The talented Russian clown Oleg Popov was once known not only in the countries of the former USSR, but also abroad. This incredibly gifted artist managed to create a simple, but at the same time very capacious and organic image. The public referred to him simply as the "solar clown". The comedian's popularity has been incredible.
This is mainly due to the fact that the clown Oleg Popov, skillfully mastering many genres of circus art, has always been and remains a master of his craft.
Childhood
Surely many are interested in how old Oleg Popov (the clown) is. Count yourself. The future artist was born on July 31, 1930. Father and mother at that time lived in the Moscow region (the village of Vyrubovo). Oleg was the only child in the family. His father worked at a small watch factory, his mother worked at a photo studio. In 1937 Oleg entered the school. But he does not have time to finish school. In 1943, his father suddenly dies, and the young future artist has to go to work. He is hired as an apprentice locksmith at the publishing house of the Pravda newspaper. In parallel with the work of OlegPopov attends night school.
Youth
In 1944, he began to study in the gymnastic section of the Wings of the Soviets club. Together with other guys, performing in an acrobatic ensemble, he takes part in various concerts and sporting events. It was then that the future clown Oleg Popov first knew stage fame. Noting the outstanding abilities of the young acrobat, the teacher Leonov recommended that he try his hand at the children's group of the circus school. A year later, he becomes a student of this institution.
In the early years, he is engaged exclusively in acrobatics, and then begins to practice wire walking.
Sun Clown
In 1950 Oleg Popov successfully graduated from the circus school. He began his professional career as an equilibrist. A little later, in the Saratov circus, he decides to try himself in the image of a chamber clown. It was this new role that made it possible to reveal the versatility of the great artist's talent to the maximum. The sunny clown Oleg Popov appeared before the audience in the form of a good-natured, cheerful, cheerful boy in wide striped pants, a plaid hat, red socks and disheveled blond hair. In his performances, he used elements of acrobatics, balancing act, juggling, parody. But the entre occupied a special place in his rooms. Among his best reprises are such scenes as "Cook", "Ray", "Whistle". In 1952, he decides to marry the violinist of the circus orchestra - Alexandra. After a while they havedaughter Olga is born.
Flourishing creativity
In 1956, together with the circus troupe, Oleg Konstantinovich made a tour of Europe. He visits England, Belgium, France.
It was thanks to the Moscow Circus that foreign spectators saw talented Soviet artists for the first time after World War II. The clown Oleg Popov returns to his homeland already world-famous. After that, he makes a trip to Warsaw, where he participates in the international festival of circus art. The jury highly appreciated the work of the Russian artist. He was awarded two gold medals - as an eccentric, speaking on a wire, and as a clown in an arena. Almost every year Oleg Konstantinovich tours foreign countries. And everywhere his numbers are "excellent". During a performance in Belgium, he was awarded a special award for the best circus artist - "White Elephant". By the fiftieth anniversary of the Soviet circus, in 1969, he received the high title of People's Artist of the Soviet Union. A little later, in Monte Carlo, at the international festival, he was awarded another honorary prize. They became the highest award, the name of which is the "Golden Clown". The famous artist celebrates his fiftieth birthday in Moscow. He takes part in the festive program of the circus dedicated to the Olympics. In 1990, Alexander's wife dies of illness.
Abroad
In 1991 he moved to Holland. There, having signed a contract with the famous impresario Wil Smith, he works in the Great Russian Circus.
In the same year, on September 1, Oleg Konstantinovich married a German Gabriela Leman and moved to Germany permanently. Relatives of the young lady at first took the news of the wedding with hostility. And this is not surprising, because Gabriela was thirty-five years younger than her chosen one. However, they soon reconciled and blessed the marriage. Happy Hans is the pseudonym under which Oleg Popov (clown) has been performing ever since. The biography of the artist is quite difficult. In Germany, he settles in the Bavarian Alps, where he leads an almost hermit life. With his second wife, he lived together for more than a dozen. Abroad, Oleg Konstantinovich organized his own circus show, where he performs to this day. Not many people know that Popov also starred in films. His filmography includes such films as "Mom", "Two Smiles", "Bunker". For some time in Russia, he also acted as a choreographer of circus performances.
