Alex Menglet, born Alexei Menglet in Moscow, USSR, is an actor who has found success working in Australia.
Early life and family Menglet was born in Moscow, USSR to famous parents Maya Menglet and Leonid Satanovskiy. He came from a theatrical family. His grandfather, Menglet Georgy, was a People's Artist of the USSR, his mother was a Honored Artist of the RSFSR and his father was an Honored Artist of the RSFSR and People's Artist of Russia. His maternal great grandmother, Bertha Ansovna Rusman (1889-1981) was a Latvian revolutionary, participated in the murder of a factory director in Riga in 1906 for handing over revolutionary workers to gendarmes. She was arrested and exiled to the Yenisey Governorate. A member of the CPSU with membership card #40.
As a child, he played the co-lead in television series The Old Fortress, feature film The Boys and Hurray for the Holidays. He then studied a four year course in acting and stage direction at Moscow State Institute of Drama (GETES), where he received his Diploma in 1977.
Career
Film and television Menglet is best known for his roles as chef Ray 'Gay Ray' Proctor in the 1984 season of Prisoner and as Zoran Baranoff in SBS series Kick in 2007.
Menglet's early television credits include several Crawford Productions series including Skyways, The Sullivans, Cop Shop and a six-week role in Carson's Law, playing the role of Lazlo Novack. In 1985, he appeared in miniseries Anzacs and The Dunera Boys. and played the lead role of Vladimir Petrov, a Soviet spy masquerading as a diplomat in Canberra in 1987 miniseries The Petrov Affair.
He went on to play the recurring role of Mr Hohenhaus in Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left in 1994, and Mihaly Bassa in 1995 miniseries Bordertown the following year. He then appeared as Alexei in High Flyers in 1999 and Davorin in Eugénie Sandler P.I. in 2000.
He had numerous guest roles in Wilfred II, City Homicide, Kath & Kim, Shock Jock, Janus, Phoenix. SeaChange and appeared in 1995 series Bordertown.
Menglet appeared in 2009 UKTV miniseries False Witness and played Vlad in House Rules. From 2014 to 2015, he starred as Joan Ferguson's father and fencing instructor, Ivan Ferguson in prison drama Wentworth.
Menglet's early film credits include The Clinic (1982), Sky Pirates (1986), Holidays on the River Yarra, A Woman’s Tale (both 1991) and Garbo (1992). He also appeared in the feature films Children of the Revolution (1996), He Died with a Falafel in his Hand (2001), Josh Jarman (2004), The Book of Revelation (2006), Salvation (2008) and Any Questions for Ben? (2012). In 2021, Menglet played the role of Yaroslav in the film Ascendant.
Stage Menglet has appeared in numerous theatre productions throughout his career. He was a member of the Anthill Theatre ensemble in Melbourne in the 1980s, alongside fellow Eastern European migrant, Jacek Koman. There, he performed in productions of The Cherry Orchard, Uncle Vanya, The Imaginary Invalid, Three Sisters, The Crimson Island, The School for Wives, Mother Courage and Her Children and The Immigrants.
He went on to perform in Melbourne Theatre Company productions such as The Visit alongside Zoe Caldwell and Cyrano de Bergerac opposite David Wenham. He reunited with Koman, starring together in a production of Waiting for Godot. Other MTC credits include Rock 'n' Roll, The Madwoman of Chaillot, Cyrano de Bergerac, Julius Caesar, The Woman in the Window, When She Danced, The Selection, The Marriage of Figaro and The Taming of the Shrew. He also translated Chekhov's The Seagull for MTC in 2001.
Additionally, Menglet has performed in Goodbye Vaudeville Charlie Mudd for Malthouse Theatre, Don Juan and Miss Julie for Sydney Theatre Company, The Seagull and Picasso at the Lapin Agile for Belvoir. Other theatre credits include The Forest for Queensland Theatre Company, The Abduction from the Seraglio for Victoria State Opera and If Winter Comes for Church Theatre. He also starred in a revival of Twelve Angry Men, winning a 2005 Green Room Award for his performance.
Menglet has also directed for the stage including productions of Crime and Punishment and The Red and The Black for the Stork Theatre, and Rites of Passage, Yellow Moon, Jack Goes Boating and a 2005 production of Playing the Victim for Red Stitch Actors Theatre, starring Jim Daly and Angus Sampson.
Menglet has also worked for ABC Radio drama and the Russian Language Program on SBS Radio, and as a director and translator.
Personal life At the age of 18, Menglet married his first wife, a school teacher. They separated ten months later, before getting divorced.
While studying drama in Moscow, met and then married Elsbeth, a West German exchange student, before moving to Germany in 1978, at the age of 22. A friend from Moscow had moved to Melbourne, where he was photographer on some Australian films, influencing Menglet (who wanted to move to an English-speaking country) to move there with his wife in 1981. Together, they had two daughters Renisia and Katerina.
Menglet also has a brother, Dmitri.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes Ref1972 Malchiki Goshka Vyezemskiy Feature film Ura! U nas kanikuly! Feature film 1982 The Clinic Feature film 1984 Matthew and Son Gebhard TV film 1985 Wills & Burke William Brahe Feature film1986 Man and Boy Relievimg Manager Short film Sky Pirates Sullivan Feature film The More Things Change... Telecom Man Feature film The Still Point Paul Feature film1988 Georgia Lazlo Feature film The Rainbow Warrior Conspiracy Velche TV film 1989 Celia Mr Goldman Feature film 1991 Against the Innocent Karl Heinmann Feature film A Woman's Tale Con 2 Feature film Holidays on the River Yarra Big Mac Feature film 1992 Garbo Czech Agent Feature film 1993 The Feds Dr Steven Jellicie TV film1996 Zone 39 Tito Feature film Children of the Revolution Yuri Nikoloyev Feature film 2001 He Died with a Felafel in His Hand Taylor Feature film 2003 The Long Lunch Issur Demsky Feature film2004 One Perfect Day Bernard May Feature film Josh Jarman Sebastian Feature film 2008 Salvation Anton Feature film 2010 The Wedding Party Mikhail Feature film 2011 The Crimson Room Short film 2012 Any Questions for Ben? Katerina‘s Dad Feature film2014 The Mule Victor Feature film Rabbit Leonard Short film 2016 Milk of Kindness Director Merrett Short film 2021 Ascendant Yaroslav Feature film 2022 Petrol Vladimir Feature film
Television Year Title Role Type 1972 Byloe i dumy Nik 1979 Skyways Mikhail Gosenko 1 episode 1981 Holiday Island Niko 2 episodes 1983 The Sullivans Nikolai 2 episodes 1983 Carson's Law Laszlo Novak 10 episodes 1984 Special Squad Yuri Episode 26: "Farewell to a Comrade" 1984–1985 Prisoner Ray 'Gay Ray' Proctor 14 episodes 1985 The Fast Lane Harwood 1 episode A Thousand Skies Antony Fokker Miniseries, 1 episode Anzacs Hans Miniseries, 1 episode The Dunera Boys Roth Miniseries, 2 episodes 1987 The Petrov Affair Vladimir Petrov Miniseries, 2 episodes 1988 Always Afternoon Hans Weissmuller Miniseries, 3 episodes 1989 Mission: Impossible Lieutenant Udo 1 episode 1992 Phoenix Ivan Kastelanic 1 episode 1994 Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left Mr Hohenhaus 8 episodes The Damnation of Harvey McHugh Sasha Miniseries, 1 episode 1995 Janus Dr Rogers 1 episode Bordertown Mihaly Bassa Miniseries, 10 episodes 1997 State Coroner Jim Vandenburg 1 episode 1998 The Genie from Down Under 2 Grigor 1 episode 1999 SeaChange Krzysztof 1 episode High Flyers Alexei 26 episodes 2000 Eugénie Sandler P.I. Davorin 11 episodes 2001 Shock Jock Dieter Kohl 1 episode 2003 Stingers Ben Schulman 1 episode 2004 Kath and Kim Photographer 1 episode 2007 Kick Zoran Baranoff 13 episodes 2008 City Homicide Walter Pankor 1 episode 2009 False Witness Dimitri Miniseries 2010 Wilfred Orpheous 1 episode 2011 Killing Time Uri Miniseries, 2 episodes 2012 Rake Gerard 1 episode 2014–2015 Wentworth Ivan Ferguson / Fencing Master 2016 Hunters Havi 1 episode 2021 Wakefield Petrov Miniseries, 2 episodes Jack Irish The Banker 2 episodes
Theatre
As actor YearTitleRoleNotesRef.1970s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk Sergei Majakowski Theatre Academy, Moscow Ivanov Ivanov Half to the Moon Crime and Punishment Moscow Theatre Academy of Mossoviet The Little Prince 1986 If Winter Comes Ozwath Church Theatre, Melbourne with Australian Contemporary Theatre Company 1987 The Cherry Orchard Pishik Anthill Theatre, Melbourne Uncle Vanya Serebryakov The Three Sisters Andrei 1989 The Abduction from the Seraglio Pasha Selim State Theatre, Melbourne with Victoria State Opera 1989–1990 The Imaginary Invalid Argan New Fortune Theatre, Perth, Anthill Theatre, Melbourne, Universal Theatre, Melbourne, Armoury Lawns, Adelaide 1990 The Emigrants Anthill Theatre, Melbourne Waiting for Godot Vladimir Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC 1991 The Taming of the Shrew Grumio Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC The Marriage of Figaro Count Almaviva On Our Selection Villam Brandt 1992 The Crimson Island Gennadi Panfilovich / Edward Glenarvan Royalty Theatre, Adelaide Anthill Theatre, Melbourne Miss Julie Jean Wharf Theatre with STC When She Danced Sergei Esenin Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC The School for Wives Chrysalde Gasworks Theatre, Melbourne with Anthill Theatre Company 1993 Mother Courage and Her Children The Force of Habit 1994 The Gift of the Gorgon Damsinski Russell St Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC 1994; 1997 Picasso at the Lapin Agile Sagot Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Melbourne Athenaeum with Playbox Theatre Company 1995 The Head of Mary Dr Sakamoto / Man IV Tokyo International Festival, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, with Playbox Theatre Company 1996 The Tragedy of Julius Caesar Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1998 The Woman in the Window Auditor / Korzh Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC Tear from a Glass Eye Mr Petra Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company 1999 Waiting for Godot MTC 2001 The Forest Ivan Petrovich Vosmibratov Playhouse, Brisbane with QTC The Seagull Shamraev Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC Don Juan Sganarelle Sydney Opera House with STC 2002 Laughter on the 23rd Floor Val Playhouse, Melbourne, with MTC 2003 The Visit Policeman 2004 Twelve Angry Men Juror 11 Playhouse, Brisbane, Sydney Theatre, Melbourne Athenaeum with Arts Project Australia 2005 Cyrano de Bergerac Ragueneau Playhouse, Melbourne, with MTC Ivanov Ivanov Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne 2006 Ray's Tempest Boris Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, with MTC Festen Helmut 2007 The Madwoman of Chaillot The Sergeant Playhouse, Melbourne, with MTC2008 Rock ‘n’ Roll Milan / Policeman 2 Playhouse, Melbourne, Sydney Theatre with MTC The Lower Depths Angel Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne 2009 Goodbye Vaudeville Charlie Mudd Allarkini Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, with Playbox Theatre Company 2010 Harbinger John Space Theatre, Adelaide with Brink Productions 2011 Julius Caesar Caesar Australian national tour with STC 2012 Yes, Prime Minister The Kumranistan Ambassador Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Canberra Theatre, Sydney Theatre, Gold Coast Arts Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Playhouse, Brisbane The Curtain Southbank Theatre, Melbourne, with MTC 2013 True Minds Gruff Grayson 2014 Eurydice Father Red Stitch Actors Theatre 2015 Mother Courage and Her Children The General & others Belvoir Street, Sydney 2018 Bottomless Alan, Boxey & Jimmy Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
As director / translator