Forty years of the TV show “Around Laughter”... Years have passed, but many have not forgotten how they waited for it and watched it in the evenings.
40 years ago September 18, 1978 on screens Soviet Union The television entertainment program “Around Laughter” was released. There were few such television programs in those years, and, according to its leading poet-parodist Alexander Ivanov, “when there was laughter on the air, the streets became empty.” The show instantly won audience choice and from 1978 to 1990 was the most popular show, which absorbed the best satire and humor of the USSR.
Idea humorous program was not new. It was assumed that the project would become a television incarnation of the “12 Chairs Club” of the Literary Newspaper and would have a concert form, not a studio one. That is why getting tickets for the program and getting to the concert itself in Ostankino was considered extraordinary happiness and the face of fortune.
As already mentioned, the permanent host of the TV program “Around Laughter” serendipity became a teacher descriptive geometry in the past and a famous parodist poet in the future, Alexander Alexandrovich Ivanov (December 9, 1936 - June 13, 1996). Why by luck? On the day appointed for filming the first episode, the approved presenter could not arrive on time, and since the audience Concert hall Ostankino was already awaiting the start of the performance; a replacement in the person of television debutant Alexander Ivanov saved the premiere of the show from failure. As they say, being in the right place in right time, the poet-parodist took over as the organic host of the “Around Laughter” program. The audience always looked forward to it. The audience's favorite, who became San Sanych for everyone, turned any source material into a brilliant number filled with poetry and irony.
The program was divided into 4 permanent sections: literary, musical, theatrical and poetic.
In the literary section, the viewer listened to the art of such the most talented comedians and satirists like Mikhail Zadornov, Arkady Arkanov, Efim Smolin, Semyon Altov, Mikhail Zhvanetsky, Anatoly Trushkin, Grigory Gorin.
A favorite participant in the TV show was Viktor Veselovsky, a journalist and satirist, one of the creators of “Around Laughter” and the long-term leader of the “12 Chairs Club” in Literaturnaya Gazeta. It is also impossible to imagine this TV show without this man of rare charm.
The music block was built differently. The main function was gaming. Fans of the show note “Orange” with a parody of the song “Theme from “Love story”” as one of the best and most beloved numbers.
The theater section showed excerpts from performances, as well as solo performances. Here, the devoted audience may be touched by the memory of the number “Chicken Tobacco”, which was presented by the then unknown Leonid Yarmolnik.
In the poetry section, viewers admired the reading art of famous poets: Robert Rozhdestvensky, Andrei Voznesensky, Nikolai Dorizo; masters of the ironic-parody genre: Vladimir Vishnevsky, Pavel Khmara and Igor Irteniev.
The most honored guest of the TV show was Rostislav Plyatt, who, according to a number of opinions, could become its host. And he was an amazing presenter! But the show would have turned out completely different.
It is impossible not to pay attention to the artist Igor Makarov, who drew friendly caricatures of the participants, and the public was given the opportunity to guess “What would this mean?” At the end of the program, the winner received a prize from the hands of San Sanych himself. As you know, it was a book with his parodies.
We will definitely focus on the audience. Completely different faces... No better, no worse - different. And life was different. But how nice it is to see them!
Could a similar transmission happen today?
In 2017, on April 1, Channel One made an attempt to revive the program with a new presenter, Efim Shifrin, but, not receiving the expected response from viewers, a few months later “Around Laughter” was finally closed. It is quite possible that the failure of the transfer was influenced by a change of generations and modern society. Now, unfortunately, young people are not interested in this kind of programs and television in general. Now the Internet is a land of opportunity. Therefore, I cannot believe that a television program of this level will appear.
Maybe one of the readers took part in the recording of the TV show “Around Laughter” and can add to this material? It would be very interesting!
Popular entertainment program Soviet television, aired on the First Program of Central Television from September 18, 1978 to April 1, 1991 and resumed in the spring of 2017 on Channel One.
Laughter all around. About the program
The idea for the humorous program came from the head of the humor department. "Literary newspaper" Viktor Veselovsky– it was assumed that the new project would become a television embodiment "Club 12 chairs" but the broadcast itself will not be a studio broadcast, but a concert one.
There was a problem during the filming of the first episode: the approved presenter could not arrive on time, and since the audience had already gathered in the Ostankino Concert Hall, they had to urgently get out of it. They managed to find a replacement in the person of a television debutant, poet-parodist Alexander Ivanov, who in the end turned out to be so organic that after the broadcast he was approved for the role of a permanent presenter.
The “Around Laughter” program consisted of several sections: literary, musical, theatrical and poetic.
The first featured performances by well-known and emerging satirists and comedians. So, Mikhail Zhvanetsky appeared here, Semyon Altov, Efim Smolin, Arkady Arkanov, Anatoly Trushkin, Grigory Gorin, Mikhail Zadornov, others.
In the theater block, excerpts from performances or solo numbers were shown. For example, Leonid Yarmolnik became famous precisely thanks to "Around laughter" and your number "Chicken Tobacco" Andrei Mironov, Konstantin Raikin, Yuri Nikulin, Gennady Khazanov and others repeatedly took part in the program.
The musical part was also playful - many fans of the show remember the hilarious number "Orange" with a parody of « ThemefromLovestory» , appeared often "Bim-Bom" and other parody groups, bards, popular artists and bands of all genres.
The literary section was presented by famous poets - Andrei Voznesensky, Robert Rozhdestvensky, Nikolay Dorizo, and masters of the ironic-parody genre: Vladimir Vishnevsky, Igor Irtenev, Pavel Khmara, and, of course, Alexander Ivanov himself, the public’s favorite, called San Sanych. He was always looked forward to. Neither before nor after him was the genre of literary parody so loved by the people: the primary sources no longer seemed too important, for each Ivanov’s parody was a brilliant number that combined irony and what later came to be called “banter.”
In each program there is an artist Igor Makarov drew friendly cartoons of the participants, and a competition was organized for the audience “ What would that mean?“- the winner in the finale of the concert received a prize from the hands of San Sanych himself. It was, as a rule, a book with his parodies.
Broadcast "Around laughter"was sincerely loved by the audience, they were looking forward to it, getting to the concert itself in Ostankino was considered happiness, tickets were very difficult to get.
However, in 1991 the program was closed - the time had changed, they decided to talk about almost everything, many others appeared interesting programs, the attitude of the audience also became different - veiled irony, subtle hints and Aesopian language were replaced by open satire, caustic exposure, and direct criticism.
Unfortunately, when humorous programs began to be revived, none could become the spiritual successor to “Around Laughter,” the last, 38th, episode of which aired on April 1, 1991.
Laughter all around. Revival of the program
A quarter of a century later, Channel One decided to resume the program "Around laughter" In 2016, her official website was opened, and the casting was announced at the same time.
In March 2017, it became known that the revived humorous show would be released on April 1, and its host would be the Soviet and Russian artist pop singer, actor, director, comedian, singer and writer Efim Shifrin. In addition, the first issue was assigned No. 39, thereby continuing the numbering of the previous episodes of the program.
Within updated program viewers will be presented with numbers of various humorous genres, both old and modern: satirical monologues, stand-up, musical numbers, theatrical miniatures, sketches, parodies with complex plastic makeup, archival footage "Around laughter", etc.
Initially, the role of the presenter was intended for the famous actor Rostislav Plyatt. However, by the time filming of his debut program began, he fell ill and was unable to film. And in the hall the audience is already seated, and it is impossible to cancel the shooting. We urgently need another presenter. The editor decided to entrust the hosting of the program to Alexander Ivanov, a tall poet-parodist who was popular at the time and who, quite by chance, became the permanent presenter of “Around Laughter.”
A. Ivanov - host of the program "Around Laughter"
According to another version, Ivanov was appointed presenter at the prompting of the wife of one of the leaders of the Central Television, Valerian Kalandadze. The advice turned out to be successful. Ivanov fit perfectly into the program, not only hosting it, but also reading his works in it. From then already famous authors and the performers invited to the program were Mikhail Zhvanetsky, Arkady Arkanov, Roman Kartsev, Viktor Ilchenko, Grigory Gorin, Rina Zelenaya, Leonid Utesov. In general, it was considered lucky to get into “Around Laughter”.
In 1991, the program was closed, and not at all for political reasons, as it might seem. Perestroika changed a lot not only in the country's economy, but also in its citizens' perception of satire and humor. Many prohibitions were lifted, they began to talk about everything directly, without hints. There was no longer any need for veiled criticism. The public needed a completely different kind of humor, which meant different authors and performers. Plus, the trickle of state financial support for television has become shallow. This is how “Around Laughter” ended. As unnecessary...
Everything new is well forgotten old.
“Around Laughter” - an entertaining humorous program, born in 1978 and regularly aired until 1991, reappeared on screens in 2017.
By the way, the first episode of that program began with a slight embarrassment. The presenter was unable to arrive at the shooting on time and was temporarily (but it turned out to be forever) replaced by A. Ivanov. It was he who, after the first episode, was approved for the role of an organic and charming presenter. The program was divided into four categories, in each of which performers known and unknown to the Soviet audience performed. It was a launching pad for aspiring comedians, as well as satirists who wanted to show off their wit.
In the theater category, they showed excerpts from various performances or demonstrated something of their own solo. The now famous Leonid Yarmolnik became popular after viewers saw his “Chicken Tobacco”. Young people took part in the program, but already famous actors– A. Mironov, K. Raikin, G. Khazanov and others.
The literary category meant the performance of poets - A. Voznesensky, N. Dorizo, R. Rozhdestvensky. Along with serious writers, the program also featured masters of witty words - V. Vishnevsky, P. Khmara, I. Irtenev, and of course San Sanych, as the host - Alexander Ivanov was lovingly called. It was his performances that the audience waited for as “manna from heaven,” since it was he who allowed himself to be used in his speeches, as is now customary to say “banter.”
The musical category meant performances by bards of that time, ironic and comedic musical parodies of famous performers, both foreign and domestic. Each program was marked by friendly sketches (caricatures) of Igor Makarov on the participating artists, musicians, writers and poets, and the audience participating in the competition had the opportunity to receive a memorable gift from the hands of San Sanych himself. Usually this gift was a book of parody works of his own composition.
The program “Around Laughter” was loved, awaited, and tickets were obtained with a fight.
Now, twenty-five years later, it was decided to resume the transmission. As part of the transfer, will be used humorous numbers of a wide variety of genres, both in the spirit of a bygone time and modern, new numbers, which will include sketches, stand-up, satirical dialogues and monologues, musical performances, theatrical miniature productions will be intertwined with archival episodes of “Around Laughter.”
The creators of the reanimated program “Around Laughter” emphasize that the emphasis is on intelligence, subtlety, and elegance of satire and humor of the new project. The first guests will be invited stars - L. Dolina, M. Boyarsky, Y. Galtsev, N. Valuev, T. Rodriguez, S. Altov, the group “Glom!” led by Vsevolod Moskvin and other famous people.
The end of the seventies in the USSR and specifically 1978 was a sad time. The very peak of “stagnation”. Television broadcasts the speeches of the elderly Brezhnev, bravura reports from factories and collective farm fields, which are diluted with ceremonial concerts of permitted songs. The only humorous program is “Zucchini 13 Chairs”, which almost does not overlap with real life and simply got tired of it after many years. And at this very time, in the bowels of the entertainment department of Central Television and the humorous editorial office of Literaturnaya Gazeta, an idea grew up: fun program. Its title “Around Laughter” hinted at the popular magazine “Around the World” and suggested a kind of journey with humor. The host was the poet and parodist Alexander Ivanov, and the TV editor Tatyana P was in charge behind the scenes. A Ukhov, head of the “Literature” department Viktor Veselovsky and theater director Gariy Chernyakhovsky. Viewers saw the first episode on September 18, 1978.
The program was recorded in concert studio Ostankino is in the presence of spectators, so the laughter in the hall is genuine. Filming could last several days. From three to four hours of material, a ninety-minute episode was edited. Everything went through the strictest editing and the truly best was selected. It is important to emphasize that the program was started just for fun. This is exactly “Around” laughter, that is, a very wide range bright personalities. Actors, writers, poets, clowns, parodists, artists and musicians are completely different directions. Talented youth here received a ticket to big stage, and the masters could show themselves with the best side. In the eighties, several more humorous programs appeared on television. However, “Around Laughter” was undoubtedly the most respected of them.
Released April 1, 1991 latest issue"Around laughter." Time has changed and what was talked about in hints for 13 years has ceased to be funny. However, the legendary program was not forgotten. On April 1, 2017, she appeared on Channel One. The host was Efim Shifrin, who appeared a lot in old issues. New project represented modern facets of humor and did not copy the past. According to Shifrin, “You shouldn’t step into the same river twice, you just need to change the water.” True, this river turned out to be short. Already in August, without official announcement closing, the program quietly went into the archives. Well, it happens! Let's not despair, because there is no shortage of jokers these days.
It was a program "That Time" with a story about the program "Around laughter". All episodes of the program can be listened to on the website "Road Radio", V mobile application or by subscribing to the podcast.
All the best! Together on the road!
