Notes of a Soviet Actor

by Nikolai Cherkasov

Nikolai Cherkasov, People's Artist of the USSR, gives an account of his life as an actor, and aspects of the acting profession. This is an unusual autobiography in that it is of a Soviet actor whose career was entirely within the Soviet era. Cherkasov has been a major actor in both film and the stage, since the 1920's. His last role discussed in this book was when he played Mayakovsky in The New Mayakovsky.

276 pages, Paperback

First published June 19, 2004

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nikolay Cherkasov was probably the Soviet Union’s most widely-known actor worldwide, a consummate professional who gave some of the greatest performances on the Russian stage and in films. His autobiography details his career from its early days in pantomime and vaudeville through his shift into dramatic acting and his performances in such masterpieces as Ivan the Terrible and Alexander Nevsky. Cherkasov writes at length about his artistic technique and how he went about creating a role. However, he gives barely a hint of a personal life outside his profession, and virtually no information is provided about his life away from the stage, nor his upbringing nor his family life. This is exclusively a book about acting and one career in that field, and always in service of the Soviet philosophy. Engagingly written for the most part, it leaves one hungering for insights into the life experiences that led him to his career. Despite such omissions, it is a valuable book, providing a rare glimpse into the theatrical world of the USSR in the first half of the Twentieth Century, and one fine artist’s approach to his life’s work.