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!](_blank)
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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 ...
, Belarus
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
, 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
*
Biography
in 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