Ivan Ilyich Mozzhukhin

About museum

Ivan Ilyich Mozzhukhin (1889–1939) – a Russian actor, screenwriter and director of the silent film era, who also worked in France, Germany and the United States. He was born in the village of Kondol in the Petrovsky Uyezd of Saratov Governorate. From 1899 to 1907 he studied at the 2nd Penza Men's Gymnasium. After finishing the gymnasium he studied for two years at the Law Faculty of Moscow University, after which he went into acting.  

He worked in touring companies in provincial theatres, then in the theatrical troupe of the Moscow Vvedensky People's House. In 1911 he began appearing in films produced by Khanzhonkov's company and quickly achieved success. Among his roles are the violinist Trukhachevsky in "The Kreutzer Sonata" (1911), Admiral Kornilov in "The Defense of Sevastopol" (1911), Mavrushka (also the Guards officer) in Chardynin's "The Little House in Kolomna" (1913), and the Devil in Starevich's "The Night Before Christmas." The pinnacle of Mozzhukhin's acting is considered to be the role of Prince Kasatsky in Protazanov's film "Father Sergius" (1918). In 1920 he emigrated from Russia and thereafter appeared mainly in France, working as an actor, screenwriter and director.