“God punished my mother’s relatives”: a frank interview with the son of Valentina Leontyeva. Drama "Aunt Valya". TV presenter from "Good night, kids!" loved the people, but not the family Dmitry Vinogradov son

The small Volga village of Novoselki has never seen such a crowd of people. The square near the local House of Culture was crammed with cars: admirers of the talent of the brightest Soviet TV star Valentina LEONTIEVA came here. They came to see her off on her last journey. To pay tribute to the memory of a person who was for some a good storyteller Aunt Valya, for others - the beloved host of Blue Lights and the most popular Soviet TV program, With All My Soul.

I still remember how the children in our yard, throwing toys in the sandbox, shouting “Aunt Valya! Aunt Valya! ran home to watch the program “Visiting a Fairy Tale,” says Margarita NESTERENKO, a pensioner who arrived from Tolyatti. We have lost such a kind person! So bitter!

Anatoly BELEVTsEV

Only three people came to the funeral, who knew Valentina Mikhailovna closely at work: her former administrator Andrei Udalov and students - Lyudmila Tueva and Andrei Orlov. The current TV bosses and broadcast stars, many of whom made their first steps on TV under the leadership of Leontieva, limited themselves to telegrams of condolences at best.

Life after fame

For the last three years, Valentina Mikhailovna lived in the Ulyanovsk village with her sister, where she bought an apartment. She moved to Novoselki after a serious conflict with her son.

There were rumors that Dmitry had severely beaten his mother: that's why she ended up in the hospital, where doctors barely saved Leontiev. Relatives took care of Aunt Valya, only the son never came - he only called occasionally. But the fans did not forget their favorite TV presenter: every day she received letters and parcels from all over the country. Valentina Mikhailovna was invited to visit and offered financial assistance.

Since the end of last year, Leontieva's health has deteriorated sharply. She almost stopped getting up, the doctors diagnosed her with progressive senile insanity. “She can’t even move around the room on her own, we feed her with a spoon,” Lyudmila Mikhailovna, Leontyeva’s older sister, complained to Express Newspaper correspondents at the time. - All day long Valechka lies and groans: after a concussion, she has terrible headaches. She also suffered a microstroke.

I foresaw the end

In mid-May, Valentina Leontyeva asked her sister:

Lucy, bury me at the local rural cemetery. No Moscow, no Novodevichy! After all, you won’t be able to travel to the capital often, but here I’ll be supervised ... Lyudmila Mikhailovna tried to laugh it off: they say, Valya, it’s too early for you to talk about death! But Valentina Mikhailovna took her relative by the hand and said: - I feel, Lyusenka, I don't have long left. The Lord will soon take over… Alas, that is what happened. A few days later, Valentina Mikhailovna developed pneumonia, her temperature rose to 40 degrees. The doctor who arrived said that he could not help.

All night long, in her delirium, she called her son: “Mitenka ... Mitenka ...” When Vali was gone, I called my nephew on my cell phone, - Lyudmila Mikhailovna cannot restrain her sobs. - He took the message about the death of his mother very dryly, as if it did not concern him, said that he was abroad on important business, and asked not to wait for the funeral. Say, then somehow come. Although I don't think it will. During his lifetime, Vali did not find time. What is it now.

All day long, people called to the Leontyevs' house: to express their condolences, to ask how they could help. Bouquets of flowers were brought to the entrance where the TV presenter lived - sincerely, with all my heart. Aunt Valya was buried according to Orthodox customs: the small village church where she was buried could not accommodate everyone who wanted to attend the ceremony. - On a bright day they bury Valentina. To Nikola! - gossiped the old women. So she was a good person. God rest her! ... When the coffin was lowered into the grave, applause broke out. This is how only great artists are seen off.

BY THE WAY

A month before her death, Leontieva presented her things to the Ulyanovsk Museum of Local Lore - photographs, letters, an evening dress in which she received the TEFI television award for her 75th birthday. All of them took pride of place in the exposition.

August 1 marks the 95th anniversary of the birth of "All-Union Aunt Valya", who gave herself to the children of the whole country and did not always find time for her own child

She was loved by millions. Children and adults ran to the TV screens to watch her programs - “Good night, kids”, “Alarm clock”, “Visiting a fairy tale” and, of course, “From the bottom of my heart”, under which the country cried.

It seemed that her huge kind heart was enough for everyone, but at the end of her life the name of the famous Soviet TV announcer Valentina Leontieva bowed mainly in connection with family scandals.

Transfer "Good night, kids" with the participation of Valentina Leontyeva. Screenshot form

Life before TV

During the war, Leontyeva experienced the blockade of her native Leningrad. Then, after the death of her father in 1942, mother and younger sisters were evacuated to the Ulyanovsk region, and eighteen-year-old Valya remained: there were not enough sanitary maids.

After the war, she tried to acquire a “serious” profession, but her soul did not lie, and in 1948 Valentina graduated from a theater studio, after which she served in the Tambov Drama Theater for two years.

And then something happened that gave millions of Soviet people "Valechka" on the blue screen. In 1954, Valentina Leontyeva was cast on television and soon became an announcer. The smiling, natural presenter won many hearts.

Two failed marriages

But Valechka failed to cope with her heart. First, the marriage broke up with her first husband, a radio director Yuri Richard. Then the second husband found a replacement for the eternally busy and in demand wife, Yuri Vinogradov.

He served as an employee of the Soviet diplomatic mission in New York, and there, for her husband, at the peak of her career, leaving everything for the sake of her family, Valentina left. Upon returning to the USSR, Yuri began to drink, according to rumors, he began to have problems in the male part. And when Valentina arranged for him to be treated by prestigious doctors, the husband put himself in order, but had an affair with a younger woman, and the family broke up.

The family was “spoiled by the housing problem”

In family lawsuits, the son took the side of his father. A significant role in that decision was played by children's resentment at the constant absence of their mother. After all, every evening my mother told fairy tales from the TV screen to everyone Mitya. Once he shouted to her that she was not his, but "everyone's mother."

It was said that over the years the boy's character only deteriorated. Forced to live with his mother in the same apartment, he made scandals and made life under one roof so unbearable for his mother that she undertook to exchange her huge "Stalinist" apartment on Bolshaya Gruzinskaya Street. She gave a two-room apartment to her son, but she left a “one-room apartment” for herself.

After the USSR collapsed and television ceased to need "Aunt Valya", this "odnushka" became her kind of pension. Aunt Valya rented an apartment in Moscow and used this money to live in Novoselki, Ulyanovsk Region, under the supervision of her sister.

They began to divide the inheritance even when Leontieva was alive

Heaps of relatives and "friends" are constantly swarming around famous personalities. And questions of division of inheritance constantly arise. This cup did not pass and Valentina Mikhailovna.

Sister Galina had views of a Moscow apartment, but the son almost blackmailed his mother to transfer the property to him, after which the apartment was immediately sold, and the money was invested in a quickly burned-out enterprise.

Then Galina called Mitya and said that an apartment was being sold right next to them, saying that her mother needed a separate housing. Dmitry sent the money required for the purchase, the apartment was purchased, Valentina Mikhailovna moved into it.

And then Dmitry accidentally got the information that this housing was allocated to my mother by the local authorities for free. According to his son, he, seeing the commercialism of his relatives, prepared the conditions for his mother to move to Moscow, bought an apartment for her instead of the sold “odnushka”, but did not have time to complete his plan.

Rumors, gossip, intrigue

When journalists interviewed Dmitry, he complained that relatives set his mother against him, spread rumors about his unbearable character.

At one time, the media raised a wave, allegedly, Valentina Mikhailovna moved in with her sister after a brutal beating by her son, who broke her hip neck. And these rumors spread immediately after he did not allow his mother's apartment, which belonged to her after the exchange, to be re-registered to her sister.

All these property squabbles and the progressive illness of “Aunt Valya” have become the reason that in recent years the son and mother practically did not communicate. The sister said that Mitya avoided communication, and the son blames Galina for cooling relations with her intrigues, but at the same time claims that he talked with his mother on the phone to the end and the relationship was ordinary, not tense.

Nevertheless, the son did not come to the funeral, and he is still blamed for this. But Dmitry named his son in honor of his mother - Valentine.

Valentina Mikhailovna Leontyeva was born on August 1, 1923 in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) into a family of native St. Petersburg intellectuals. There were two daughters in the family - Valya and Lyuda, the family lived together, they liked to arrange parties with home concerts, where everyone sang, dad played the violin beautifully. Since childhood, Valentina loved to perform in amateur performances, played in a drama club, in the 6th grade she won first place in a citywide reading competition. Valentina Leontyeva survived the blockade of Leningrad in 1941-1944, Valentina and her sister Lyudmila became air defense fighters (Valentina was awarded the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad"). Their father, 60-year-old Mikhail Leontiev, was a donor and undermined his health: having injured his hand, he died from blood poisoning. Mom, Valentina and Lyudmila managed to evacuate along the Road of Life, but Lyudmila's little son died, unable to withstand the road. The second homeland of the Leontyevs was the village of Novoselki in the Ulyanovsk region, where they were sent to evacuate, where Valentina graduated with honors from school. After the Victory, Valentina and her mother returned to Leningrad, and then moved to Moscow. Since 1945, she briefly studied at the Chemical-Technological Institute. Mendeleev, then worked in a clinic. Soon she entered the Shchepkinskoye school (VTU named after Shchepkin). At the same time, she studied at the State Opera and Drama Studio. Stanislavsky at the Moscow Art Theater (now the Moscow Drama Theater named after K.S. Stanislavsky), where one of her mentors was the People's Artist of the USSR, the famous

Life often turns out to be cruel to the children of famous parents, as if fate takes revenge on the latter for something - or punishes for old mistakes.

Maria Queen, only daughter Ludmila Gurchenko, who died at the age of 58 in the courtyard of her own house, for almost two decades did not communicate with her mother. Their relationship was strained to the point of breaking up, and Maria was raised not by a famous mother, but by her grandparents. As the Queen once stated in her hearts, she would never forgive Gurchenko for exchanging her family for "grimaces and jumps." Similar tragedies of mothers or fathers and their children unfolded in many star families.

Vladimir Tikhonov, son of Nonna Mordyukova and Vyacheslav Tikhonov

Nonna Mordyukova in the film "Station for Two"

Son of famous Soviet actors Nonna Mordyukova and Vyacheslav Tikhonov from an early age he knew what it was like to grow up as a child of popular idols, and what it was like when parents were at work all the time - for days, or even weeks. He experienced the divorce of his parents much harder than "non-public" children.

It was said that Vladimir wanted to become a lawyer, but in order not to upset his mother, he went into acting. However, after a bright start (Tikhonov Jr. successfully acted in films, worked at the Theater of the Soviet Army, the Theater-Studio of a film actor, traveled with creative evenings), his career slowed down. In addition, the older he got, the more he understood that the audience would inevitably compare him with his famous father. And the star film - such as Vyacheslav Tikhonov's "Seventeen Moments of Spring" became for Vyacheslav Tikhonov - did not happen in his creative life.

Vladimir increasingly relieved stress with alcohol, then drugs were added to alcohol, his health quickly deteriorated. Family life also cracked. The last years of his life, Vladimir Tikhonov lived with his mother - and their relationship was very difficult. He died in 1990, at the age of 40, from a heart attack (presumably caused by alcohol and drugs). Nonna Mordyukova blamed herself for the death of her son until the last day of her life - and bequeathed to bury herself next to him.

Dmitry Egorov, son of Natalia Kustinskaya

The son of the "Soviet Brigitte Bardot", the stars of the films "Three plus two" and "Ivan Vasilievich changes his profession" Natalia Kustinskaya and diplomat Oleg Volkov, subsequently adopted by the third husband of the actress, an astronaut Boris Egorov, I realized early on what glory is.

He played his only, but stellar role as a schoolboy - in handsome Dimka Somov from Scarecrow, although he was, in general, a negative character, many girls fell in love after the release of the film. However, Dmitry Egorov did not connect his life with cinema, and his mother did not want this either. He graduated from the Faculty of Economics of Moscow State University, got married, but a happy family life was short-lived. The son of Dmitry Yegorov died before he even lived a year, his wife began to drink.

The second blow - a year after the death of the baby - was the death of Boris Yegorov. Dmitry began to suppress his grief with alcohol, and then with drugs. The new chosen one (by that time he divorced his wife) also, according to stories, turned out to be a drug addict. Kustinskaya's son died in 2002 at the age of 32 under strange circumstances. A few hours before his death, Dmitry quarreled with his mother and left home with his girlfriend to visit someone. The official version of his death was acute heart failure, but he also had a wound on his temple. Subsequently, it turned out that he was regularly beaten by a cohabitant.

Boris Livanov, son of Vasily Livanov

The eldest son of the famous "Sherlock Holmes" Vasily Livanov and his wife Elena, a well-known animator, Boris, showed great promise in his youth. He painted talentedly, studied at the Pike and GITIS, many were sure that, like his father, he would become a brilliant actor. But fate decreed otherwise. In 2009 Boris Livanov arrested on suspicion of drunken murder and later sentenced to nine years in prison.

Shortly after this story became known, other details surfaced - as it turned out, the man had been drinking for a long time. Parents tried to reason with him, forgave him all the tricks - and tried to hide family problems from others. However, a few months before the tragedy, Vasily Livanov admitted in an interview that Boris behaved aggressively more than once, literally rushing either at his father or at his mother, and more than once. Surrounded by the family, they said that the Livanovs had problems with their son a long time ago - for some reason he was angry with his parents, believed that he could achieve more in this life, and blamed his mother and father for his troubles.

In 2014, Boris Livanov was released ahead of schedule. Not so long ago it became known that he made peace with his family and, as they say, “tied up” with alcohol.

A photo: Boris Livanov's Facebook page

Philip Smoktunovsky, son of Innokenty Smoktunovsky

Philip Smoktunovsky, like his famous father, he dreamed of becoming an actor. He graduated from drama school, began acting in films, and seemed to be quite successful - but alcohol and drugs, with which, according to his entourage, he got involved, ruined his career and broke his family life. It was said that addictions prevailed when Philip realized that his acting career was not going well enough.

Philip Smoktunovsky with his father. 1969 Archive "Express-Gazeta"

According to friends, because of the unlucky son, Innokenty Mikhailovich one of the heart attacks happened. He tried to treat Philip, arranged him in various clinics - but this did not bring success. After the death of his father, Smoktunovsky Jr., together with his sister Maria, who never married, lived with his mother, did not work anywhere. After the death of the mother Sulamith Mikhailovna in 2016, nothing is known about Smoknutovsky Jr.

Anatoly Serov, son of Valentina Serova

Valentin Serova. Wikimedia

Soviet movie star Valentina Serova suffered for many years because of a difficult relationship with her son Anatoly, whom she named after her husband, the legendary pilot Anatoly Serov- he died before the birth of the child. When the widowed Serova married Konstantin Simonov, the poet's relationship with his stepson did not work out. As a result, Tolya was sent to a boarding school. Then his life went downhill - and after a while the life of the actress also rolled downhill.

Alcohol has become a common problem for Serova, who has lost her family and turned into a forgotten star of a bygone era, and for her son. He contacted a bad company, appearing at home, more than once raised his hand to his mother. Once Valentina called the actress Rimma Markova and asked to save her - the son raged, he cuts the doors in the apartment with an ax.

Valentina Serova survived her son by only a year - he died in June 1975, at the age of 35. The actress did not attend his funeral. They said that shortly before his death, Anatoly tried to improve relations, came to his mother with a bouquet of flowers - but he was put up by Valentina Serova's drinking buddy.

Dmitry Vinogradov, son of Valentina Leontieva

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On August 1, Valentina Leontyeva, People's Artist of the USSR, TV announcer, host of the programs “Good night, kids!”, “Visiting a fairy tale”, “With all my heart” could have turned 93, but in 2007 she passed away. The charming aunt Valya was adored by little viewers and their parents, Bulat Okudzhava and Arkady Raikin were in love with her, she was married twice, but she called television her greatest love. She had to sacrifice a lot for this love.

Valentina Leontieva

Valentina Leontyeva in the first studio of the program *Good night, kids!*, 1960s

Valentina Leontyeva was born on August 1, 1923 in Leningrad. During the Second World War, the family had a chance to survive the blockade and famine, which she could not forget until the end of her days. They cooked jelly from wood glue and soup from a leather belt cut into small pieces. To distract her daughters from thoughts about food and discourage their appetite, the mother taught them to smoke. Valentina was a heavy smoker all her life and gave up this habit only a year before her death.

Valentina Leontyeva - host of the program *Good night, kids!*

*Aunt Valya of the Soviet Union*

Valentina dreamed of becoming an actress and after the war she graduated from the Opera and Drama Studio. Stanislavsky at the Moscow Art Theater, worked at the Tambov Drama Theater, and then came to television. She first appeared on the screen in 1954. Her debut as an announcer was unsuccessful: she had to read a message on the New Year tree in the Central House of the Soviet Army, and she got so excited that she began to stutter. But that was the only miss. After 10 years, not a single holiday program on central television took place without her participation.

Announcer and TV presenter Valentina Leontieva

There were many romantic stories in her life. Once, in 1945, right after the Victory, Valentina saw a captured German who was digging a trench, and he asked her for bread. She obtained permission to feed him dinner, and 10 years later he returned to the USSR to thank her and propose to her. She refused him, as well as another boyfriend - an Arbat boy who sang songs to her and dedicated poems. It was Bulat Okudzhava. They met 40 years later, when Leontief was asked to invite the poet to a TV show. And a month after this meeting, Bulat Okudzhava died. Valentina said: “I am terribly sorry now that we lost these forty years without seeing each other - how much could have been otherwise!”

Leontieva with female miners on the set of the program *With all my heart*

The first time she married in her student years. This marriage was short-lived and broke up due to her husband's infidelity. The second time, Valentina married diplomat Yuri Vinogradov, whom she fell in love with at first sight. They lived together for 28 years, but then broke up. Two years after the birth of their son, Valentina became the host of the Good Night, Kids! program. The son was very jealous of her for all the children, to whom she paid more attention than to him, and was worried because her mother was “everyone”, and not just him.

Valentina Leontyeva - host of the program *Good night, kids!*

Leontyeva devoted 50 years of her life to television and called it her greatest love. She admitted: “Television was my number one home. She left for work - her son was still sleeping. Came back and was already asleep. She didn’t swaddle, and didn’t even feed. Perhaps this was the reason for their discord in the future. The son rarely spoke with his mother, and in recent years, he did not see each other at all, he did not even come to her funeral.

Valentina Leontyeva on the set of the program *Good night, kids!*

And at the same time, millions of Soviet children adored Aunt Valya and were waiting for new releases of "Quiet", as they called "Good night, kids!". She was also the host of the program “Visiting a fairy tale”, “Alarm clock”, “From the box of the theater”, the festive “Blue Lights” and the search program “With all my heart”. She was lovingly called Aunt Valya of the Soviet Union, she became the only female announcer of the Central Television, awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR.

People's Artist of the USSR Valentina Leontyeva

In the 1990s for Valentina Leontyeva, the most difficult period came: all her programs were closed, the new management did not see her as an announcer or presenter. She was transferred to the position of assistant director, later - a consultant in the sign language department. At the same time, health problems began. In 2004, after an unsuccessful fall, Leontyeva developed memory lapses and her eyesight worsened. She spent her last days with her sister in the village of Novoselki in the Ulyanovsk region, where she was buried.

Announcer and TV presenter Valentina Leontieva

In her declining years, Leontieva complained: “Television is no longer what it used to be. Then there was more sincerity in people, we loved our work. That is why the transmissions turned out to be sincere and kind. What now? Endless games and shows in which greed, immorality and greed reign."

Monument to V. Leontyeva in Ulyanovsk