валентина Гафта. Komsomolskaya Pravda. Viktor Grakov. Ryazan.kp.ru - . 2 September 2013.
  11. News: "Елки-3" предсказали Сергею Светлакову судьбу. Yulia Khozhateleva. Kp.ru - . Komsomolskaya Pravda. 26 September 2013.
  12. https://zavtra.ru/events/tiho_ushyol_valentin_gaft Тихо ушёл Валентин Гафт
  13. News: Гафт: Я – путинец, я уважаю Путина. https://web.archive.org/web/20150916011704/http://gordonua.com/news/worldnews/Gaft-YA-putinec-ya-uvazhayu-Putina-97780.html. 2015-09-16. gordonua.com. 14 September 2015 . ru.
  14. http://www.unian.info/society/1608241-sbu-issues-entry-ban-against-140-russian-artists.html SBU issues entry ban against 140 Russian artists
  15. News: В Москве скончался актёр театра и кино Валентин Гафт. 2020-12-12. Радио Свобода. 12 December 2020 . ru.

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