Leonid Georgievich Yengibarov (; ; March 15, 1935 – July 25, 1972) was a Soviet Armenian clown and actor, People's Artist of the Armenian SSR.
Biography Leonid Yengibarov was born in Moscow to an Armenian father and a Russian mother. He started his career as a boxer. In 1955 he joined the State School of Circus Art, Clownship department. He graduated from Circus school with skills in juggling, acrobatics, and hand balancing. After graduation in 1959 he moved to Yerevan and joined the Armenian state circus.Historical Dictionary of Russian Theater - Page 111, by Laurence Senelick - 2007
He was one of the first Soviet clowns to create the poetic, intellectual clownery, which made spectators think, not only laugh. Leonid Yengibarov, 'the clown with sad eyes', revolutionized the art of clownery by introducing lyrical tones into traditional buffoonery and grotesque sequences.Encyclopedia of Contemporary Russian Culture - Page 446, by Smorodinskaya, - 2013 According to the Spectacle journal, he has shown the direction. He was the innovator. He began to do clown gags that were not funny, but very sad. They ended sadly. He felt that life was not funny anymore.Spectacle: A Quarterly Journal of the Circus Arts - Volume 2 - Page 8, 1998
After initial incomprehension, his popularity grew immensely. After that he was invited to work in cinema. His first film, A Path to the Arena, was in fact about himself.
By the end of the 1960s he was known as one of the best clowns in the country and in the countries of the Eastern bloc, where he was permitted to travel. His circus career came to a halt in 1971: he left the State Circus when his partner was banned from international touring. He created a Variety Pantomime Theatre (Estradny teatr pantomimy) instead.Historical Dictionary of Russian Theater, by Laurence Senelick, Scarecrow Press, 2007, p. 112 However officially he was forbidden to call his company “theatre”, only allowed to use the term “troupe” (ансамбль). He managed to stage only a single piece, “Star Rain” before his untimely death from a massive heart attack. He is buried at the Vagankovo cemetery, Moscow.
His work continues influencing other artists including Slava Polunin.
His friend Vladimir Vysotsky wrote a shrill poem "To memory of the actor; To Yengibarov from the audience". Alla Pugacheva dedicated her song "Arlekino" to Yengibarov: "He was my favourite clown and even died while working. Just think: he died from laughter".Red Stars: Personality and the Soviet Popular Song, 1955–1991, by David MacFadyen - 2001, p. 216
Filmography Yengibarov played in 15 films, including: Year Title Role Notes1963 Road to the Stage (Путь на арену) Leonid (himself) 1965 Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (Тени забытых предков) Myko directed by Sergei Parajanov1966 Aybolit-66 (Айболит-66) Cheerful clown # 1 1971 A Necklace for My Beloved Sugur Comedy, directed by Tengiz Abuladze, cast in the Georgian SSR, Soviet Union1972 Happy Go Lucky (Stoves-Benches, Печки-лавочки) clown
Films about him THere are 20 films about Yengivarov, including: Please meet Leonid Yengibarov, Знакомьтесь: Леонид Енгибаров 2 Leonid 2, 2 Леонид 2
Honors The E. Bass Cup (first prize) of the 1964 European Clown Competition in Prague; People's Artist of the Armenian SSR (1971)
See also Yerevan Circus
References
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