Artist Vitaly Solomin biography. The fate of Dr. Watson

Artist Vitaly Solomin biography.  The fate of Dr. Watson
Artist Vitaly Solomin biography. The fate of Dr. Watson

Even during the existence of the USSR, fame came to this wonderful actor as Vitaly Solomin. The star’s biography says that what made him popular was the role of Dr. Watson, which he played in the series about Sherlock Holmes. The audience also remembered others bright pictures with his participation: “Winter Cherry”, “Dauria”, “Silva”. This talented person passed away back in 2002, but his memory continues to live.

Vitaly Solomin: biography of a star

The future “Doctor Watson” was born in December 1941, a joyful event took place in Chita. The boy’s parents were musicians who dreamed of seeing their son continue their work. For 5 years I was forced to attend music school Vitaly Solomin. The actor’s biography claims that he experienced real happiness when classes were canceled one day due to frost. The parents accepted that the child would not famous pianist, gave him the opportunity to choose his own hobbies. It is curious that after this he never sat down at the piano again.

Even in the first years of his life, Vitaly Solomin fell in love with reading. Biography famous actor contains information that among his favorite authors were Conan Doyle, in the film adaptation of whose works he got to play his starring role. It’s interesting that the boy imagined his character Watson as completely different from himself. Vitalik was also interested in sports, happily attending several clubs at once. IN school years he played volleyball, boxing and athletics.

Choosing a life path

The reasons why Solomin chose the acting profession for himself remain unknown. As a child, the boy was not interested in theater and did not attend the drama club. It is possible that his decision was influenced by the example of his beloved older brother Yuri, who also became famous actor. Another version says that there is a choice life path The young man was influenced by the film “The Fate of Man,” which managed to make an indelible impression on him.

Entering the Shchepkinsky School is the goal that Vitaly Solomin set for himself. The actor’s biography claims that the parents tried to dissuade their son from this decision, but were unable to do so. After graduating from school, the guy went to the capital, where on the first try he became a student of the famous “Sliver”. Even in his first year, he fell in love with the atmosphere that reigned at the Maly Theater, then joined the ranks of the actors who played there. For the first time, the public became interested in the talented young man thanks to his participation in the productions “The Living Corpse,” “Woe from Wit,” and “The Inspector General.”

Filming

Throughout his life, Solomin considered himself theater actor, however, movie directors noticed him quickly. Popularity came to Vitaly before the release of the film “His Excellency’s Adjutant,” which made his brother Yuri a star. Of course, in his first film, “Newton Street, Building 1,” he received a small role, then appeared in an episode of “The Chairman.”

However, soon after this he was allowed to play central character in the film “Women”, the actor’s character’s name was Zhenya. The picture attracted critics and viewers, about the talented young man started talking, but real glory was ahead.

Star role

Doctor Watson is the most famous role played by Vitaly Solomin. Films with his participation after the release of this picture began to enjoy enormous popularity, as Holmes’s phlegmatic partner fell in love with thousands of viewers. The actor was persuaded to play Watson by his friend Igor Maslennikov, who became the director of the famous series. It’s interesting that Solomin’s colleague on the set, who embodied the image of Holmes, became his best friend.

It’s curious, but Vitaly himself did not consider filming in this popular television project a serious achievement in his life. The actor believed that only in performances whose plot was taken from classical works, he was able to demonstrate his talent. Nevertheless, his Watson was recognized as the best in the history of cinema.

In one episode of the famous series, the plot of which is taken from the story “ Variegated ribbon", the audience was able to see Solomin’s wife. It is interesting that before this, Maria did not act in films for several years, as her husband forbade her to do so. After the release of the first episode of the television project “Sherlock Holmes”, Vitaly Solomin became famous. The biography and personal life of the newly minted star became the center of attention of the press and fans. Igor Maslennikov liked the collaboration with him so much that he then invited the actor to star in his “Queen of Spades.”

"Winter cherry"

“Winter Cherry” is another famous film in which Solomin starred. Vitaly embodied the image of one of two men who are fighting for the love of the main character. Not only the audience was delighted with the film, but also the critics, who called it a witty psychological experiment. Solomin's character in this film is a bit like Watson; he is also phlegmatic and reasonable.

It is known that Vitaly Solomin, a biography whose personal life in those years was already actively interested in the press, did not hide his slight love for the actress who played main character in "Winter Cherry". He argued that in order to get used to the role, the actor must give free rein to his feelings.

What else to see

When journalists asked Solomin about which films with his participation became his favorites, he always mentioned the drama “Dauria”. The actor liked it Filming, since the work took place in most beautiful places Transbaikalia, cooperation with a team of professionals.

Despite his dislike for playing the piano, which appeared in childhood Vitaly had a great attitude towards music, he liked to act in films where he was required to be able to dance or sing. It is not surprising that he gladly agreed to roles in such musical dramas, like "Bat", "Silva". Parents-musicians had the opportunity to be proud of their gifted son. It is also worth watching the multi-part film “Sink or Lose”, in which the actor embodied an atypical image for him.

Directorial debut

The brilliant Vitaly Solomin was a versatile person. The actor's family rarely saw him at home, as he was constantly passionate about new projects. He managed to gain experience as a director while working in the theater; his debut in the world of cinema was the film “The Hunt.” The film will definitely appeal to viewers who like historical films.

The action of the fascinating film, shot at the Lenfilm film studio, takes place at the end of the 18th century. Director Solomin's special pride was the unusually beautiful costumes made using special technologies for that time.

Actor's wives

Of course, fans are interested not only in what films Vitaly Solomin managed to star in. Biography, personal life, children - viewers want to know everything about their idol. "Dr. Watson" was married twice. The first marriage took place in at a young age, the actor spent only a few years with his wife. His first wife was also an actress; there were no children in this marriage.

Maria - the woman with whom I spent most of his life Vitaly Solomin. His wife and children, whose photos can be seen above, rarely saw the actor constantly filming and playing in the theater, but he loved his family very much. Maria is a fashion designer by profession and has starred in several films, including “Silva” and “City Romance”.

Children, grandchildren

Solomin's daughters Anastasia and Elizaveta were born in his marriage to Maria. Anastasia also chose for herself creative profession, joined the ensemble of Igor Moiseev, Elizaveta chose to become a housewife. Actor in last years In his life he spent a lot of time with his beloved grandson Kirill, working with him at the dacha, trying to instill in the boy a love of the land.

The household members of “Dr. Watson” remember him as a quick-tempered, stubborn and at the same time very kind person, always ready to help those who need it. If you believe their words, Vitaly Solomin knew how to enjoy every moment of life and loved holidays. His wife and children, whose photos can be seen in the article, recall with pleasure the large-scale festive events that he organized in his theater. His colleagues also liked to attend the parties he organized.

Death

Vitaly is an actor whose life was spent on stage, it is not surprising that he practically died on it. In April 2002, Solomin, who played one of the main roles in the play, had a stroke right on stage, after which he fought for life for a month. The efforts of the doctors were in vain; the Soviet cinema star died at the end of May 2002. Bright, interesting life Vitaly Solomin lived. Biography, personal life, photo of “Dr. Watson” - all this information is given in the article.

Vitaly Mefodievich Solomin (1941-2002) - Soviet and Russian actor theater and cinema. People's Artist of the RSFSR (1992), laureate of the Moscow Prize (1998), member of the Union theatrical figures and the Union of Cinematographers of Russia.

Younger brother of Yuri Solomin.
Biography

Vitaly Solomin was born on December 12, 1941 in Chita into a family professional musicians. Since childhood, he was fond of music, and under the guidance of his parents he studied piano.

After graduating from the Chita school, he went to Moscow, in 1959 he entered the Higher drama school named after M. S. Shchepkin, to the class of People's Artist USSR N.A. Annenkov (by this time Vitaly’s older brother, Yuri, had already graduated from the Higher Theater School named after M.S. Shchepkin). Solomin’s teacher for a number of years was B. M. Kazansky.

Already from his second year, Vitaly was invited to rehearse and play roles in performances of the Maly Theater. After graduating from college, he became an actor in this theater.

On a short time(1987-1989) Solomin moved to the Mossovet Theater, here he played in the play based on the play by V. Astafiev “ Sad detective" Then he returned to the Maly Theater, staged a play based on Ostrovsky’s play “The Savage” (1991), in which he played the role of Ashmetyev.

Since the 1960s, Vitaly Solomin began acting in films. The film in which he made his debut as a film artist was “The Big Sister” (Solomin played the role of Kirill). This was followed by the film “Women”, in which Vitaly played main role- Zhenya.

The fate of the roles played by Solomin in the films of director Igor Maslennikov was especially successful. The most famous of these works was the role of Doctor Watson in the Sherlock Holmes series (1979-1986). Solomin’s work in the film “Winter Cherry” was also very successful. Subsequently, Maslennikov invited the actor to play in “The Queen of Spades.”

One of the last acting work Vitaly Solomin - participation in the serial film “Sink or Lost.”

Vitaly Solomin took part in the filming of the TV show “Marquise”.

Brother of Yuri Solomin. His first marriage was to actress N.V. Rudnaya, his second to actress M.A. Solomina (daughters Anastasia and Elizaveta).

Vitaly Solomin died in Moscow on May 27, 2002 from a stroke that happened to him on April 24 on stage in the first act of Krechinsky’s Wedding. Buried in Moscow, on Vagankovskoe cemetery.
Awards

* Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (October 25, 1999) - for great contribution to the development of the domestic theatrical culture and in connection with the 175th anniversary of the State Academic Maly Theater of Russia

Interesting Facts
Moscow, Smolenskaya embankment: sculptural composition “Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson”

On April 27, 2007 in Moscow, on Smolenskaya embankment, opposite the British Embassy, ​​they opened sculptural composition“Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson” (sculptor Andrei Orlov). The prototype of Dr. Watson was Vitaly Solomin.
Creation
Roles in the theater

* “Your Uncle Misha” by G. Mdivani (1966)
* “Not everything is Maslenitsa for the cat” by A. N. Ostrovsky (1973) - Ippolit
* “The Inspector General” by N. Gogol - I. A. Khlestakov 1982
* “Woe from Wit” by A. Griboyedov (1975) - Chatsky
* “The Fiesco Conspiracy in Genoa” by Schiller (1977) - Fiesco
* “The Living Corpse” by L. N. Tolstoy - Protasov (1984)
* 1977 - “Yarovaya Love” by K. A. Trenev. Director: Pyotr Fomenko - Shvandya
* 2001 - “Ivanov” by A. P. Chekhov - Ivanov
* “Krechinsky’s Wedding” (1975) - Krechinsky
* “My Favorite Clown” by V. Livanov (1982) - Sergei Sinitsyn

Film roles

1. 1963 - Newton Street, building 1 - Boyartsev, philology student
2. 1964 - Chairman - Valezhin
3. 1965 - Beloved
4. 1966 - Women - Zhenya
5. 1966 - Older sister - Kirill
6. 1967 - Toughie- Lieutenant Ivan Rodionovich Groznykh
7. 1967 - Indian Kingdom - Kostya Lubentsov
8. 1967 - An incident that no one noticed - Tolya
9. 1968 - Pacer's run
10. 1970 - Salute, Maria!
11. 1970 - The day is ahead
12. 1971 - Dauria - Roman Ulybin
13. 1971 - Tell me about yourself
14. 1972 - Last days Pompeii
15. 1972 - At our factory
16. 1973 - Discovery (Manuscript of Academician Yuryshev) - son of Yuryshev
17. 1973 - Here is my village - Dmitry Nikolaevich, school director
18. 1975 - Boy with a sword - Oleg Moskovkin, head of Espada
19. 1975 - Krechinsky’s wedding
20. 1976 - The Cherry Orchard- lackey Yasha
21. 1978 - Apartment for rent with a child - Rybakov, horn player
22. 1978 - Jump from the roof - Kirill
23. 1978 - Sibiriada - Nikolai Ustyuzhanin
24. 1979 - Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson - Doctor Watson
25. 1979 - Bat - Falk
26. 1980 - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson - Doctor Watson
27. 1980 - Who will pay for luck?
28. 1981 - Silva - Boni
29. 1981 - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: The Hound of the Baskervilles - Doctor Watson
30. 1981 - Hot streak
31. 1982 - Queen of Spades
32. 1982 - The man who closed the city - Mole
33. 1982 - The limit of desires
34. 1983 - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: The Treasures of Agra - Doctor Watson
35. 1983 - Hot streak
36. 1983 - Return from orbit - cosmonaut Vyacheslav Mukhin
37. 1984 - The limit of the possible
38. 1985 - Sincerely yours - Pasha Dobrynin
39. 1985 - Winter cherry - Vadim Dashkov
40. 1988 - He, she and children - Vyacheslav Mikhailovich
41. 1986 - 55 degrees below zero
42. 1986 - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: The Twentieth Century Begins - Doctor Watson
43. 1988 - Civil suit - Cherebets
44. 1989 - Svetik
45. 1990 - Winter Cherry - 2 - Vadim Dashkov
46. ​​1991 - Cuckold
47. 1992 - Black Square - Konstantin Dmitrievich
48. 1993 - Prisoners of fortune
49. 1995 - Interview with Hitler
50. 1995 - Winter Cherry - 3 - Vadim Dashkov
51. 1996 - Tests for real men - Alexey’s friend
52. 2000 - Memories of Sherlock Holmes - Dr. Watson
53. 2001 - Stop on demand-2 (TV series)
54. 2001 - With new happiness! -2. Kiss in the Frost - Konstantin Kuropatov, scientist, Lenochka’s father
55. 2003 - Pan or gone (TV series) - Lech Krzyzanowski (based on the novel by Joanna Chmielewska). For this role he was awarded the TEFI prize for best actor.
56. 2003 - Casus Belli - Mikhail

The biography of Vitaly Solomin is of interest to all his fans. The actor gained the greatest fame as the performer of the role of Watson in the series about Sherlock Holmes. In total, this talented person managed to star in about 70 films and TV series. What is his story?

Vitaly Solomin: biography, family

The hero of this article was born in December 1941. Chita is the city where he spent the first years of his life. From the biography of Vitaly Solomin it follows that professional activity his parents had nothing to do with the world of cinema. The boy's parents were music teachers.

Vitaly is not the only child of his parents. His older brother Yuri also connected his fate with cinema. Like Vitaly, he graduated from the Shchepkinsky School and collaborated with the Maly Theater for many years. People's love Yuri was given the role of Pavel Koltsov in the film “His Excellency’s Adjutant.

Childhood

During his school years, Vitaly was interested in music. His mother and father supervised his piano training. However, it’s not at all about musical career dreamed a child. Even as a child, the boy became interested in dramatic art. Of course, he was the permanent star of school plays.

The boy also had another hobby - sports. During his school years, Vitaly was seriously involved in boxing. Many years later this came in handy in his work.

Education

The biography of Vitaly Solomin indicates that immediately after graduating from school he set off to conquer the capital. On his first attempt, the young man managed to become a student at the Shchepkinsky School. Nikolai Annenkov took the talented guy into his workshop. Among Solomin's classmates there were many future stars, including Mikhail Kononov, Oleg Dal, Viktor Pavlov.

The desire for perfection almost played a bad joke on Solomin. In his first year, the young man received a “good” grade in one of the exams. This almost forced him to leave the Shchepkinsky School. The young man was used to studying excellently.

While still a student, Vitaly began acting in productions of the Maly Theater. For example, he embodied the image of young Boris Ermakov in the play “Your Uncle Misha.” Student years flew by quickly.

Theater

From the biography of Vitaly Solomin it follows that after graduating from the Shchepkinsky School he joined the Maly Theater troupe. It's not easy to name everything famous performances, in which he was involved over the years. In “Woe from Wit” the actor played Chatsky, in “The Living Corpse” he embodied the image of Protasov, in “Uncle Vanya” he played the role of Astrov.

In the 70s, Vitaly was actively involved in directing. Solomin staged the plays “My Favorite Clown” and “The Living Corpse”. In 1986, the Mossovet Theater opened its doors to the actor. Vitaly played a bright role in “The Sad Detective”, and then returned to the Maly Theater.

First roles

The biography and personal life of Vitaly Solomin began to arouse public interest not at all thanks to him theatrical roles. This man owes his fame to cinema.

Solomin first appeared on the set in 1961. The actor made his debut in the film “Ilyich's Outpost” by Marlen Khutsiev. He got cameo role a graduate in a striped tie who throws a bottle into the Moscow River. Due to censorship issues, the film's release was delayed for several years.

Finest hour

When exactly did the biography, personal life, and photos of Vitaly Solomin become of interest to the public? This happened after the film “Women” was presented to the audience. The film, released in 1966, tells the story of the difficult post-war years.

The audience focuses on the fate of three widows who lost their husbands during the war. Women are forced to work in a furniture factory. Vitaly got the role of Zhenya Bednov, the son of one of the main characters.

70s movies

The biography of actor Vitaly Solomin indicates that during this period he acted a lot. In 1971, the painting “Dauria” was presented to the audience. In this film, a graduate of the Shchepkinsky School played the main role. His hero was Roman Ulybin - brave Don Cossack. At the beginning of the film, Roma's only concern is whether his beloved will agree to marry him. Then he grows up and changes before the eyes of the audience. This process is very interesting to watch.

In 1978, the serial film “Siberiada” was released. The film tells about the events unfolding in the Siberian village of Elan. Two large families compete with each other, the hostility does not stop for decades. In this film, Vitaly embodied the image of a member of the Ustyuzhanin family.

In 1979, the film “The Bat” was released. In this film, Vitaly played the role of a theater director who gives a maid who dreams of becoming an actress an invitation to a masquerade ball and a bat costume to prank her friend.

"Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson"

Vasily Livanov and Vitaly Solomin were recognized as the best Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson. Not only our compatriots, but also the British agree with this assessment. The first film was released in 1979 and was an extraordinary success with audiences. Director Igor Maslennikov, inspired by this, shot four more films. As a result, 12 works by Arthur Conan Doyle were recreated on screen.

"Winter cherry"

The film “Winter Cherry” was presented to the public in 1985. Solomin in this film embodied the image of the charming and selfish Vadim Dashkov. The hero is torn between two women throughout the film. He is married to one of them, but cannot part with the other. The actor had nothing in common with his character; his selfishness and indecision were not characteristic of him. However, many viewers continue to identify Solomin with Dashkov.

The film “Winter Cherry” was a success, so it grew into a trilogy. Vitaly embodied the image of Vadim Dashkov in the sequels of the film. In 2018, the fourth part of the story beloved by viewers is expected - unfortunately, without Solomin. It was precisely because of the death of one of the main roles that the sequel was not filmed earlier.

First marriage

Fans are interested not only creative success, but also personal life, children of Vitaly Solomin. The biography of the talented actor indicates that he was married twice. His first great love became a colleague Natalya Rudnaya. He met this girl in 1962 while working on a student play.

Vitaly courted Natalya for a long time, and in the end he managed to win her. In 1963, the actors got married. This union did not last long and did not pass the test of everyday life. After his divorce from Rudnaya, Solomin swore that he would never marry again. It's interesting that after the breakup ex-spouses we never met.

Second marriage

Solomin did not keep the promise he made to himself. A few years later, Vitaly was invited to audition for the film “City Romance”. There he met Maria Leonidova, a student at the textile institute. pretty girl invited to act as an extra.

As a result, Vitaly did not star in the film “City Romance,” but he paid attention to Maria. The actor courted him very beautifully, the student could not resist. The age difference did not become an obstacle for the lovers. Solomin and Leonidova got married in 1970.

What can you tell about the children of Vitaly Solomin, whose biography and personal life are discussed in the article? In 1973, the actor became a father for the first time. His wife gave him a daughter, the girl was named Anastasia. In May 1984, another daughter was born into the family; the name Elizabeth was chosen for her.

Anastasia chose a profession unrelated to cinema. Elizabeth followed in her father's footsteps. The girl graduated from VGIK and is now trying to achieve success as a director and producer. She is married to director Gleb Orlov and has a son, Ivan, and a daughter, Vera.

Death

What is the cause of death of Vitaly Solomin? The actor's biography indicates that throughout for long years suffered from hypertension. In April 2002, Vitaly played in the production of “Krechinsky’s Wedding”. The actor felt unwell, but did not want to cancel the performance.

Vitaly only had enough strength to play in the first act. Solomin was carried from the stage in his arms and taken to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed a stroke. He spent about months in the hospital. Basically, Vitaly was in a coma. Only sometimes did he come out of this state.

So, the cause of death of Vitaly Solomin, whose biography and personal life is discussed in the article, was a stroke. The talented actor, who brilliantly played Dr. Watson, passed away in May 2002. The farewell ceremony was magnificent. Vitaly's grave is located at the Vagankovskoye cemetery. The actor was only 60 years old when he left this world.

Filmography

What other films and TV series with the participation of Vitaly Solomin were not mentioned in the article? Film and television projects in which the talented actor can be seen are listed below.

  • "Elder sister".
  • "Woman's Kingdom"
  • "An incident that no one noticed."
  • "Incident at the Hotel"
  • "Toughie".
  • "To new shores."
  • "There's a day ahead."
  • "Tell me about yourself".
  • "At our factory."
  • “This is my village...”
  • "The Last Days of Pompeii".
  • "Page of Life".
  • "Krechinsky's wedding."
  • "The Cherry Orchard".
  • "Boy with a Sword."
  • "Jump from the roof."
  • "Woe from Wit."
  • "Every day is not Sunday".
  • "Apartment for rent with a child."
  • "Who will pay for luck."
  • "Fight at the Crossroads"
  • "The man who closed the city."
  • "Summer Walks"
  • "Queen of Spades".
  • "Return from Orbit."
  • "The limit of what is possible."
  • "55 degrees below zero."
  • "He, she and the children."
  • "Civil action".
  • "Dreams about Russia."
  • "Black square".
  • "Prisoners of Fortune."
  • "Tests for real men."
  • "Casus belli".
  • "Hit or miss".

In the last years of his life, Solomin appeared on the set infrequently. This was due to the fact that the actor was practically not offered interesting roles. Vitaly refused to play characters that were boring to him.

“Vitalik has every tour, every new picture there was a woman. And not because he was a scoundrel and treated his wife badly. This is just how he drew energy and gained inspiration.

For almost ten years now, the radiant Vitaly SOLOMIN has not been with us. On December 12, the remarkable master of screen and stage would have turned 70. Loyal fans of the artist, who played Dr. Watson and Vadim from “Winter Cherry,” will probably remember him as an exemplary family man - husband, father, and later grandfather. But, as it turned out, there were moments in Vitaly Methodievich’s life when his relationships with the women he loved were tested to the limit. Today "Express Gazeta" for the first time talks about unknown pages biography of the artist.

About the ladies of the heart, except about last wife Solomin did not like to remember Masha, who gave him two beautiful daughters. And if journalists asked him about past loves, he quickly changed the topic or talked about his childhood. Like, at the age of five, he was head over heels in love with his mother’s friend and, in order to attract attention, one day he put cologne in his mouth and sprayed it in her direction.

Knocked out the impudent

Siberian Solomin met his first wife Natasha in his penultimate year of theater. He studied in Shchepka, and his chosen one, the daughter of the famous journalist, writer and playwright Vladimir Rudny, studied in Shchuka. The young people met during a student play in 1962. They say that a young lady from a bohemian family in the capital was the first to notice a handsome provincial. Classmates considered Vitalik a closed and cold guy (later Andron Konchalovsky gave him the nickname Stone Flower), but Natalya Rudnaya managed to melt his heart.

A year after they met, Nata and Vitalik announced to their parents that they were submitting an application to the registry office. The young people worked together at the Maly Theater and at first lived with Natasha’s mom and dad.
According to the recollections of friends, Solomin was always wildly jealous of his soulmate towards other men. This is understandable, Rudnaya continued to be active social life: hung out with golden youth and successful fellow actors. Vitaly did not like this very much. He expected family comfort from his wife and dreamed of children.
One day Boris Ryabtsev, cousin our hero, invited Solomin to take a walk around the center of Moscow in the company of a Georgian actor. Vitaly took Natasha with him. And during this promenade, the hot Caucasian man suddenly began to show signs of attention to the girl: he kissed her hands, paid her compliments, and told her indecent jokes. All this outraged the future “Dr. Watson” so much that he ordered his brother to go forward with his wife, and without thinking twice, he knocked out the okhalnik with a sharp and precise blow. In his youth, Solomin was involved in boxing and could always stand up for himself and his loved ones.

Vitaly acted a lot in films, he got money. (Rudnaya, on the contrary, was in little demand on the screen; she played her only leading role in the film “Autumn” after her divorce from Solomin.) Realizing that his son-in-law was able to pay for the purchase of a cooperative apartment, Natasha’s father did the right thing, and soon the couple moved to a new building near the Airport metro station. True, this did not bring happiness. Rudnaya continued to disappear somewhere in the evenings, and Vitaly heard rumors that she was cuckolding him with a famous actor. Solomin filed for divorce.
The father-in-law insisted that the brand new apartment remain with his daughter, although the Rudny family had two more “three rubles” in the center. Proud Vitaly moved into the hostel and in his heart made a vow not to marry for at least ten years.
“43 years have passed since I broke up with Vitaly,” Rudnaya said into the phone when I asked her to remember her life with Solomin. - We never saw each other again. Although I know that he was wonderful artist, but I don’t want to tell you anything. In the theater he had many friends and girlfriends, for example Victoria Lepko, with whom Vitaly had a romantic relationship. So you've come to the wrong address.
His comrades flatly refused to talk about Solomin’s first unsuccessful marriage. Only Lidiya Vitalievna, the wife of the writer Vladimir Orlov, with whom the Solomin family was very friendly, sadly remarked:
— The divorce from Rudna left a big emotional wound in Vitaly’s soul, I read it in his diaries.

Promising does not mean getting married

About how Solomin met his second and last wife Masha, a lot has been written. Their meeting happened on the set of the film “City Romance”, where Vitaly was first given the main role, and then it went to Evgeny Kindinov. Our hero was upset, but soon realized: it is much more important that he met the one who would become his destiny.
In 1975, after living in a dorm and having their first daughter, the Solomins moved to their long-awaited apartment of their own. But a few years later their happiness almost broke down.
In 1979, a new girl came to Maly - Lena Tsyplakova. Despite her young age - 21 years old, she has already managed to star in several film hits, including D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers and The School Waltz. The men from the theater immediately let their tails down, but Lenochka announced that she had recently married Denis Evstigneev, a classmate at VGIK. However, a few months later the news came that the marriage had broken up. And then Vitaly, who was haunted by the beauty of his young colleague, decided to have an office romance with her.
— The loving Solomin lied to Tsyplakova that he also broke off relations with his wife. Like, he just lives with her under the same roof for the sake of his daughter,” shared one of Vitaly and Elena’s then-colleagues. “He even promised to marry Lenochka soon.” But two years later, their passionate relationship began to crack. Tsyplakova heard rumors that Masha Solomina was expecting her second child. And she immediately realized that her beloved playful and the role of a secret sweetheart no longer suited her. By that time, Elena had already left Maly, so their separation passed quickly.

Fun tours

Maria also knew that her husband was cheating on her. But she managed to forgive. In 1985, the Solomins had another daughter. And a few years later, Vitaly again fell in love with a theater colleague, the star of the film “Sportloto-82” Svetlana Amanova.
Their romance unfolded in front of their colleagues during the troupe’s tour. For example, during a trip to Bulgaria, Vitaly decided to entertain Sveta and encouraged her and her friends to play an unusual game.
“Let’s pretend that I am a bandit, Amanova is my girlfriend, and you are our bodyguards,” the artist suggested to Alexander Klyukvin and Dmitry Nazarov.
They agreed without hesitation and went to one of the chic restaurants. The show was a great success. When Solomin and Amanova drank cognac, their “bodyguards” stood nearby, wearing sunglasses, and looked around suspiciously. And as soon as the couple decided to dance, Sasha and Dima walked around, not letting anyone closer than five meters. All participants were satisfied, and especially the lovers, who were waiting for a night of love in the hotel without the supervision of “security guards”.

Rumors about the next affair of the faithful again reached Solomin’s wife. And she forgave again. And he appreciated Masha’s nobility and promised never to cheat on her again. Although my colleagues confidently note:
— Vitalik had a woman on every tour, in every new picture. And not because he was a scoundrel and treated his wife badly. It was just in this way that he drew energy and gained inspiration. No need to blame him for this! We all have our little weaknesses, and the fact that Solomin loved beautiful women SO much is not the worst “bad habit.”
“I wouldn’t want to talk about the discord in the Solomin family,” sighed Svetlana, the wife of oncologist Evgeny Matyakin, himself close friend our hero. - Well, sometimes a man gets carried away, what now? All of us close to him are sure that he and Masha had a strong marriage - he adored his wife, daughters, and grandchildren. Vitaly was Jewish by his mother, but several years before his death he was baptized in Orthodox Church. They performed the funeral service for him, as expected. After her husband left, Masha did not know how to live further. She had to sell the dacha - either due to lack of funds, or because she did not want to be there alone.
In 2006, Solomin’s widow began to be noticed on social events together with the owner of the pizzeria chain Alexander Grinev. But friends are sure that the wealthy businessman was simply helping Maria Antoninovna in a friendly manner and there was no talk of any intimacy.

“Now Masha lives outside the city,” said Svetlana Matyakina. - She has an old mother in her arms. Vitaly's mother-in-law is seriously ill - she broke her hip, cannot get up, and forgets herself. Maria doesn't leave her, I think New Year they will meet together.
The Solomins' daughters have grown up long ago. The eldest, 38-year-old Nastya, successfully married a businessman. They have two sons: 15-year-old Kirill and 9-year-old Fedya.
The youngest, 27-year-old Lisa, only recently walked down the aisle. The girl graduated from the directing department of VGIK, where she studied on a course with Igor Maslennikov (it was he who directed Solomin in “Sherlock Holmes” and “Winter Cherry”). After receiving her diploma, Lisa worked as a second director for Nikita Mikhalkov on Burnt by the Sun 2. But now I’ve found time to organize my personal life.
— In May, Lisa married a very good boy named Gleb - he is her colleague, an advertising director,” said Matyakina. “It’s a pity that my father didn’t live to see this - he would have been very happy for Lizonka.”

Vitaly Solomin has played more than 50 film roles, but most viewers associate him with Dr. Watson from the Soviet film adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Surprisingly, in real life the actor bore little resemblance to a well-bred and cold-blooded Englishman: legends were made about the absurd character of the “guy from Chita.” On Solomin’s anniversary, AiF.ru remembers what the favorite artist of the Soviet screen really was like.

On a white horse

Solomin's parents were music teachers and dreamed of seeing youngest son the new Richter. However, the boy did not live up to their hopes: he patiently learned to play the piano, and he himself was in a hurry to go to school. sport sections. In Chita there was no sports club where the future Doctor Watson did not practice: volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, athletics, the young man especially liked boxing. But these hobbies were never destined to develop into a profession.

Vitaly said that he always envied his older brother, Yuri Solomin, who from the very beginning decided that he would become an artist, and stubbornly walked towards his goal. “At school he was a choir soloist. And one day I decided to kill everyone with my talent. I learned the words to one children's song, but when the music started playing, out of excitement I was unable to make at least some sound similar to the song. This was my first appearance on stage,” recalled the future People’s Artist.

Brothers Yuri and Vitaly Solomin. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Yuri entered drama school when Vitaly was only 11 years old. And when the future Watson graduated from school, he hurried to follow his brother to Moscow to the Shchepkinsky School. The ambitious young man received parting words from his father: “Everything is correct, son. To fall - so with white horse! But Solomin did not have the chance to fall; on the contrary, he “rode on a white horse” first to the Shchepkinsky Theater School, and then to the big cinema.

Photo: www.russianlook.com

Harmful hero

Already from his second year, Solomin played at the Maly Theater, and the film career of the aspiring artist was no less successful. His first serious work on the big screen was the sentimental melodrama “Women,” which once and for all brought the 25-year-old artist the love of the audience. “A few days after the release began, I realized what popularity was,” the actor recalled. And ahead of him were only roles in 30 performances and more than 50 films. Vadim Dashkov from the melodrama “Winter Cherry”, the rogue Pasha from the film “Sincerely yours...”, Falk from “ bat“- Solomin equally easily tried on a wide variety of masks and images, from an absurd simpleton to an elegant hero-lover.

Vitaly Solomin in the film “Women” (1965) Photo: Still from the film

The audience was captivated by the charm Soviet star, and new acquaintances were impressed by his complex character. IN privacy the artist was a gloomy and thoughtful person, he was often unrestrained at rehearsals, and thanks to his categoricalness he made many problems and enemies. Andron Konchalovsky, who filmed Solomin in “Siberiada,” even nicknamed him “ stone flower": the actor seemed so uncompromising and firm in disputes. And Solomin himself did not hide his shortcomings: “Everyone who knows me closely enough believes that I have a very difficult character. I’m stubborn, and sometimes even harmful.”

Vitaly Solomin in the film “The Cherry Orchard” (1976) Photo: Still from the film

Jealous ladies' man

The best difficult character the artist was studied by his second wife - Maria(from his first wife - actress Natalia Rudnaya— Solomin left in his youth, taking with him only a suitcase with clothes). Famous artist I met her at the audition for the film “Urban Romance,” and although I didn’t get a role in the film, I found my love.

After an unsuccessful first marriage, Watson decided that he would never marry an actress, and he kept his promise to himself, giving Maria an ultimatum: no cinema. His arguments were as follows: “If you start filming, you will need to go somewhere. There are few women on the trains, and the men are pushy. No one will buy an entire compartment for an actress, which means that for me to be calm, I will have to pay extra for three seats from my own money. Next, they will put you up in a hotel. You can't go anywhere in the evening: beautiful woman, one. Yes, and there would be something to film for: they pay pennies, but you have to give your best.” But being scared jealous person, he himself seemed quite loving and always basked in female attention.

Maria and Vitaly Solomin in the film “Silva”, 1981. Photo: Still from the film

“Like Andrei Mironov”

Despite his bad character and constant disagreements with the management of the Maly Theater, Solomin “betrayed” his native stage only once, going to the Theater named after him for two years. Mossovet. There he played in a play based on Astafiev’s play “The Sad Detective”. But when artistic director became small Yuri Solomin, Vitaly succumbed to his brother’s persuasion and returned “home”.

In the last years of his life, Solomin worked especially hard: he acted himself and staged plays as a director. “When he staged Krechinsky’s Wedding, he literally glowed with happiness. He basked in his role, doing incredible things on stage, for example, doing the splits from a running start. And this at 60 years old,” recalled actor Vasily Livanov, who warned his friend against displaying such passion.

Once Solomin said that he wanted to die on stage, like Andrey Mironov. And these scary words turned out to be almost prophetic.

That same “Krechinsky’s Wedding” became the last performance for the artist. April 23, 2002 Solomin in last time came on stage. During the first act, the actor suddenly became ill and was taken to the hospital. It later turned out that Solomin had an ischemic stroke, and a month later he died in the hospital.


  • Still from the film "Women"

  • Still from the film "Big Sister"

  • Still from the movie "Die Hard"

  • Still from the film “Dauria”

  • Still from the film “Siberiada”