Garin, Erast

Born Oct. 28 (Nov. 10), 1902, in Riazan. Soviet Russian actor and director. People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1964).

In 1922, Garin began working at the Vs. Meierkhol’d Theater. In 1926 he graduated from the Higher Experimental Theatrical Studio. His roles include Guliachkin in Erdman’s The Warrant, Khlestakov in Gogol’s The Inspector-General, and Chatskii in Griboedov’s Woe From Wit. From 1936 he was an actor and director with the Leningrad Theater of Comedy and from 1950, with the Film Actor’s Theater-Studio. Garin’s gift for comedy fully developed in motion pictures. His first role was that of the adjutant in the film Lieutenant Kije (1934, after Tynianov). His best film roles include Al’fred Tarakanov in The Music Story (1940), the King in Cinderella (1947), and Cain XVIII in the film of the same name (1963). Together with Kh. A. Lokshina he made the films The Marriage (1937, after Gogol), in which he also played the role of Podkolesin, Doctor Kaliuzhnyi (1939), The Prince and the Pauper (1942, after Mark Twain), An Ordinary Miracle (1965, after Shvarts), in which he played the King, and Raspluev’s Merry Days (1968), in which he played Tarelkin and Kopylov. A recipient of the State Prize of the USSR (1941), he has been awarded the order of the Badge of Honor and various medals.