Leonid Mikhailovich Mlechin - a very famous figure. He earned credibility with his biographical works and television projects. He developed his own special style of exposition of historical facts and life details of many prominent political figures. Many historians know his thoroughness in studying the material in the process of preparing books and television programs. Researchers of the history of our country love and respect books where Leonid Mlechin is the author and editor.
Origin and family
Mlechin Leonid Mikhailovich was born in 1957 in an intelligent family, where his mother, Irina Vladimirovna Mlechina, and his stepfather, Vitaly Alexandrovich Syrokomsky, and even his grandfather were engaged in journalism, translation, and writing. Mother became a well-known Germanist, performed countless translations from German. It was she who first translated into Russian the most famous Gunter Grass novel called Tin Drum. Her own journalistic works also gained recognition abroad and were translated into foreign languages. My stepfather was professionally engaged in journalism, at various times he held the posts of chief editor of Vecherny Moskvy, deputy chief editor of Literary Newspaper, and later deputy editor-in-chief of Izvestia.
It was a very educated, intelligent and cultural family in which Leonid Mikhailovich Mlechin was brought up and raised. Nationality as such has never been put at the forefront, although one of the grandfathers spoke for some time in Yiddish. But the generation of Leonid’s parents and the generation of grandparents were atheists, so Jewish holidays and culture were not particularly supported.
Leonid Mikhailovich was greatly influenced by his grandfather, Vladimir Mlechin. He told his grandson a lot about his life, about his participation in the revolution, and then in the civil war. Subsequently, he became a theater critic and director of theater and entertainment censorship in Moscow. After him there was a huge rich library with many notes in the margins. Leonid Mikhailovich used to like to look at these notes.
Education
Having been raised in such a family, it is not surprising that young Leonid decided to enter the journalism faculty of Moscow State University, which he successfully graduated in 1979. Leonid Mikhailovich in his interviews repeatedly said that for him then there was no other choice. He could only become a journalist. If every day parents talk about the editorial board, layout, circulation and so on, then it is very difficult to even think about choosing some other path. And Leonid Mikhailovich Mlechin became a journalist in the third generation.
Professional activity
Already in his teens, at the age of 15, the young Leonid Mikhailovich Mlechin published his first article in the newspaper Pionerskaya Pravda. After graduation, Leonid got a job on the weekly New Time, where he worked until 1993. The last step in the career of Leonid Mlechin was the position of deputy chief editor. It took him 14 years to reach such a high professional level, gradually improving his skills as an author and editor.
After completing his fruitful collaboration with Novoye Vremya, Leonid Mikhailovich Mlechin took up the post of editor of the international department and at the same time the position of deputy chief editor in the newspaper Izvestia. He became a member of the editorial board of this publication. At the same time, he began to lead the program "De facto" on the channel "Russia". This brought him public popularity. Subsequently, Leonid Mlechin led many television programs, became the author of his own television projects.
There are cases when they threatened Leonid Mikhailovich for their professional activities. We are talking about films about the North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. Unfortunately, there were threats from representatives of the DPRK special services. But after the intervention of the Russian Foreign Ministry, all issues were settled peacefully.
Books
Many are aware of the historical works written by Leonid Mikhailovich Mlechin. Books of his authorship are guaranteed success. Knowing the author’s addiction to the smallest details, to painstaking work in the archives, there is no doubt that the next masterpiece will not deceive its reader and will again be on top. But Leonid Mikhailovich Mlechin is engaged not only in historical and documentary chronicles. He writes interestingly not always about dictators alone and those in power from the recent past. Quite frank erotic novels regularly appear from under his pen. As the author himself says in his interviews: “I just have fun when I'm bored with doing history.”
TV shows
Leonid Mikhailovich Mlechin became known for his television programs. His signature project was the Special Folder program, which was later renamed the Leonid Mlechin Documentary Cinema. Many issues were published on separate discs. It is safe to say that this project has taken a worthy place in the history of documentary cycles on domestic television. Leonid Mikhailovich and his team paid great attention to trifles, spent hundreds of hours searching for documentaries that were unique and unknown to the viewer, and allowed us to look at already well-studied events from a new angle thanks to the comments given by the author. Manychin Leonid Mikhailovich is associated with many, first of all, with this project on TV.
In the late 1990s, he became the author and host of the Late Supper program, hosted the Wersta talk show, and gave his political commentary on events taking place in the country and in the daily evening news broadcast.
Awards
Leonid Mikhailovich became a distinguished journalist, his work is appreciated not only by fans, but also by colleagues. Leonid Mlechin, a member of the Union of Writers of the Soviet Union since 1986, then a member of the Union of Writers of the City of Moscow, received the title of Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, two TEFI awards, as well as the Order of Friendship and the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation. It is very difficult to list all his awards: his talent is appreciated. He is regularly invited with lectures on journalism and the history of the USSR with which he travels around the world.
