Today Russia marks the 100th Anniversary of the birth of Arkady Raikin, one of the greatest Russian comic actors ever.

      This day can be called "All Fools' Day" equally with the 1st of April, as today is the 100th birth of Arkady Raikin, the People's Artist of the USSR and Russian "King of Humour". Million people in several countries still remember and love his unbeaten talent. He went down in the history of Russian culture of the 20th century as a great director, scriptwriter, actor, and humorist. He was often called "A Man with a Thousand Faces", because of his virtuoso impersonation.

      Arkady Raikin was educated in Leningrad (now St. Peterburg), had been worked in Aleksandrinsky theatre just for one day and then leave it, as he decided he couldn't act at one stage with great actors Babochkin and Politseimako. The first success came to Raikin in 1939, after his dancing and mystical number "Chaplin". After that his career consisted one brilliant show after another.

      The commemoration meeting will be held in Moscow theatre "Satirikon". Arkady Raikin was a founder of that theatre, which is now called in his honour. And his son, the People's Artist of Russia, Konstantin Raikin, is the current theatre's creative director. He will be an anchorman of the meeting with participation of such famous culture persons, as Sergei Yursky, Mikhail Zhvanetsky, Roman Kartsev, Alla Pugacheva, Tamara Gvartsitelli, Dmitry Bertman. And, of course, an immortal image of Arkady Raikin will "revive" at the screen.

      "It's obvious that there is no such another person as Raikin", famous Russian comic and writer, Mikhail Zhvanetsky, told ITAR-TASS, "Though there are a lot of humorous programmes on Russian TV today, quantity doesn't always transits to quality. There was Chaplin. There was Raikin. One man for each country, two men for the whole world". 

      Arkady Raikin- "V Grecheskom Zale" (in Russian)

Sources: Pravda.ru ITAR-TASS Image: Moskva.fm

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