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Sergey Alexandrovich Martinson (February 7, 1899 – September 2, 1984) was a Russian comic actor known for his eccentric style, mastery of pantomime, buffoonery, and grotesque. He was honored as People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1964.
Born in Saint Petersburg to a noble family of Swedish descent, Martinson grew up in a household passionate about theater, frequently attending performances with his parents. As a schoolboy, he participated in a theatrical studio. After one year at the Technological Institute, he decided to pursue acting professionally. For his entrance exam, he recited Boris Godunov's monologue from Pushkin's play, which made the examiners laugh but initially led to his rejection. He was admitted to the theatrical institute on his second attempt.
Martinson performed in various theaters throughout his career. From 1924 to 1941, he was part of the Theatre of the Revolution. Between 1925-1926, 1929-1933, and 1937-1938, he was a leading actor at Vsevolod Meyerhold's theatre, appearing in productions such as The Government Inspector and Mandate. He worked in the music hall from 1933 to 1936. From 1945 until his death, Martinson focused on film acting, mainly in comic roles, though he occasionally took on dramatic parts, including Karandyshev in Alexander Ostrovsky's Without a Dowry, directed by Yury Zavadsky. His film career began in 1924 with his role as Poincare in The Adventures of Oktyabrina.
Martinson was the first actor in Soviet cinema to portray Hitler, in Sergei Yutkevich's film The New Adventures of Soldier Svejk. He recounted that Hitler, upon seeing the portrayal, placed him on a personal "blacklist" and threatened to hang him on the first lamppost. Following his role as composer Kerosinov in Anton Ivanovich Is Angry, Martinson gained widespread recognition, with children mocking him by shouting, "Benzin-kerosene goes!" One of his later roles was Mr. Frankland in the adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles.
In 1927, Martinson married his first wife, actress Ekaterina Il'inichna Ilyina, whom he met during his studies. Their daughter Anna, born in 1928, became a successful artist and costume designer. Although they never officially divorced, Martinson married his second wife, dancer Lola Dobrohotova, who was later exiled by the government for alleged "connections to foreign elements" and died in exile. They had a son, Alexander Martinson (1939–2001), who reconciled with his father in his later years and cared for him devotedly. Martinson's third wife, Luisa, was thirty years his junior. They had a daughter, Natasha Martinson (born June 16, 1956), who began acting early in life and appeared alongside her father in the film Adventures of Captain Vrungel. She went on to feature in various Russian films. Though Martinson and Luisa divorced several years after Natasha's birth, they remained lifelong friends, with Luisa providing care for him during his final years. As of 2012, both of his daughters, his last wife Luisa, and his grandchildren reside in the United States.
