born July 5, 1901, Moscow, Russia
died May 8, 1992, Moscow
Russian puppeteer.
While working as an actor in Moscow (1922–31), he gave independent vaudeville-style puppet shows. In 1931 he was chosen to be the first director of Moscow's State Central Puppet Theatre. There his performances, displaying technical excellence and stylistic discipline, established puppetry as an art form in the Soviet Union, and on worldwide tours he inspired the formation of several rod-puppet theatres. His notable productions included Aladdin's Magic Lamp (1940), An Unusual Concert (1946), and Don Juan (1976).