Biographie
Vladimir Etush is a renowned actor and director associated with the Shchukin Theatrical School at the Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow.
Born Vladimir Abramovich Etush on May 6, 1922, in Moscow, Russia, his father, Abram Etush, was a small business owner who was arrested by the Soviet authorities. Raised by his mother, Raisa Etush, Vladimir developed a passion for acting and literature during his school years, participating in productions of Chekhov's plays. In 1941, he enrolled in theater studies, but his education was interrupted by World War II. Serving in the Red Army, he was seriously wounded fighting the Nazis and received the Red Star for bravery. In 1945, he graduated from the Shchukin Theatrical School as an actor.
From 1945 onward, Vladimir Etush was a member of the Vakhtangov Theatre troupe. His stage colleagues included prominent actors such as Mikhail Ulyanov, Ruben Simonov, Boris Zakhava, Mikhail Astangov, Varvara Popova, Irina Kupchenko, Natalya Tenyakova, Yuliya Borisova, Lyudmila Maksakova, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Marianna Vertinskaya, Nina Ruslanova, Nikolai Plotnikov, Vasiliy Lanovoy, Yuriy Yakovlev, Vyacheslav Shalevich, Andrei Abrikosov, Grigori Abrikosov, Boris Babochkin, Nikolai Gritsenko, Nikolai Timofeyev, Aleksandr Grave, Evgeniy Karelskikh, Sergey Makovetskiy, among others. His standout stage roles included Shakespeare’s "Two Gentlemen of Verona" (1948), the intellectual Dorogomilov in Konstantin Fedin’s "No Ordinary Summer" (1955), and Merikur in "Budte zdorovy" ("Stay Well") (1965). Since 1963, his portrayal of Brigella in Vakhtangov’s acclaimed production of Carlo Gozzi’s comedy "Princess Turandot" has been highly praised.
Vladimir Etush is especially known for his role as Comrade Saakhov, the humorous groom in the popular Soviet comedy "Kidnapping, Caucasian Style" (1967) directed by Leonid Gaidai. He was honored as a People's Artist of the USSR in 1984 and has served as rector of the Shchukin Theatrical School at the Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. He currently resides in Moscow, Russia.
