Mikhail Zharov
Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov (27 October 1899 – 15 December 1981) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor and director. People's Artist of the USSR (1949) and Hero of Socialist Labour (1974).
Also recorded as Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov · Mihail Žarov
Mikhail Zharov

Главархив Москвы · Mos.ru · CC BY 4.0
- Name
- Mikhail Zharov
- Birth Name
- Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov
- Born
- 27 October 1899
- Birthplace
- Moscow, Russian Empire
- Died
- 15 December 1981
- Place of death
- Moscow, Soviet Union
- Occupation
- Actor, theater and film director
- Nationality
- Russian Empire and Soviet Union.
- Fields
- theatre, film, acting and directing.
- Honours
- State Stalin Prize, 1st degree, Order of Lenin, Order of the Red Star, Order of the October Revolution, People's Artist of the USSR and Order of the Red Banner of Labour.
- Languages
- Russian.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov (27 October 1899 – 15 December 1981) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor and director. People's Artist of the USSR (1949) and Hero of Socialist Labour (1974).
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Mikhail Zharov. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q764546 · wikipedia · Mikhail Zharov
In this article
Biography
Biography
The recorded working language is Russian. The field of work recorded is theatre, film and acting. Employment is recorded with Meyerhold State Theatre, Azerbaijan State Russian Drama Theater and Kachalov State Academic Russian Bolshoi Drama Theatre. Distinctions recorded are State Stalin Prize, 1st degree, Order of Lenin, Order of the Red Star and Order of the October Revolution.

Russia-2001-stamp-Mikhail Zharov
Wikimedia Commons

Заслуженный артист РСФСР М.И. Жаров в роли Мурзавецкого в спектакле «Волки и овцы» по пьесе А.Н. Островского в постановке Московского государственного академического Малого театра. Автор – В.А. Малышев. Москва. Март 1941 г. Главархив Москвы
Главархив Москвы · Mos.ru
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Mikhail Zharov • Birth Name — Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov • Born — 27 October 1899 • Birthplace — Moscow, Russian Empire • Died — 15 December 1981 • Place of death — Moscow, Soviet Union • Occupation — Actor, theater and film director • Years Active — 1915–1978
Career
Career
He studied under the prominent director Theodore Komisarjevsky and debuted in Yakov Protazanov's Aelita (1924). Later he became a Protazanov regular, appearing in The Man from the Restaurant (1927) together with Mikhail Chekhov. In the 1930s he was a leading actor of Alexander Tairov's Chamber Theatre before moving to the Maly Theatre where, starting in 1938, he was engaged for the rest of his life and most fully unfolded his actor's gift, mainly playing classical repertoire parts (in Wolves and Sheep, The Inspector-General, Heart is not a Stone, The Thunderstorm, etc.) Mikhail Zharov gained wide popularity thanks to the role of Zhigan in Nikolai Ekk’s internationally known drama Road to Life (1931). Playing the leader of a gang of thieves, the actor made use of the opportunities of the first sound film: he endowed his character with a specific accent, played the guitar, and sang songs with his peculiar charm. In 1933 he appeared in Boris Barnet's Outskirts. The most acclaimed of his sound films were Vladimir Petrov's Peter the Great (1937), in which he played Prince Menshikov, and Sergei Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible (1945/58), in which he played Malyuta Skuratov. His last and probably most popular role was that of Aniskin, an amusing and witty village militiaman in the television series The Village Detective (1968), Aniskin & Fantomas (1974) and Aniskin Again (1978).
Death
Death
Mikhail Zharov died in Moscow on December 15, 1981, in his 83rd year, of peritonitis. He was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery (plot No. 9).
Partial filmography
Partial filmography
• Illustration — Zharov on a 2001 stamp of Russia • Tsar Ivan Vasilevich Groznyy (1915) – Soldier • Aelita (1924) – Actor in Play • His Call (1925) • Chess Fever (1925) • Miss Mend (1926) • Man from the Restaurant (1927) – The Waiter • Belyy oryol (1928) • Don Diego and Pelagia (1928) – Himself • Dva-Buldi-dva (1929) • Road to Life (1931) – Thomka Zhigan • The House of the Dead (1932) – Officer (uncredited) • Dvadtsat shest komissarov (1932) – Menshevik • Okraina (1933) – Krayevitch – Menchevik student • Marionettes (1934) – Head of Frontier Post • The Storm (1934) – Koudryash • Three Comrades (1935) – The Engineer • Lyubov i nenavist (1935) – Ensign Kukva • Po sledam geroya (1936) • The Return of Maxim (1937) – Platon Vassilievich Dymba, billiards braggart • Peter the Great (1937, part 1) – Alexander Danilovich Menshikov – Stalin Prize first degree (1941) • The Bear (1938) – Grigori Mikhailovich Smirnov • The Vyborg Side (1939) – Platon Vassilievich Dymba • Man in a Shell (1939) – Mikhail Kovalenko • Stepan Razin (1939) – Lazunka – boyar's son • Engineer Kochin's Error (1939) – Lartsev • Bogdan Khmelnitskiy (1941) – Deacon Gavrilo • The Defense of Tsaritsyn (1942, part 1, 2) – Perchikhin – Stalin Prize first degree (1942) • The District Secretary (1942) – Gavril Fedorovich Rusov • Aktrisa (1943) – Reciter in hospital • In the Name of the Fatherland (1943) – Ivan Ivanovich Globa • The Aerial Cabman (1943) – Ivan Baranov • The Young Fritz (1943, Short) – Fritz • Ivan the Terrible (1945, 1958, part 1, 2) – Czar's Guard Malyuta Skuratov • The Call of Love (1945) – Vadim Spiridonovich Yeropkin • Bespokoynoe khozyaystvo (1946) – Semibab • For Those Who Are at Sea (1948) – Kharitonov • Michurin (1949) – Khrenov • Happy Flight (1949) – Driver Zachyosov • Vassa Zheleznova (1953) – Prokhor Khrapov • The Anna Cross (1954) – Artynov • A Girl with a Guitar (1958) – Sviristinsky • Mlechnyy Put (1959) – Mikhail Silovich • Kain XVIII (1963) – Minister of War • Vnimanie! V gorode volshebnik! (1964) – Cook • Older Sister (1967) – Ukhov • Village Detective (1969) – Aniskin
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the headings Mikhail Ivanovich Zharov and Mihail Žarov. His recorded language was Russian. He married Lyudmila Tselikovskaya. One child is recorded: Anna Zharova.
Career and activity
Career and activity
Mikhail Zharov worked in theatre, film, acting, directing and film direction. He was employed by Meyerhold State Theatre, Azerbaijan State Russian Drama Theater, Kachalov State Academic Russian Bolshoi Drama Theatre, Kamerny Theatre and Maly Theatre. He belonged to Association of Filmmakers of the USSR and Blue Blouse.
Identity
Identity
Mikhail Zharov is recorded as actor, writer, public figure and director.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1981
Mikhail Zharov died at Moscow.
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Mikhail Zharov received State Stalin Prize, 1st degree, Order of Lenin, Order of the Red Star, Order of the October Revolution, People's Artist of the USSR and Order of the Red Banner of Labour.
Awards
• Two Stalin Prizes first degree (1941, 1942) • Stalin Prize second degree (1947) • Hero of Socialist Labour (1974) • People's Artist of the USSR (1949)
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,408 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Mikhail YanshinPerson
- Mikhail YefremovPerson
- Mikhail YevdokimovPerson
- Mikhail ZadornovPerson
- Mikhail ZhvanetskyPerson
- Mikheil GelovaniPerson
- Miki EsparbéPerson
- Miki FujitaniPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Mikhail Zharov?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.