They thought he would live forever: Russia said goodbye to Alexander Shirvindt

And we thought he would live forever. No, not a monument, a man with a capital “H”. As we say: up to 120. Well, at least… Because when you know that somewhere nearby there is such a person, alive and well (well, at least relatively), everything seems to fall into place. Life goes on, the right life.

You know, I don’t want and won’t compare him with anyone, but when Gorky died, suddenly everything became possible. And when Stanislavsky is also possible. Shirvindt is one of those. Now he is gone and everything is allowed?..

He knew how to create meaning in life. He gave hope and optimism. Despite everything. You will say: what other optimism, look around. But when you know that he exists… That’s the truth – it gave me strength.

“I learned to live simply, wisely…” This is Akhmatova. And Shirvindt would have said: “simple, wise, ironic.” He elevated this irony to art – the art of living. With this irony, he, like a musketeer, fenced with stupidity, greed, cruelty, and vulgarity. He himself was unusually organic; irony suited him like a good suit.

What is it like to live like Shirvindt? This is inventing a life for yourself for the sake of your own variety and interest. Here he is driving in his car, Gorin is rushing parallel to him, and Mark Zakharov is climbing from one car to another. Shura approved of this attraction.

But Andrei Mironov decided to marry Larisa Golubkina for a second marriage. The first was Ekaterina Gradova. Well, the young people went to the dacha and retired. Wedding night, no big deal. But Shura and the same Mark Anatolyevich could not leave their friend alone in such an interesting situation. We arrived at his dacha, Shirvindt climbed through the open window and… bit Larisa on the heel. Then for some reason Golubkina did not approve of such irony. But in vain.

Friends called him “Iron Mask.” Because he perceived the coolest pranks gloomily, without even smiling. And this was all its chic-brilliance-beauty. But this is the highest aerobatics of humor, right?

In the movies, he always played himself – no more, no less. Yes, Shirvindt in the proposed circumstances. In “Station for Two,” Ryazanov simply called him Alexander Anatolyevich, hurry to love and favor him. These were small roles, but Shura is Shura. He shone in them and swam. And he never pulled the blanket over himself.

Just once… In “12 Chairs” Zakharov gave him the role of a one-eyed chess player. Only. Although everyone understood that he was a born Ostap Bender. But you can’t give in to your best friend Andrei Mironov.

He never envied anyone. Maybe because he was full of himself. And he was always there, coming to help when needed. On tour in Riga – who else if not him, when the beloved Figaro became very ill.

They left, his beloved people, he remained. Now I was just remembering them. After Mironov – Gorin, then Derzhavin, then Zakharov… Aroseva, Vera Vasilyeva… He said: “All the phones disappeared from the address book.” And he was left alone. There was a family nearby, his beloved wife, son, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-granddaughters, but it was still loneliness.

Irony helped to live, of course. The mask that became his essence.

Do you know what his best role in cinema is? Where he is not Alexander Anatolyevich, but in “Once again about love.” So young, handsome, but Toptygin, nervous, proud, reflective. Wow!

Later he was one of Efros’s favorites and there, in his theater, he played the most difficult roles. And the main ones. It was with Efros that he showed his limitless potential as a psychological artist of the highest category.

And in Satire… Yes, Satire is home, and everyone loved it, starting with Pluchek, the main one. But he played there little. How did Count Almaviva start, remember? Gaft left, Shirvindt was called, and his Almaviva was better than Gaft’s. Everyone said so.

Sometimes he did. Here’s “Little comedies in a big house.” Shirvindt sits at the piano and confesses to his son. Do you remember how to confess? This is where the laughter and tears are.

And if we talk about television… There are a lot of shots, to our delight. The film captured this too and left it forever.

60s, a skit dedicated to Utesov, on his 70th birthday. Very young Shirvindt and Derzhavin are leading this disgrace. Start. He came up with all the dialogues himself, from beginning to end, and generously shared them with his friend Derzhavin.

The year is 1982, twenty years of Kinopanorama. Shirvindt and Derzhavin are the main guests, the icing on the cake. Shirvindt – Voice-over Vnekadrovich Unfilmable. This is ridiculously funny. Gaft, Gluzsky, Gurchenko laugh, Lanova smiles (and everyone is still so young!), but the loudest of all is Gerdt, his laughter can be heard constantly. Shura is again “wearing a mask,” as if indifferently: “Ducks are flying. And two geese. Interesting idea”.

And here are Shirvindt and Derzhavin in “Morning Mail”, presenters. One glance from Shura is enough to make him fall from his chair. His jokes are like improvisation. Although in fact they are perfectly prepared.

But Shirvindt, Derzhavin and Roxana Babayan in the same “Morning Mail” sing about their loved ones. And what admiration for Roxanne.

In general, women and Shirvindt are a separate story. Benefit performance of Lyudmila Gurchenko. So who does she invite? Liepa, Dzhigarkhanyan and him, Shura. But where would we be without him, without a friend? Yes, he knew how to be friends with women, even with such women. Serenity again on her face, Shura dances with Lyudmila Markovna. He is so reliable, he is always there. He is a man in full bloom.

And this is the 60th anniversary of Eldar Ryazanov, 1987. Shirvindt goes on stage alone. Where is the partner? And then an impressive woman almost runs up to him, and in pure English: “El-da-a-ar.” And he, of course, met her at Sheremetyevo-2, alone. And Ryazanov, Khazanov, Tariverdiev roar with laughter from the happiness they saw. Words and production by Shura.

And this is a very recent memory. “Evening Urgant”, Shirvindt visiting Vanya. Because the premiere is in Satire, it needs to be explained, presented. Urgant himself is also an ironist, the best among all the current ones. But Shura outplayed him too, outplayed him, although they were not competing at all. Shirvindt just does it so easily, but at the same time so deeply.

He never fussed and never fawned over anyone. And he always had this dignity mixed with irony – the best ingredients, the main ones. Medicine for life.

His books sold in huge quantities. His statements on the Internet were worth their weight in gold, were incredibly valued, and collected hundreds of thousands of likes. He was simply relevant like few others. And handsome, like few others. He was just Shirvindt. Or Shura, as you like.

Alexander Gertsevich lived,
Jewish musician –
He was catching up on Schubert,
Like a pure diamond.

And to your heart’s content, from morning to evening,
A memorized crunch
One eternal sonata
He played by heart…

What, Alexander Gertsevich,
It is dark outside?
Give it up, Alexander Serdtsevich, –
What’s there? Doesn’t matter!

Let there be an Italian girl there,
While the snow crunches,
On narrow sleds
Flies after Schubert:

To us with blue music
It’s not scary to die
There’s at least a crow’s fur coat
Hanging on a hanger…

That’s it, Alexander Gertsevich,
Completed a long time ago.
Give it up, Alexander Skertsevich.
What is there! Doesn’t matter!

Osip Mandelstam