Karandash

{{family name hatnote|Nikolayevich|Rumyantsev|lang=Eastern Slavic}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Karandash

| native_name_lang = ru

| native_name = {{nobold|Карандаш}}

| image = 200px

| alt =

| caption = Karandash in 1939

| birth_name = Mikhail Nikolayevich Rumyantsev

| birth_date = {{OldStyleDateDY|10 December|1901|27 November}}

| birth_place = Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire

| death_date = {{death date and age|1983|3|31|1901|12|10|df=yes}}

| death_place = Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union

| nationality =

| other_names =

| occupation = Clown

}}

File:Karandash-autograph.png

Mikhail Nikolayevich Rumyantsev{{efn|name=spelling|{{langx|ru|Михаил Николаевич Румянцев|{{transliteration|ru|Mikhail Nikolayevich Rumyantsev}}}}}} ({{OldStyleDateDY|10 December|1901|27 November}}{{snd}}31 March 1983), better known under his stage name Karandash{{efn|{{langx|ru|Карандаш|{{transliteration|ru|Karandash}}}}, which means pencil}} was a famous Soviet clown.[http://www.delteatro.it/dizionario_dello_spettacolo_del_900/k/karandash.php Biography in Italian] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829091741/http://www.delteatro.it/dizionario_dello_spettacolo_del_900/k/karandash.php |date=2007-08-29 }}, retrieved 27 April 2007.[http://www.peoples.ru/art/circus/clown/karandash/index.html Biography in Russian], retrieved 27 April 2007. He was a People's Artist of the USSR and a Hero of Socialist Labour, and was the teacher of the famous Russian clowns Oleg Popov and Yuri Nikulin.[http://www.gomel-region.by/en/bottom_menu/news/society?ns_id=4903 Monument to legendary clown Karandash to open in Gomel June 1, 2006] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010616/http://www.gomel-region.by/en/bottom_menu/news/society?ns_id=4903 |date=September 28, 2007 }}, Official site of Gomel Oblast, retrieved 27 April 2007.[http://www.clownsoftheworld.com/russian.htm History of clowns in Russia], retrieved 27 April 2007.

Family life

Rumyantsev was born in Saint Petersburg, and had two younger siblings, brother Kostya and sister Lena. His mother died when he was six.

Rumyantsev had at least two daughters.

Career as clown

File:1989 CPA 6104.jpg

Starting his career in the circus arena as the imitator of Charlie Chaplin, Mikhail Rumyantsev then abandoned it for, or rather, transformed that part into his would-be renowned image of Karandash always accompanied with his hallmark Scottish Terrier named Klyaksa (which means blot).

He enjoyed immense popularity with the Soviet audience and often gathered full houses all over the country. He had courage to ridicule such topics as religion, alcohol, fascism and even Soviet regime.{{sfn|Stites|1992|p=80}}

Rumyantsev taught his profession to both Oleg Popov and Yuri Nikulin.[http://www.russia-ic.com/culture_art/theatre/335/ Biography of Yuri Nikulin], retrieved on 27 April 2007.

During World War II, Rumyantsev toured on frontiers and mocked fascist forces to raise soldiers’ morale.Official site of Nikulin's circus. {{Cite web |url=http://www.circusnikulin.ru/_en/ours/ |title=РњРѕСЃРєРѕРІСЃРєРёР№ Р¦РёСЂРє РЅР° Р¦РІРµС'РЅРѕРј Р'СѓР»СЊРІР°СЂРµ |access-date=27 April 2007 |archive-date=10 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210073218/http://www.circusnikulin.ru/_en/ours/ |url-status=dead }}, retrieved on 27 April 2007.{{cite web |date=2019-12-10 |title=118 лет Карандашу: Главархив Москвы рассказывает о творчестве известного советского клоуна |work=Сайт Москвы |trans-title=118 Anniversary of Karandash: Archives on Famous Soviet Clown |url=https://www.mos.ru/news/item/66643073/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814210143/https://www.mos.ru/news/item/66643073/ |archive-date=2020-08-14 |access-date=2023-11-04 |publisher=The official portal of the Moscow Mayor and Moscow Government |language=ru}}

In 1960, he toured South America with the Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110524063540/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,869446,00.html?promoid=googlep Reddest show on Earth], Time, 4 April 1960, retrieved on 27 April 2007.

Altogether, Karandash had worked in the circus for 55 years, the last time he appeared in the arena was just two weeks prior to his death.

The {{ill|Moscow Circus School|ru|Государственное училище циркового и эстрадного искусства}} was named after him.[http://www3.pgz.economy.gov.ru/trade/view/organization/general.html?id=102170964 Governmental Russian site about the school] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001020038/http://www3.pgz.economy.gov.ru/trade/view/organization/general.html?id=102170964 |date=2011-10-01 }}, retrieved 30 April 2007.