Vladimir Vysotsky was born on January 25, 1938, in Moscow Maternity Hospital No. 8 on Third Meshchanskaya Street (now Schepkina Street, building 61/2; the building belongs to the MONIKI named after M.F. Vladimirsky, with a plaque marking the poet's birthplace).
In his early childhood, the future musician lived in a communal apartment at 1st Meshchanskaya Street, 126 (in 1955, this house was demolished, and a new one was built in its place). During the Great Patriotic War in 1941-1943, he lived with his mother in evacuation in the village of Vorontsovka, Chkalov (now Orenburg) region. Nina Maksimovna Vysotskaya (née Seregina) - a graduate of the Moscow Institute of Foreign Languages - worked as a German language translator and secretary in the Foreign Department of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions, and later as a guide for "Intourist".
In 1943, Volodya and his mother returned to Moscow. In 1945, Vysotsky started the first grade at School No. 273 in the Rostokino district. The former school building is located at 68/3 Mira Avenue. After his parents' divorce in 1947, Vladimir moved to his father's new family. From 1947 to 1949, they lived in Eberswalde, Germany, where Semen Vladimirovich Vysotsky, a military communications officer and WWII veteran, served.
In October 1949, Vladimir Vysotsky returned to Moscow and entered the 5th grade of the all-boys secondary school No. 186. At that time, the Vysotsky family lived at 15 Bolshoy Karetny Lane, apt. 4. (A memorial plaque designed by Moscow architect Robert Gasparyan is installed on the house). This lane is immortalized in Vysotsky's song "Bolshoy Karetny." Since 1953, Vysotsky attended a drama club at the Teacher's House, led by Moscow Art Theatre actor Vladimir Bogomolov. In 1955, he graduated from secondary school No. 186 and, at his father's insistence, entered the mechanical department of the Moscow Civil Engineering Institute named after Kuibyshev, which he left after the first semester.
From 1955 to 1963, Vysotsky lived with his mother at 1st Meshchanskaya 126, and then, in a new building constructed in 1956 at the same location, at 76 Mira Avenue, apt. 62, on the fourth floor. Vladimir also spent much time at Bolshoy Karetny in the company of friends, to whom he dedicated epigrams. Based on memories of this time, he wrote the song in 1964 with the words "In Karetny Row, the first house from the corner — For friends, for friends."
From 1956 to 1960, Vysotsky was a student of the acting department of the Moscow Art Theatre School-Studio named after V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko (studied under P.V. Massalsky and A.M. Komissarov). In 1959, he marked his first theatrical role (Porfiry Petrovich in the student performance of "Crime and Punishment") and his first film role (the movie "Peers," a cameo role as student Petya).
From 1960 to 1964, Vysotsky worked (with breaks) at the Moscow Pushkin Drama Theatre. He played the role of the Leshy in the play "The Scarlet Flower" based on the fairy tale by S.T. Aksakov, as well as about 10 other roles, mostly minor ones.
In the early 1960s, Vysotsky's first songs were born, which he modestly performed among a close circle of friends, and only from 1965 did he begin to sing them on stage. In 1961, his debut song "Tattoo" appeared. After working for less than two months at the Moscow Theatre of Miniatures, Vladimir unsuccessfully attempted to join the "Sovremennik" Theatre. In 1964, Vysotsky wrote his first songs for films. That same year, he was accepted into the troupe of the Moscow Drama and Comedy Theatre on Taganka under the leadership of Yuri Lyubimov. His poetic and musical work, along with his work in theatre and film, became the main focus of his life. Vysotsky worked at the Taganka Theatre until the end of his life. His role as Hamlet in Lyubimov's play became the most important and poignant in Vysotsky's theatrical career. The raspy voice of Vysotsky's Hamlet remains forever in the memory of theatre-goers who saw this legendary performance.
In July 1967, Vysotsky met French actress of Russian origin Marina Vlady (Marina Vladimirovna Polyakova), who became his third wife.
Among Vysotsky's best film roles are the lead in Kira Muratova's "Brief Encounters" (1967), the role of the fatal seducer Don Juan in Mikhail Schweitzer's drama "Little Tragedies" (1979), and, of course, the role of the legendary Captain Gleb Zheglov in Stanislav Govorukhin's series "The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed" (1979). Many also consider the role of Lieutenant Brusentsov in the film "Two Comrades Were Serving" (1968) to be one of the most significant in Vysotsky's biography.
"Working with Vysotsky was difficult; he was an extremely inconvenient actor for a director. He never came to the set just like that, and he couldn't fulfill formal tasks. He always brought his own touch. At the same time, the artist was somehow... in a hurry. He absolutely could not tolerate a second take. He simply did not like to repeat himself. He had already lived it, and he wanted something new, to move on," recalled director Stanislav Govorukhin.
In 1968, Vysotsky's first authorial record "Songs from the Film 'Vertical'" by Stanislav Govorukhin and Boris Durov was released. Vysotsky's songs appeared in 32 feature films, including Leonid Gaidai's comedy "Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future."
In the second half of the 1970s, Vysotsky toured extensively, performing concerts in Europe, the USA, Canada, and other countries. Vladimir Semenovich gave over a thousand concerts in the USSR and abroad. His popularity knew no bounds: from every window in every place he visited on tour, his raspy voice could be heard.
In 1981, Vysotsky's first poetry collection "Nerve" was published. In 1988, the collection "I Will Certainly Return..." was released. In total, Vysotsky wrote about 600 songs and poems.
On April 16, 1980, Vysotsky's last filmed concert took place at the Leningrad BDT, where he performed some of his most famous songs, such as "Capricious Horses," "Cupolas," and "Wolf Hunt."
On June 2, 1980, in Kaliningrad, one of Vysotsky's last concerts took place, during which he felt unwell.
On July 3, 1980, Vysotsky performed in the Lubertsy City Palace of Culture in the Moscow region, where, according to witnesses, he looked unhealthy, said he didn't feel well, but on stage, he held himself bravely and instead of the planned hour and a half, he played a two-hour concert.
On July 14, 1980, during a performance in Moscow, Vladimir Vysotsky performed one of his last songs — "My Sorrow, My Sadness... A Variation on Gypsy Themes."
On July 16, 1980, the actor, who had been unsuccessfully battling alcohol and drug addiction for many years, held his last concert in the Moscow suburb of Kaliningrad (now Korolyov).
On July 18, 1980, Vysotsky made his final public appearance as the rebellious Hamlet at the Taganka Theatre.
On the night of July 25, Vladimir Vysotsky died in his sleep from a myocardial infarction in his Moscow apartment on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street. About 40 thousand people came to bid farewell to the nationally beloved artist. A monument by sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov is placed on Vysotsky's grave at the Vagankovo Cemetery.
"He lived openly and was buried right at the entrance to the cemetery. At first, I was sorry that we were burying him in such an open place. But now I understand that probably no better place could be found. Many good people are buried in this cemetery. I often think, if only they could gather, talk, and sing together. Because all people sing, some with their throats, some with their hearts. Yesenin, Shpalikov, Dal, Dvorzhetsky, Vysotsky," recalled actress Alla Demidova, who served with Vysotsky at the Taganka Theatre from the theatre's foundation until the last days of Vladimir Semenovich.
A few days before his death, Vysotsky prophetically wrote:
"I have something to sing about, standing before the Almighty,
I have something to justify myself with