Arkady Isaakovich Raikin (Russian: Рркадий Ð˜Ñ Ð°Ð°ÐºÐ¾Ð²Ð¸Ñ‡ Ð
айкин; 24 October [O.S. 11 October] 1911 â€" 17 December 1987)
was a Soviet stand-up comedian, theater and film actor, and stage
director. He led the school of Soviet and Russian humorists for about
half a century.Raikin was born into a Jewish family in Riga, in the
Governorate of Livonia of the Russian Empire (present-day Latvia). He
graduated from the Leningrad Theatrical Technicum in 1935 and worked
in both state theatres and variety shows. In 1939, he founded his own
theatre in Leningrad, where he used skits and impersonations to
ridicule the inefficiency of Communist bureaucracy and the Soviet way
of life. In the Stalinist police state this was prone to danger, as it
was not uncommon to get purged not only for telling a casual joke, but
even for not reporting it to the authorities. He also appeared in
several comedies during and after the Great Patriotic War.Raikin
created an array of popular satirical characters, some of which were
featured in the TV serial People and Mannequins. He launched careers
of several other prominent stand-up comedians, such as Mikhail
Zhvanetsky and Roman Kartsev.Raikin is often compared with Charlie
Chaplin. His fame in the Soviet Union, and throughout Central and
Eastern Europe, was such that he was invited to participate in the
opening night of BBC Two television in 1964, although the broadcast
had to be postponed for one day due to a power failure. His trip to
London for the BBC broadcastâ€"during which he was reunited with his
British cousin, distinguished pianist Bruno Raikinâ€"marked the first
of only two times when the Soviet government permitted him to perform
in the West. Arkady Raikin also maintained good working relationships
with Marcel Marceau and some other foreign actors.
айкин; 24 October [O.S. 11 October] 1911 â€" 17 December 1987)
was a Soviet stand-up comedian, theater and film actor, and stage
director. He led the school of Soviet and Russian humorists for about
half a century.Raikin was born into a Jewish family in Riga, in the
Governorate of Livonia of the Russian Empire (present-day Latvia). He
graduated from the Leningrad Theatrical Technicum in 1935 and worked
in both state theatres and variety shows. In 1939, he founded his own
theatre in Leningrad, where he used skits and impersonations to
ridicule the inefficiency of Communist bureaucracy and the Soviet way
of life. In the Stalinist police state this was prone to danger, as it
was not uncommon to get purged not only for telling a casual joke, but
even for not reporting it to the authorities. He also appeared in
several comedies during and after the Great Patriotic War.Raikin
created an array of popular satirical characters, some of which were
featured in the TV serial People and Mannequins. He launched careers
of several other prominent stand-up comedians, such as Mikhail
Zhvanetsky and Roman Kartsev.Raikin is often compared with Charlie
Chaplin. His fame in the Soviet Union, and throughout Central and
Eastern Europe, was such that he was invited to participate in the
opening night of BBC Two television in 1964, although the broadcast
had to be postponed for one day due to a power failure. His trip to
London for the BBC broadcastâ€"during which he was reunited with his
British cousin, distinguished pianist Bruno Raikinâ€"marked the first
of only two times when the Soviet government permitted him to perform
in the West. Arkady Raikin also maintained good working relationships
with Marcel Marceau and some other foreign actors.
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