George was the founder of one of the first rock and roll groups in the Soviet Union.
(In the middle)
He was only 15.
Long hair at that time were prohibited in the Soviet Union.
You could actually get in a slammer for it, or some policeman would simply take the scissors and cut them off right where he caught you. What a country it was! Non stop fun.
He quit day school and continued his high school education at nights and worked in Riga port during the day as a student for the electrical master.
But!
The faith had other plans.
George becomes a student of the acting school that was created for the first time by the Riga film studio.
But!
The faith again had other plans and soon he was kicked out for the bad behavior.
As years later he found out that was done on the request of his beloved mother!
He was in shock!
He couldn't believe that this woman..
could do that to this little guy!
What about the great love they had before?!
But as it turned out,she knew better.
In desperation George embarked on ''Mission impossible''.
He travels to Moscow and becomes a student of the Moscow Schepkin
State University for film and theatre.
Considering that at that time in the Soviet Union were only five major universities for film and theatre in a whole country with three hundred million people where the competition for each student place were from three to eight hundred people, that truly was ''Mission impossible''. But, mission was accomplished!
After the graduation George becomes a soloist of the famous Rero Musical orchestra where he is a lead singer.
George starts on 11:20
Enjoy!
Buba Kikabidze
Then...HELLO MUSIC HALL!
George Pusep, soloist of Leningrad Music Hall
If you want to hear dad singing click below...I love it:)
.
This is a program that merits the honour of opening the 1969-1970 season in ''L'Olympia''
''L'Humanite'' (France)
Famous Leningrad Music Hall was the largest
Music Hall , not only in the Soviet Union , but in whole Europe.
It had a performances around the world in the most prestigious venues, including Olympia in Paris, where performed most famous stars from around the world,including Edit Piaf, Frank Sinatra
and others. When George first saw this...he knew...
It was a sure death sentence. A man can not survive such surrounding.
But George lived...and he went on...
Dad in action these days.
He's opening an exhibition to a legendary montenegrian painter Nikola Gvozdenovic - Gvozdo.
Otvaranje izlozbe Nikole Gvozdenovica- Gvozda
(Short translation)
"Nikola is great and he's my pal".
Nemoguće je danas zamisliti Nikolu Gvozdenovića bez Crne Gore i Crnu Goru bez Gvozdenovića - čulo se sinoć na otvaranju izložbe ovog doajena crnogorskog slikarstva, u galeriji Kulturnog centra “Nikola Đurković” u Kotoru. - Neuporediv velikan, koji je ljubav prema slikarstvu prenio na 43 generacije studenata, nigdje na svijetu nije pronašao ljepši i čistiji prostor od svog rodnog Gluvog dola, koji mu je vječna isnpiracija, rekao je otvarajući izložbu ruski glumac i režiser - Džordž Pusep. “Njegovi seljaci iz Gluvog dola su u stvari astronauti, jer mogu da lete baš kao i orao i kokot, jarac velikih dimenzija na njegovim platnima. Skloniti Gvozda iz Crne Gore je moguće, ali Crnu Goru iz Gvozda je nemoguće”, primijetio je Pusep. On smatra da je slikarstvo autentično i prepoznatljivo, da kako je ilustrovao - između 1000 izloženih slika, jasno bi se prepoznala Gvozdenovićeva. Njegove slike uljepšavaju mnogobrojne državne, diplomatske, kulturne i komercijalne prostore ne samo Crne Gore nego i Rusije, Evrope i SAD-a, sve do dvorca britanske kraljice. Izložbu su organizovali je kompanija Montenegroff i kotorski Centar za kulturu.
Of course how do you forget your own profession. Dad could not pass the opportunity and last year did a film with Michael Madsen "As Pik", gruesome story about a dark moments in Montenegro history of the 90 ties.
Georges first major picture was a movie ''Visit of Courtesy''.
It got Lenin's prize,the highest honor in USSR. Guys in Hollywood were turning green from envy! After all-who was Oscar? Some unknown dude from Pasadena?
But Lenin...
the world was his oyster
Lenin was a guy who made such a bang - that no heavy metal band could dream about. He killed off not only the entire Russian Czar's Nicholas Romanov's family
but millions of other poor suckers trough out Russia. WHAT A GUY!!!
I think why we some times have a difficulty understanding each other it's probably because my dad speaks so many languages....
Just not to make things too boring, my dad in later years, produced for the NBC show ''Unsolved Mysteries'' a great story about princess Anastasia Romanov and helped to solve one of the greatest mysteries of the century.
Did she survive the massacre of her family or remained alive as Anna Anderson?
This is a must see. Very exciting story!
And this was the end of one of the greatest and saddest stories of the 20th century that my father in his own small way was part of. As ironic as it may be, the first President of Russia Boris Yeltsin when he was the Governor of Yekaterinburg . was the one who ordered to demolish the Ipatijev house in Yekaterinburg where the Czars family was killed. He also was the first one who acknowledged, that it was the greatest sin that was done upon this family.
What's more interesting that my dad who produced the story of the Romanov Family also was the first producer that did the first interview wit Boris Yeltsin for the western press when Yeltsin became the first President of Russia. Yeltsin did not give any interviews specially to the western press after NBC showed him drunk on one of the the American TV networks. Therefor, there is somewhat interesting story behind this special access to the President. Late Uris Podnieks (on the photo below) was my dad's childhood friend and became a legendary documentary film director. He became passionately involved with film on the inspiration of my dad when they were just kids and Uris was so impressed with my dad that wanted to make a film about my dad. (It's a true story). The film was never made, but films like "Is it easy to be Young" and "The fall of the Empire" were hailed around the world and won Uris numerous most prestigious prizes for the best documentary film directing. Uris also was a stunt supporter of Boris Yeltsin and through his works helped Yeltsin in a big way to win the presidency. Therefore Yeltsin could not refuse Uris when he asked, that he gives interview to my dad's American TV crew. Uris also was a grea patriot of Latvia and its independence, which later Yeltsin granted, but mysteriously (supposedly by diving accident ) Urisis life was cut short soon after that.
During the filming of a "Lost Princess" . Dad, Aleksandr Abdulov and John Josephs - director.
In front of the entrance in the forensic laboratory where the remains of the Romanov family were held . Professor Maples, Nevolin, Director John Josephs and Dad
Robert Stack was the host of the show
Abdulov and dad have some fun. This is a wax figure of Gregori Rasputin. In the Yusupv's castle in the room where he was poisoned and killed. Aleksandr Abdulov famous Russian actor a - legend in its own right - for us, and in our lives turned out to be an Angel Savior. God rest his soul. My dad, in the times when things in the ex Soviet Union were not so good in a small way helped Aleksandr. He paid back for that favor in a way which can not be calculated. But that is another, completely separate story.
Of course before all that there was that one faithful decision , decision to leave USSR. In those years that was not easy to do. But, my dad as always found a way. He just didn't know difficult that way will be.
Here you can see that on his face. Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NY , one of the most expensive hotels in the world. Dad has about 2 dollars in his pocket , enough to by a glass of tap water here. He spent his entire money for this suite. That was the only thing that made him feel and believe that there is a future ahead. 10 years will be stricken out from his life, as nothing was there before. He will have to start everything from the beginning. From zero!
I'm thinking how hard it must of been for him. There will be a carrier of the waiter, taxi driver, shoe salesman, even sweeping the streets! In all of them he pretty much failed. But.! So did President Lincoln before he became a President! So, one has to know my dad! He does not give up easily and all of those failures made him just stronger and more determined to succeed. And - voila! He did. He did it again! In America in order to survive you have to learn either to work well or to do business. He learned both.
With astronaut Georgi Grecko First brake came when dad got a small part as Karpov in the Film " The Falcon and The Snowman", Starring Sean Penn and Timothy Hutton. Which was directed by "Oscar " winner John Schlesinger. Script was written by another "Oscar" winner and camera was by a third "Oscar" winner! Considering that Sean will in the future get a bunch of Oscars and Tim already had one for the film "Ordinary People" NOT a bad company!!! David Bowie sang a theme song for a film, "This is not America", and dad is part of it all!!!
Dad and Sean during filming
Sean calls dad ...." a pal"...wow!!!
With David Suchet during the pause.
Before he become famous as detective Poirot .
During filming.
Film crew of "The Falcon and the Snowman". Among others, Tim Hutton Oscar winner for the "Ordinary People" Alen Davio camera for Steven Spielberg's "ET", John Schlesinger director Oscar winner for the "Midnight Cowboy" , dad and numerous other world famous personalities .
This photo is from film , but that's the same kind of look my dad gives me when I do something wrong - "Dangerous!" By the way Sean was a real prankster. One day he started to cry in front of my dad with crocodile tears complaining how hard is to be famous. Dad as an idiot started to console him trying to give some peace of advise. Recalling , how once he also was famous and that is not something to cry about but to be happy. Later it turned out that Sean was just rehearsing his next days seen and wanted to know if dad will buy his act for a real thing. ( What a smuck!) Wow! What's more exiting, Sean introduced dad to MADOOOONNNNA!!! It was in Westwood. He confided to him that he is about to marry her!!!! Dad did not believe him , but it turned out to be true! Then, years later in the same Westwood during Sean's performance in a play Hurly Burly Sean again confided to dad, that he is divorcing MMMAAADONNNA.....! Dad again did not believe him , but again Sean did not lie. Wow! What a confidence Sean had in MY FATHER!!!! Then came a bunch of TV shows including " The Who's The Boss" with Tony Danza where he was a guest star. By the way FRANK SINATRA also was a guest star in that same show. That's a special moment of pride for my dad. Dad actually can be very funny! Wow!!! I didn't know that.
Tony Danza and DadThere was another movie "Music Box" with Jessica Lange, directed by Costa Gavras. Both "Oscar" winners. Wow!!! My dad wants only the "Oscar" winners. Wasn't the Lenin prize enough?
During the filming of the "Music Box". Dad and the film director legendary Costa Gavras.
Then dad embarked on producing and writing. He produced the legendary "Harlem Globetrotter" Tour to Russia.
Harlem Globetrotters with Dad on the Red Square
During the show
Then came credits as producer for Paramount TV, NBC, ABC and CBS and E Television with Ron Regan Jr.
With Legendary Russian film director, Sergej Bondarchuk. The reason they are laughing is that my dad asked Bondarchuk during the filming of his latest film will there be some sex in the movie, since the film was supposed to go to world audiences and as is well known in the west specially sex sells. Bondarchuk for a second was taken by surprise but then with great conviction answered that there will be sex and a lot of it.
Konstantin Raikin As that was not enough dad writes 12 part TV series " Svobodnaya Zenschina" for Russian Television and creates a wave of surrogate mom stories. Directing in his opinion was s...., but acting and of course writing not bad, not bad at all. Most recent visits to US. Dad, Milla Jovovich and her father Bogi. They have known each other for the last 30 years.
Anyone who knows the history of Rock and Roll must know this face. Eric Burdon, lead singer of "The Animals", legendary group part of the British Invasion who turned the music world and it's history around forever. Such hits as "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't let me be Misunderstood" have been around the globe with their sounds almost forever.
Eric's girlfriend at the time, Eric and Dad. By the way, Eric Burdon is a twice inductee into The Hall of Fame of Rock and Roll. The names that got this honor include, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon, Jimmy Page The Rolling Stones and others. What's amazing is, that one of the first songs my dad sang was exactly "The House of the Rising Sun". Could he imagine then , that many ears later he will become a buddy with Eric. What's more interesting and funny is, that at that time in the Soviet Union very few people knew English including my dad, so the words to the song were made up from the sounds that imitated the English language, but had nothing to do with the lyrics. The only line from the song dad knew is ....the house of the rising sun.. which he pronounced very impressively and that was it! But who cares! Nobody understood anything anyway. As long as the singing was good . My dad knew that part well! Everybody was exited and happy! That was a time of freedom as long as the feeling got across and it did. Do you think during The Beatles or The Rolling Stones concerts anyone heard any words? Of course not! The feeling was the key! So in that sense my dad wasn't any different from them.
Peoples Artist Of The Soviet Union
Iosif Kabzon. Summer 2011.
A living Legend Iosif Kabzon receives a Medal of the "Hero of Russia" from Vladimir Putin. 2012.
