The legendary Leonid Osipovich Utyosov lived a happy life. He is known to a wide range of viewers as a talented actor and an excellent singer. Utesov was also the leader of the first jazz orchestra. His real name is Lazar Weisbein.
Childhood and youth
Leonid Utyosov was born in Odessa on March 21, 1895. The family had 9 children, four of them died. The boy had a twin sister named Pauline. As a child, he wanted to be the captain of a ship, a firefighter, but then he became interested in music, thanks to a violinist neighbor.
The boy studied at a commercial school, he sang in an orchestra, could play several musical instruments. At the age of 14, the teenager was expelled from school for absenteeism, poor study.
Creative career
In 1911 the young man began performing in a traveling circus and continued to master the violin. In 1912 he entered the theater of miniatures in Kremenchug, at that time the pseudonym Leonid Utyosov appeared. The artist came up with the surname himself. The theater toured extensively, the troupe performed in many cities.
In 1917, in Gomel, a verse competition was held, Utyosov took part in it and became the winner. Encouraged by his success, he moved to the capital and organized an orchestra. The collective gave performances in the Hermitage garden.
During the civil war, Utyosov lived in Odessa, worked in the operetta theater. According to his contemporaries, the artist was friends with Mishka Yaponchik, a well-known crime boss. Utyosov was also on friendly terms with the author of "Odessa stories" Isaac Babel.
Leonid Utyosov's love for jazz arose in 1928 after a trip to France. In 1929 the orchestra prepared a jazz program under the direction of the artist. In 1930, another concert was presented - with music by Dunaevsky. In 1934, Utyosov starred with the musicians of his orchestra in the film "Jolly Fellows". Other films with the artist:
- Lieutenant Schmidt;
- "Trading house" Antanta and Co ";
- "Aliens";
- "Spirka Spandyr's career";
- "Melodies of Dunaevsky";
- "Pyotr Martynovich and the years of a great life."
In 1937 the program “Songs of my Motherland” was prepared, the daughter of Utyosova Edith became the soloist of the group. In total, the artist's repertoire included more than 100 compositions.
In 1941, the musicians began to perform military-patriotic songs. With the new program "Beat the Enemy", they performed in front of the soldiers of the Red Army. In 1942 Utyosov became an Honored Artist. The tour continued throughout the war, on May 9, 1945 Leonid Osipovich took part in a concert dedicated to Victory Day. In 1947, the Utyosov collective was named the Variety Orchestra. The artist left the stage in 1961.
Personal life
Leonid Utyosov had 2 official marriages, he also had novels. The first wife was Elena Lenskaya, an actress. Utyosov met her in 1914. The marriage lasted 48 years, and the couple had a daughter, Edith. Elena died in 1962.
The second wife of Utyosov was Antonina Revels, a dancer. They got married in 1982, 2 months before the artist's death. He barely survived his daughter Edith, the cause of her death was leukemia.
