Vladimir Mikhailovich Zeldin (Russian: Влади́мир Миха́йлович Зе́льдин; 10 February 1915 – 31 October 2016) was a Russian theatre and cinema actor and a centenarian.[1] Zeldin was born in the town of Kozlov (now Michurinsk). In 1935 he graduated from the theatre college at the Mossovet Theatre and became its actor. For over 60 years he has been working in the Russian Army Theatre, Moscow.

Zeldin became an all-Union celebrity in 1941 starring in the comedy Svinarka i pastukh. His other most famous works as a film actor include Skazanie o zemle sibirskoy (1947), Uchitel’ tantsev (1952), Karnavalnaya noch (1956), Dyadya Vanya (1970) and Desyat negrityat (1987).

In February 2005 Zeldin celebrated his 90th birthday with the premiere of the musical Man of La Mancha (translated into Russian) where he still stars both as Don Quixote and Miguel de Cervantes.

He is, as of 2014, the oldest living People's Artist of the USSR. He turned 101 in 2016.

Honours and awards

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland;
  • 1st class (20 January 2015)
  • 2nd class (10 February 2010) - for outstanding contribution to the development of theatrical art, and many years of creative activity
  • 3rd class (10 February 2005) - for outstanding contribution to the development of theatrical art, and many years of creative activity
  • 4th class (10 February 2000) - for outstanding contribution to the development of domestic theatrical art
• Order of Friendship (21 June 1995) - for services to the state, achievements in work and significant contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between peoples
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour, three times (1968, 1980, ?)
• People's Artist of the USSR (1975)
• People's Artist of the RSFSR (1959)
• Honoured Artist of the RSFSR
• Gratitude "for outstanding creative achievement in musical theatre" National Festival "Musical Heart of Theatre" (2006)
• Prize of the Russian Federation in the field of culture (2008) - for the play "Man of La Mancha"
• Stalin Prize, 2nd class (1951)
• Prize "for the honour and dignity" of the National Theatre Award Golden Mask (2010)
• Medal "In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow"
• Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"
• Medal "Veteran of Labour"

Selected filmography

• They Met in Moscow, 1941 (as Musaib Gatyev, noble shepherd)
• Ballad of Siberia, 1947 (as Andrey)
• Carnival Night, 1956 (as Nikolayev, Tip Clown)
• Chronicle of Flaming Years, 1961 (as Gribovsky)
• Uncle Vanya, 1970 (as Professor Aleksandr V. Serebryakov)
• 31 June, 1978 (as Meliot, king of Peradore / Mr. Dimmock, chief advertising agency)
• Victory, 1984 (as James F. Byrnes)
• Desyat Negrityat, 1987 (as Judge Lawrence Wargrave)
• Iskushenye B, 1990 (as the Duke)
• Dandelion Wine, 1997 (as Mr. Spaulding)
• Happy Together (TV series), 2007