Boris Amarantov

Boris Georgievich Amarantov (Russian: Бори́с Гео́ргиевич Амара́нтов; September 19, 1940 – March 3, 1987) was a Soviet variety actor and director. Amarantov was born on September 19, 1940, in Moscow into the family of a dynastic priest. After five failed attempts to enroll in Moscow's State College of Circus and Variety Arts, Amarantov was successful on his sixth application, supported by well-known clown-mime Leonid Yengibarov, who was a member of the selection committee. In 1962 Boris graduated from state college with the performance Ke-la-la (backing track Chella llà), which was staged by Sergei Kashtelyan. Amarantov performed Ke-la-la on the variety show Little Blue Light and starred in the film Fair Wind, 'Blue Bird'!. In the same year he was awarded at the VIII World Festival of Youth and Students in Helsinki, Finland making an impression with his act Save the World (Nuclear Worker Failed), which warned of the threat of an escalating Cold War. The spot was based on the combination and contrast of two different songs: Top, Тop, Stomping the Вaby by Tamara Miansarova and a composition called I Want You to Be My Baby, performed by American singer Lillian Briggs. Soon Amarantov created his own theater of pantomime. Amarantov, Grigory Chukhray and Mark Donskoy staged the performance Miracles in His Bag which proved to be a success. As a result of intrigue from senior officials of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR) Ministry of Culture, the theatre was closed several times.