Education
Between 1921 and 1923 he studied under Vsevolod Meyerhold.
Between 1921 and 1923 he studied under Vsevolod Meyerhold.
He began work as a teen doing puppet shows. Later he helped found the Factory of the Eccentric Actor (FEKS), which was primarily concerned with circus and music hall acts. He entered films in the 1920s and began directing in 1928.
His films often were cheerier than most Russian films as he was influenced by American slapstick, among other things.
However he also did serious historical films, docudramas, and biopics. Of his later films Lenin in Paris is among the best known.
Two years later, he was on the jury of the 2nd Moscow International Film Festival. In 1967 he was the President of the Jury of the 5th Moscow International Film Festival.
Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics Union of Writers. Cinematographers’ Union of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics]
In 1959, he was a member of the jury at the 1st Moscow International Film Festival.
