Perhaps the name of the people's artist Konstantin Sorokin is not heard by our contemporary, but it is worth watching any of the films that have been released since 1935, and in almost every picture we will meet his face. How many films - so many images, unique, believable, often humorous. Mostly supporting roles, but they are etched into the memory forever. And it’s hard to believe that this cheerful, with sparkling humor, merry man actually experienced in full measure all the hardships of the life of his generation.
Biography of the actor
On September 3, 1908, in St. Petersburg, a son, Konstantin, was born into the family of Nikolai Nikanorovich and Sofia Mikhailovna Sorokin. Kostya had a brother Nikolai, five years older. His father worked as a foundry worker at the Putilovsky iron foundry, and his mother, like many women of that time, simply ran the household.
The Sorokins lived outside the Narvskaya Zastava, on Elizavetinskaya Street. Kostya's childhood fell on the pre and post-revolutionary period. Before is a modest family life, but a living father and mother, and one could carefreely play with peers and enjoy life. In 1916, the boy was assigned to an elementary school, but he did not study there for a long time, since it was soon closed due to revolutionary actions.
And yet he received some education. When Kostya was 14 years old (1922), the family was left without a father. Nikolai Nikanorovich died of typhus, leaving his wife and two sons without a livelihood. Fortunately, the state provided assistance to such families, especially since the mother's health left much to be desired.
The issue of homelessness was strictly controlled in the 1920s, and not even full-time orphans were taken into care, but also the children of those families where the parents were not able to provide them with the most basic necessities. So Kostya was assigned to a labor colony in the city of Slutsk, where, in parallel with traditional training, he was given professional skills.
The guy left the colony with the profession of a mechanic. However, during this time, the mother passed away. Sofya Mikhailovna died in 1924. However, Kostya still returned to his homeland, to St. Petersburg, settled with his aunt and went to work at the Putilovsky plant as a foundry, where they still remembered and respected the elder Sorokin very well.
Foundry also had to learn, so from a locksmith's apprentice, he reincarnated into a cast iron foundry's apprentice. New professional skills could be obtained at a factory school called "Red Shipbuilder". Leisure for young people was also organized and at the same time Konstantin Sorokin began to attend the drama club here in his free time.
During the period of classes in the circle, his remarkable acting abilities were revealed. It turns out that Kostya had an excellent memory and could easily memorize the texts of the roles. In this regard, I began to read a lot, this was facilitated by a visit to the library at the school. As a result, in 1926, on a Komsomol ticket, Sorokin went to study at the studio of the Honored Artist Nikolai Nikolaevich Khodotov.
First steps in art
Charm, ease of communication, an inquisitive mind, erudition - all this was characteristic of the favorite of Petersburgers, Khodotov. It is not surprising that many of his later famous students came out of his drama studio. And one of them is Konstantin Sorokin. True, his hometown did not need his talent, and after graduation in 1929 he could not find a job here in his specialty.
While studying at Khodotov's studio, in 1928 the future actor got married. His wife, named Catherine, was not involved in the theater. But this did not prevent the spouses from living together for 46 years. During this time, I had to change my place of residence more than once, following the acting troupe of the theater in which the husband served.
It is worth noting that Konstantin Nikolaevich is a dramatic actor by profession, but during his life he played many comedic roles. At the beginning of his career, for four years, the newly minted actor did not hesitate to work in the provinces. Moreover, he did not "grow" to any particular theater, he worked seasonally in different ones.
Until now, the stay of Konstantin Sorokin within the walls of some theaters is remembered by such cities as Pskov, Novgorod, Cherepovets, Arkhangelsk, Vologda. During this time, they played more than one and a half hundred roles, which the actor speaks of with gratitude as a serious school of life. It was not for nothing that colleagues in the theater workshop later called Sorokin a master of reincarnation, and some directors argued that he was capable of playing any role.
A little later, the actor still managed to find work in Leningrad, at the Comedy Theater, and later at the Theater of Miniatures, which was directed by Arkady Raikin. Sorokin's film debut took place in 1938, when he was cast as the clerk Paramoshka in the film Dubrovsky. The director Ivanovsky, by the way, came across his rustic appearance: "lipped, snub-nosed, blue-eyed, with a carefree smile on his face."
A comedian with the soul of a tragedian and a philosopher
All of the above gives an understanding of how easily Konstantin Sorokin was given comedic roles. And yet he was very proud of his role in the film Three Sisters, where director Samson Samsonov saw him in the dramatic role of Dr. Chebutykin. One can only guess how important this was to Sorokin.
Samsonov recalls how easy it was to work with Sorokin. He managed to see not only himself in a certain scene, but all the performers. Behind the scenes, other actors often approached Konstantin Nikolaevich and consulted on how to improve this or that scene. Despite the fact that the actor has never played a major role in his life, Samsonov believes that Sorokin in Three Sisters was the soul of the film.
How much respected Sorokin was repeatedly told by his colleagues on the set of the film "Oleko Dundich". He was expected on the set as if he was playing Oleko himself. Among the epithets that characterized the actor by everyone who was lucky enough to work with him, there seem to be many contradictions: light, but at the same time strict and sharp, witty, but humor is often daring, simple and at the same time significant.
Many noted the amazing dissonance between his rustic appearance and the deepest "gut". Konstantin Nikolaevich was essentially an educated person. One could have conversations with him on any topic: literature, history, philosophy, music, painting. Acting professionals believe Sorokin was the king of the episode.
After all, when you are given the main role, then the "jambs" can be corrected in further plots throughout the film, and when an actor has only a few minutes - this is where real acting strength is needed to give all the best, to mobilize so that the viewer will remember you forever. No matter how many pictures he had behind him, Konstantin Nikolaevich did not hesitate to rehearse the same episode many, many times, although he knew everything from the first take.
Pictures with his participation:
- Dubrovsky;
- Cook;
- Oleko Dundich;
- Kuban Cossacks;
- Taras Shevchenko;
- Air cab;
- Member of the government;
- Kochubei and others.
Personal life
The Sorokin family had to move from place to place several times. So, together with the troupe of the Theater of Miniatures in 1941, they moved to Tashkent. Then there was a move to Alma-ata, where the united film studio was located. During the war years, Konstantin Nikolaevich starred a lot and has an award that he has always been proud of - the Order of the Red Star.
During the war years, he starred in 8 films. And when he was invited to shoot the film "Gemini", the family moved to Moscow. There was nowhere to live, and at first the family rented the cheapest hotel room, and then the nook in which the janitor had previously lived. And the exit was straight to the dump. But this did not in any way interfere with creating new film images.
Sorokin's colleagues remember how their house has always been hospitable. The only daughter of Konstantin Nikolaevich Natasha recalls that at home her father was not such a joker as on the TV screen. On the contrary, he had, as he said himself, "sick days." At this time, he wanted to be alone. However with the book.
This could last 3-4 days, after which he dressed elegantly, collected a dinner party and was again open to communication with family and friends. Natasha also discovers the fact from Sorokin's biography that he loved ladies, and they were not opposed to communicating with him. Yes, there were romances, but this did not destroy the family. The wife sometimes laughed at Konstantin Nikolaevich, saying "and why do women love you?"
Indeed, he possessed the most ordinary appearance of a simple peasant, but he knew how to make an impression. He could not only dress like a Hollywood actor, but also reveal his inner potential in such a way that not only women, but also men from the inner circle of the family considered him a gorgeous person in every sense.
Sorokin Konstantin Nikolaevich died in May 1981. The actor died of myocardial infarction. His wife, Ekaterina Ivanovna, did not become earlier, in 1974. However, for all his love for women, he did not strive in the years of loneliness to conclude a new marriage.
