Leonid Utyosov
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Leonid Osipovich Utesov, also spelled Utyosov or Utiosov, born Lazar (Leyzer) Iosifovich Vaysbeyn or Weissbein (,
Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
– 9 March 1982, Moscow), was a famous Soviet estrada singer, and comic actor, who became the first pop singer to be awarded the prestigious title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1965.''Леонид Утёсов''. Спасибо, сердце!
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Biography

Leonid Utesov was brought up in
Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
,
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
and attended the Faig School of Commerce, from which he dropped out and joined the Borodanov Circus troupe as an acrobat. He started his stage career in 1911 in
Kremenchuk Kremenchuk (; , , also spelt Kremenchug, ) is an industrial city in central Ukraine which stands on the banks of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. The city serves as the administrative center of Kremenchuk Raion and Kremenchuk urban hromada within ...
, then returned to Odessa, changed his artistic name to Leonid Utesov, and performed as a stand up comedian with the Rosanov troupe and with the Rishelyavsky Theatre. In 1917, he won a singing competition in
Gomel Gomel (, ) or Homyel (, ) is a city in south-eastern Belarus. It serves as the administrative centre of Gomel Region and Gomel District, though it is administratively separated from the district. As of 2025, it is the List of cities and largest ...
,
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, then performed in Moscow. In the 1920s, he moved to
Leningrad Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
and set up one of the first Soviet
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
bands. In Leningrad, he began collaboration with the popular composer, Isaak Dunayevsky, which turned out to be a breakthrough for both artists. At that time, Utesov built a band of the finest musicians available in Leningrad, and created a style all his own – a jazz show with stand up comedy, which blended several styles, ranging from Russian folk songs to a variety of international cosmopolitan genres. In 1928, Utesov toured Europe and attended performances of American jazz bands in Paris, which influenced his own style. During the 1930s, Utesov and his band, called "Thea-Jazz" (a portmanteau of Theatrical Jazz) had a regular gig at the Marble Hall of the Kirov Palace of Culture in Leningrad. Utesov's jazz band also performed at the Leningrad Maly Opera theatre, at the "Svoboda-teatr," and at the Leningrad Music Hall. In his performances, Utesov delivered a variety of musical styles, including such genres as American jazz, Argentine tango, French chanson, upbeat dance, and Russian folk music. His popularity was on the rise in the 1930s when he co-starred with Lyubov Orlova in the comedy '' Jolly Fellows''. In it, Utesov performed such hits as " Serdtse" (Heart). During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Utesov performed on the front lines, helping lift the spirits of the Soviet soldiers fighting against the Nazis. He donated two La-5 planes to 5th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment; one of planes was named "Jolly Fellows". After a meeting with Vitaly Popkov, flight commander of the "singing" squadron and Head of the amateur frontline orchestra, Leonid Osipovich presented the squadron with forty-two of his vinyl records. On Victory Day (9 May 1945), Utesov performed on Sverdlov Square in Moscow. Utesov lived in Moscow for the rest of his life, albeit in many of his songs he alluded to his native town of
Odessa ODESSA is an American codename (from the German language, German: ''Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen'', meaning: Organization of Former SS Members) coined in 1946 to cover Ratlines (World War II aftermath), Nazi underground escape-pl ...
, where a monument to him was dedicated in 2000. Richard Stites writes:
In the years of the "red jazz age" (1932–1936) European and Soviet bands were heard in dozens of cities. The kings were Alexander Tsfasman and Leonid Utesov. ... Utesov – musically far less gifted – was actually more popular than Tsfasman, partly because of the spectacular success of his comedy film '' Happy-Go-Lucky Guys'', but mostly because his Odessa background and his circus and carnival road experience on the southern borscht belt gave him a clowning manner. He resembled his idol, the personable Ted ("Is everybody happy?") Lewis more than he did any of the great jazz figures of the time. In fact, Utesov was the typical ''estrada'' entertainer – quick witted, versatile, and funny. He was not only one of the stars of the 1930s but also a personal favorite of Stalin.


Filmography

Source: * 1919 – Lieutenant Schmidt – Freedom Fighter (Russian: Лейтенант Шмидт — борец за свободу) * 1923 – Trade-House "Entente and Co." (Russian: Tорговый дом «Антанта и К») * 1926 – Career of Spirka Shpandyr () * 1928 – Strangers (Russian: Чужие) * 1934 – Jolly Fellows (Russian: Весёлые ребята) — Kostya Potekhin * 1940 – Concert on the Screen (Russian: Концерт на экране) * 1942 – Concert for the Frontlines (Russian: Концерт фронту) * 1954 – Merry Stars (Russian: Весёлые звёзды) * 1963 – Melodies of Dunayevsky (Russian: Мелодии Дунаевского) * 1974 – Pyotr Martynovich and the Years of a Great Life (Russian: Пётр Мартынович и годы большой жизни)


Singles

* Gop so smykom * S Odesskogo kichmana * Odessit-Mishka * Havana * Have a good night * Road to Berlin * My dear Muscovites * Waves of the Danube * Jewish Rhapsody * On a wing and a prayer * When Johnny came home * Leningrad bridges * Happy-go-lucky guys marsh * Song of the old cab * Beautiful marquise * Sea widely * Suliko * Tachanka * Chapliniana * In the Black Sea * Tyuh-tyuh * Oh, my Odessa * Moscow Windows


Honours and awards

A
minor planet According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a minor planet is an astronomical object in direct orbit around the Sun that is exclusively classified as neither a planet nor a comet. Before 2006, the IAU officially used the term ''minor ...
, 5944 Utesov, discovered on 2 May 1984, is named after him. On March 21, 2020,
Google Google LLC (, ) is an American multinational corporation and technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial ...
celebrated his 125th birthday with a Google Doodle.


See also

* Pyotr Leshchenko * Mark Bernes * Klavdiya Shulzhenko * List of Jewish musicians * Mishka Yaponchik


Notes


References


External links

*
Biographyin Russian, see items 277–287 for Utesov's songs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Utesov, Leonid 1895 births 1982 deaths 20th-century comedians 20th-century Russian male actors Entertainers from Odesa Film people from Odesa Musicians from Odesa Honored Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the USSR Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Russian male comedians Russian pop singers Soviet male actors Soviet jazz musicians Jewish Russian comedians Male jazz musicians Odesa Jews Jewish Russian actors 20th-century Russian male singers Deputies of Lensovet