Vladimir Kozel

Vladimir Kozel was a Russian character actor best known as Colonel Shchukin, chief intelligence officer in Adyutant ego prevoskhoditelstva (1970).

He was born Vladimir Georgievich Kozel on July 14, 1919, in Astrakhan, Russia, into a family of school teachers. Young Kozel was fond of literature and theatre. He was active at school drama class. After school, he became a literature student at Astrakhan Pedagogical Institute, but, after a year of studies, he dropped out of college. In 1938, Kozel made his stage debut at the Astrakhan Theatre for Young Audiences (TYZ), then joined a touring troupe. During the Second world war he was evacuated to the Far East. During the 50s, he was a member of the troupe at Vladivostok's Primorsky Drama named after Gorky. There he performed leading and supporting roles in classic and contemporary plays, gaining local success. From 1962 to 1967, he was a member of the 1st Drama Theatre of the Soviet Red Army in Potsdam, East Germany. From 1967 to 1988 he was a member of the troupe at the Moscow Theatre of Satire. Among his many roles was his appearance as Pan Bespalchik in the popular TV-series "Kabachok 13 Stuliev".

In 1963, Vladimir Kozel made his big screen debut appearing in a short film, then he appeared in four episodes of "Dr. Schluter" TV-series made in East Germany. In 1969, he shot to fame appearing as Colonel Shchukin, chief intelligence officer in Adyutant ego prevoskhoditelstva (1970). During the 60s and 70s, Vladimir Kozel enjoyed popularity in the Soviet Union. He was designated People's Artist of Russia. His nephew, Boris Kozel, was an actor at Moscow oblast Drama Theatre. His grand-nephew, Aleksandr Dulov, is also an actor.

Vladimir Kozel died of natural causes at age 69, on December 31, 1988, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in Dolgoprudnenskoe cemetery, in suburban Moscow, Russia.