American fate of the Soviet actor

In California, a film actor Oleg Vidov died at the 74th year of his life. According to his widow, Joan Borten, death came from "complications associated with cancer."

Species began to act in cinema in 1960, even before entering the VGIK.
The blond handsome and the idol of women, he played in the films "Horseman without Heads", "Red Mantle", "Moscow, My Love" and dozens of others. In 1983, while on the set in Yugoslavia, the species decided not to return to the USSR. Since 1985, he lived in California, starred in several Hollywood films, was engaged in producer, directorial and commercial activities. In the early 90s, he became one of the founders of Films by Jove, which acquired the right to foreign cartoon rental from the Soyuzmultfilm studio. In 2012, he gave an interview with Radio Liberty.

- There were many interesting points in your life. Among them was this: in 91, in fact, after the collapse of the USSR, you, eight years after the escape, return to Russia ...

-Yes, I then arrived at the shooting of the film "Three Days in August" (I was made by my longtime friend of the Danish producer Esset Belitszer)-about the August events of 1991. He played the general of the Soviet Army, who turned out to be "not here" and "not there" and committed suicide.

- This trip turned out to be not only creative, but also business: you agreed to acquire the rights to show abroad Soviet cartoons. Your company Films by Jove has successfully showed these works in America. But, as far as I know, you are faced with serious problems?

He played the general of the Soviet Army, who turned out to be "not here" and "not there" and committed suicide

- Going to Russia, I was not going to engage in commercial activities. But they suddenly told me that Soyuzmultfilm was looking for foreign partners for joint production. I went to the Soyuzmultfilm studio, they were very happy, we fought long negotiations. There were many problems. Suffice it to say that there were no separate phonograms, and 40–50-year-old films were shot on a bad film, in any comparison not going with a film of Kodak. In addition, “pirates” interfered with us very much ... And then an official appeared, who crushed all the collections for himself. And since 1997, he began the war against us, organized all sorts of courts. As you know, this happens in Russia.

- And what is the fate of this project, what happened to the archives of cartoons?

- The archives themselves remained in white pillars - in the State Film Fund. There are the negatives that were printed showed on television. We did not have the rights to the CIS countries, only to abroad, where there were not so many of these cartoons. There were pirate shows, there were many left sales, and it was necessary to clear these markets. And when we began to show Soviet cartoons in America, on television, saliva flowed from Russian officials because they thought: it smells like millions! Although no millions smelled, because it was art channels and had to work a lot in order to just return the money that we spent on the restoration of films.

Then, thank God, Alisher Usmanov bought these films, and they now belong to Russia. I am very glad that everything ended with a peace treaty, because these wars, which the officials waged against us at the state expense,, of course, were admitted purely financially.

Wars that officials waged against us at the state expense, we were affected by financially

- You were a superstar in the Soviet Union, few could compare with you in popularity. And suddenly, while on the set in Yugoslavia, you decided not to return to the Soviet Union. Have you prepared to escape in advance or was it a spontaneous decision?

- It was a spontaneous decision. I came to him after I was called to the Yugoslav police (this was, of course, upon request from Moscow) and said that within 72 hours I would return home. But I starred there in several films! In general, it was an impetus to not return, to continue its path in a completely different direction. I did not chase money or my career, I just wanted to live so that no one ordered me, I didn’t tell me what to do.

- And how then could it be possible to flee from socialist, even such as Yugoslavia? After all, the Soviet embassy probably looked after you?

- Of course, the embassy looked after citizens from the Soviet Union. But I had good friends who helped cross the border, helped in Austria, one friend of mine sat on his Mercedes and drove a thousand kilometers into Rome - and so I got to Italy. In short, two months later I was in America.

- You became a “irrevocable” in the midst of your glory in the Soviet Union. Have you thought that success awaits you in Hollywood? Or did you understand that it would be very difficult to break through here a foreign language actor?

- I understood this very well. Because he was in America in the mid-70s-passing when he was heading to Mexico to the festival. I saw on TV how the American actors say quickly, and realized that, of course, I would never be able to say so quickly. I knew: I will not be an actor here. But he acquired a new profession - he became a director, and then a producer.

I knew: I will not be an actor here. But he became a director, and then a producer

- You, together with your wife, lead the rehabilitation center in California, where help is provided to people who are dependent on drugs and alcohol. And among them there are natives from Russia ... Why did they suddenly deal with this matter?

- In America, many actors are engaged in business. It was in the USSR that we lived from salaries to salary - we had to borrow from the neighbors to survive until next month, even if you are an honored artist. My wife decided to engage in precisely this activity, and I agreed. Probably because at one time I wanted to be a doctor and worked as a nurse of the reception room in the 29th Bauman hospital. I know how important it is to help people. People who are in trouble.

- As a producer, you work at once on several films. What are these films?

- Now I have three projects. The first is a documentary about Andrei Tarkovsky: his biography, his diary, the narrative goes on his behalf. I am voiced by Andrei. I was familiar with Andrei, so he fit into his intense tone. So, one person who also knew him, looking at this material, said: "He did not even suspect that Andrei spoke English so well." Andrei Konchalovsky, Burlyaev, and other people who knew Andrei helped this project. The second project is a feature film about the great writer William Folkner, about his love stories. You can also say - about Hollywood and a writer who could not tear himself away from his native places and go to Hollywood completely. Very interesting psychological drama. The third film that we plan to put is a film about the theft of Greek ancient gold. This is an action -packed picture, with a very tense action.

- And if Hollywood suggested that you choose any role with any director, what role do you like to play?

I live here, but all my thoughts, pains and experiences are in Russia

- Don't even know. I am a Russian person, I live here, but I am still in Russia with all my thoughts, pains and experiences in Russia. Of course, I would rather play something about Russia, about a Russian person. Because I was an actor who worked for the entire Soviet Union, I loved my spectators, the audience loved me, we had mutual love. But I am not an ambitious person. I came here to just live. I arrived correctly, because they did an operation here that they did not do in the Soviet Union, and I survived, and I would have been in the cemetery a long time ago, like many of my peers-actors. That is, I was very lucky. What else can be asked - besides the fact that you live and can see this beautiful, wonderful world? And shooting ... Well, something will turn up-I will shoot. Although I have no particular interest. Because I graduated from the director's faculty, completely rebuilt - with an acting very subjective point of view on a very objective directorial. For me, a new world is like a long series of films. I look, watch how it all happens, I look at myself from the side. And this is great.