Balashov Viktor Ivanovich - the legend of Soviet and Russian television. He is an announcer who announced to the people about the most important events in the life of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Has a lot of state awards.
Viktor Balashov: biography, early years
Viktor Ivanovich Balashov was born back in 1924 in Moscow. He grew up in an ordinary family. From early childhood he gravitated toward art. He planned to connect his life with activities in the field of art. He studied at a regular school and was absolutely no different from other guys of his age. In order to realize the dream, after graduating from the tenth grade, he enters the youth theater studio, which was organized at the world-famous Moscow Art Theater. Young Victor showed himself well and tried to be one of the best. Naturally, this was noticeable, and therefore he enjoyed some respect from other guys and teachers. Despite all the difficulties that accompanied his studies in the studio, Balashov already had a perspective in terms of future work. Unfortunately, all dreams will have to be put aside, because in 1941 the Great Patriotic War begins, and then it becomes not at all up toart.
War Years
Future announcer Viktor Ivanovich Balashov lost his father quite early. He died a heroic death in a bloody battle near Smolensk. This fact was one of those that forced the eighteen-year-old boy to go to the front as a volunteer. From February to December 1943, he was part of one of the divisions on the Volkhov Front. In 1944 he served in a rifle regiment and defended his homeland on the Leningrad front. In the same year, he managed to fight in the ranks of another division on the Leningrad front.
In the summer of 1943, the division, in which Viktor Balashov fought, launched an offensive against the Nazis. Three times the Germans repelled the attacks of Soviet soldiers, but on the fourth their defense gave way, and the Russians managed to get to the enemy's trenches, where it was necessary to gain a foothold. The most terrible thing began in the trenches - the battle between the Germans and Russian soldiers. It was in this battle that the young man received his first wound, from which he almost died.
In the spring of 1944 he will receive a second wound. This will happen during the crossing of Narva. Victor was behind the machine gun. His task was to support the units that went on the offensive. It is worth noting that, in addition to supporting the attackers, together with other machine gunners, he repulsed several counterattacks of the Nazi invaders.
After a few months, he received another wound. This happened during the assault on Vyborg. The summer of 1944 will be a busy one for Viktor Ivanovich. On June 27, as part of a reconnaissance group, he will go on a mission with the aim of capturingGerman officer. During the operation, he will be shell-shocked.
Viktor Balashov spent the Great Patriotic War as a private. In 1944, he took the position of a line overseer in a government communications company. In the same year, he was commissioned for he alth reasons.
Life after the war
After returning from the front, he becomes an announcer on the All-Union Radio, where he will hone his skills in this kind of activity. In parallel, he continued his studies at the studio at the Moscow Art Theater. In 1947 he finished his studies and came to work for Central Television.
Viktor Balashov repeatedly said that after the end of the war there was no serious work, because the country was busy resolving completely different issues. It often happened that he simply announced the name of the film, and then thanked the audience for watching. Naturally, this was not enough for a man who dreamed of having his voice heard by the whole country.
The young announcer is doing well and will soon have more work to do. He begins to voice documentaries, as well as foreign ones. Among the foreign ones, one can distinguish directly French paintings. Viktor Ivanovich is sure that he began to get more work only because he tried to develop and improve. He often took the train and went to the forest, where there was never anyone. There the young man practiced his voice and learned its secrets. As will become clear later, hard work will pay off.
Basiccareer period
Viktor Balashov - the announcer, whose biography is presented to your attention in the article, worked on Central Television for forty-nine years. During this time, many different events happened in the life of a man, among which there are funny moments and sad ones.
One of the most important events in the life of Viktor Ivanovich was the day when he announced to the whole country that Yuri Gagarin went into space. The announcer repeatedly recalled this incident, and also told what preceded it. It all started with the fact that the announcer was resting in the country. Unfamiliar people drove up to his house and ordered to get ready for Moscow. No objections were accepted, and soon Balashov met with the director of Central Television. He handed him an envelope and told him to open it only on command. A few days later the order arrived. The envelope contained a speech in which Yuri Gagarin's flight would be mentioned.
In 1975, another important event happened that glorified the Soviet leader. Brezhnev was supposed to deliver a parting word for the Apollo Soyuz cosmonauts. Shortly before the solemn speech, the general secretary fell ill and was unable to deliver it. It was decided that the honorary mission should be carried out by none other than Viktor Ivanovich.
There was an unpleasant episode in the life of the host of "Vremya" after which he received a remark from the management. Everything happened due to the fact that Balashov, in one of his programs, showed the restored throne of Ivan the Terrible. This ishappened during a report from the Kremlin. Today it seems that this is nothing to worry about, but at that time it was highly undesirable.
In 1996, the announcer decided to end his career in television and give way to the young.
Creativity
Over the years of his career, he led a huge number of programs. Among all, it is worth highlighting such as "News Relay Race", "Time", "News", "Front Friends Club" and "Seventh Heaven". This is only a small part of what is connected with the work of the great announcer. He will forever go down in history as the most recognizable voice of the Soviet Union. Residents of that era sadly recall the times when this man flashed daily on the TV screen.
As a confession, two films were shot about Viktor Ivanovich. In 2002, the audience saw a documentary film, which was called "Victor Balashov". Twelve years later, the film "Diktor Ivanovich. Television Soldier" was released.
Viktor Balashov: family, personal life
Too little is known about the life of the great figure. He rarely speaks on this subject, for he believes that family matters should always remain so. There is information in the public domain that, in addition to Victor, his parents had six more children. Is the announcer Viktor Ivanovich Balashov married? The family of this famous person, it is not known for what reason, has always remained "behind the screen", there is no information about it. In his interviews, the man repeatedly stated that he considers himselfhappy person in every way. This means that in his life a complete idyll reigns.
State awards
This man has a huge number of awards in his collection. In 2015, he personally received the Order of Honor from the hands of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. He is also the owner of the Badge of Honor and the Order of the Red Star. There are various medals of the Soviet Union and the USSR in the collection, which were awarded for various achievements. In 1985 he received his most valuable award - the Order of the Patriotic War. He also has the Order of Peter the Great.
Based on the number of awards, we can conclude how much Viktor Balashov did for the country.
Opinion on the work of modern television
Great announcer on the modern work of television speaks sharply in a negative way. He believes that today everything is built on money, and not on enthusiasm, as it was before. With such an approach, it is difficult to count on success. Money tends to run out, but when a person works for others, then such a thing will definitely be successful.
Balashov is sure that it is enough just to change the approach to work, and then you can count on something in the future.
Summing up
Viktor Ivanovich Balashov is a unique personality. He will forever remain in the hearts of millions of people. Thanks to his professionalism, modern television is what it is. He deserves special respect as a person who liberated the Soviet land from the Nazis. Heone of the few who will go down in history. A low bow to this glorious man!
