Aleksandr Khanzhonkov

Production • 1877-08-08 • Khanzhonkovka, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire

In 1906 he opened the A. Khanzhonkov Trading House (since 1912 - A. Khanzhonkov & K JSC), the first Russian company selling and renting foreign films. Since 1907, he began production of game productions and chronicles. One of the founders of Russian cinematography. Vladislav Starevich, Eugene Bauer, Petr Chardynin, Vera Kholodnaya, Ivan Mozhuhin, Vera Caralli, Vitold Polonsky, Ivan Perestiani and others. In 1920, he emigrated after the nationalization of film enterprises. He lived in Constantinople, Milan, Venice and other European cities. In 1922 he was elected honorary chairman of the Union of Russian Cinema Figures of Germany. In 1923, at the invitation of Rusfilm, he returned to the USSR, worked as a consultant in Goskino, head. production of "Proletkino". In 1926 he was arrested among others. However, they had extra opportunities to work in professions. Rehabilitated in 1934. In the same year, in connection with the 15th anniversary of Soviet cinema, he received a personal state award. The author of memoirs published in the book "The First Years of Russian Cinematography" (1937) and other publications; essays published in the 1960s. He died on September 26, 1945 in Yalta, in poverty and complete oblivion.