Clown Pencil and his Blot

Hero of Socialist Labor, People's ArtistThe Soviet Union, the famous and beloved clown Pencil around the world - is the creative pseudonym of the talented circus performer Mikhail Nikolayevich Rumyantsev.

He was born in Petersburg in 1901.His father worked at the plant "Simmens and Galske" ("Electrosila"). Mom for a long time seriously ill. When Mikhail was six years old, his brother Konstantin was three years old, and his sister Lena was one year old, his mother died. Life has become hard and devoid of all colors.

Having difficulty completing secondary school,Michael enters the art. But the study did not please the young man. He secretly dreamed of traveling, battles, Indians. In 1914, the war began, and life became even more difficult, moreover, in 1917, a revolution broke out. Michael moved from one city to another in search of some work.

In 1922 he came to Staritsa, where he settled incity ​​theater to write posters. But in those difficult times attendance at the theater was very low, and by 1925 the fees had dropped so much that it became impossible to support the troupe. Later he had a chance to work as a poster artist in the Tver cinema, but the young man understood perfectly well that everything he does is only a way to survive and feed himself. The soul asked for something else ...

The situation changed dramatically after he managed to see stars in Moscow

world cinema. The decision came immediately - he will be an actor.

Future Clown Pencil enters to study at Coursesstage movement, which led VI. Tsvetaeva. This helped him to start his studies at the school of circus arts, where he chose a class of eccentric acrobats. Clownery was taught to students by theater actor M.S. Mestechkin, who will later become a circus director on Tsvetnoy Boulevard.

A year has passed, and Michael began to go to the arena withvery small and not very interesting rooms. Being a humble man, he was too clamped in the circus ring. Colleagues advised him to take ready-made scenes of old clowns, but they didn’t know the young carpet bad - he would not have agreed to play someone else’s role for all the blessings of the world. He was looking for his image.

The decision came, as always, suddenly.Once in the program of the summer circus in Moscow, he went to the arena in a suit and makeup Charlie Chaplin. Since 1930, Rumyantsev begins to work independently in the Smolensk circus. He always meticulously and strictly evaluated his performances. Clown Pencil very soon realized how important dynamics and tempo are in the work of the carpet.

Increasingly, he began to interfere with the image of Charlie, and he beganpick up a new costume and make-up. He has long “collected” his new image. Clown Pencil dreamed of having a four-legged friend, and once he was brought a pedigree Scottish terrier. Mikhail Nikolayevich really liked the dog, and right there she was called Klyaksa. Clown Pencil and his faithful Blot were vivid and memorable heroes on the arena.

Pencil - clown "universal", he owned different genres of circus art, which allowed him to parody very many numbers. M.N. Rumyantsev died on March 31, 1983.

Clown Pencil.His biography was, is and always will be an example for many young artists. An example of the greatest diligence, full dedication to the beloved spectator and unshakable loyalty to the once chosen case.