A Completely Different Story… Autobiography

Leonid Kanevsky is an exceptional figure. For some, he will forever remain Major Tomin from “The Experts,” for others—the very same smuggler from “The Diamond Arm,” and for millions of young people, he is a face of memes and the person from whom, for many, Russian true crime began.

“An entirely different story…”—an open journey through the life and profession of a great artist: from the first hesitant steps to the blossoming of the theater at Malaya Bronnaya and the birth of the world-famous “Gesh(er).” This is a conversation about an actor’s fate, where the main measure is not the amount in a contract, but a genuine connection with the audience.

For the Bombora publishing house, the audiobook version of the book was narrated by Leonid Kanevsky himself, while the memories of close relatives and friends were read by the literary editor Olga Tsypenyuk and the dubbing actor Yuriy Katarmanov.

You are not just looking at memoirs, but an intimate dialogue with a person whose name has become a hallmark of an entire artistic era. In addition to the author, stories are shared by his wife, daughter, and even Leonid Kanevsky’s grandchildren. And also—colleagues: Klara Novikova, Veniamin Smehov, Konstantin Khabensky, and many others.

Inside the book, you’ll find details that for many years remained off-screen:
• The backstage of the theater: How the legendary productions of Anatoliy Efros came into being and why working alongside Aleksandr Shirvindt, Lev Durov, and Andrey Mironov turned it into a true fireworks display.
• The “Experts” phenomenon: How one of the country’s most beloved detective cycles was born, why the performers were mistaken for their characters, and how Major Tomin became a people’s hero for decades.
• On the other side of fame: Theater anecdotes with a pinch of spice, filming mishaps, and an honest answer to the question of what it’s like to wake up famous across the country and remain the nation’s favorite for years.
• The “Gesh(er)” Theater: A story of how to begin life in another country without knowing the language and, together with like-minded people, build a theater from scratch.
• Kanevsky’s “battery” secret: Personal reflections on family, harmony with his wife Anya, and why work is above all the joy you give to people.

This book is for those who feel the lack of smart cinema and real theater. For those who value irony, mature wisdom, and the ability to enjoy every day despite everything.