Archvadze Tengiz

Tengiz Archvadze (3 August 1932, Tbilisi – 28 October 2023, Tbilisi) was an actor and People’s Artist of Georgia (1979). He graduated from the Drama Faculty at the Theatre and Film State University in 1956. From 1956 to 1966 and from 1973 onwards, he worked at Marjanishvili Theatre, where he portrayed numerous characters, including Mola Musa (“Mokvetili” by Vazha Pshavela), Directorio (“Trees Die Standing Up” by A. Casona), Cornelius (The Mother by K. Capek), Dato (“Ghalati” by A. Sumbatashvili), Baron and Vaska Pepeli (The Lower Depths) and others. Between 1967 and 1972, he was working at the Rustaveli Theatre.

Archvadze made his debut in cinema in the 1961 film "Good People". Other roles include: Zaza ("Under One Sky", director L. Ghoghoberidze, 1961), Gugua ("Khevisberi Gocha", director N. Sanishvili), Pilot ("Aghmaprena", director N. Mchedlidze, both in 1964), Datiko ("I See the Sun", director L. Ghoghoberidze), Imeda ("Khevsurian Ballad", director Sh. Managadze, both in 1965), Ioseb Namoradze ("Meeting with the Past", director S. Dolidze), Vakhtang ("Meeting in the Mountains", director N. Sanishvili, both in 1966), Aluda Ketelauri ("Vedreba", director T. Abuladze), Aleksandrini ("Red Tent", director M. Kalatozishvili), Konstantine Arsakidze ("The Right Hand of the Grand Master", directors V. Tabliashvili, D. Abashidze, both in 1969), Iuloni ("Tsutisopeli", directors Sh. and N. Managadze), Jaba Imedadze ("Reflection", director O. Abesadze, 1972), Sandro Chubinidze ("Cinema", director L. Eliava, 1977), Mushni Zarandia ("Data Tutashkhia", directors G. Lortkipanidze, G. Gabeskiria, 1977, USSR State Prize, 1981), Vazha ("The Beginning of the Road", director L. Eliava), Aleksandre ("Not Every Comet Burns", directors D. Abashidze, both in 1982), King Alexander and Erekle II ("Tsigni Fitsisa", directors G. Lortkipanidze, A. Darsavelidze, 1983; Rustaveli State Prize, 1985), Vakhtang ("Until the Rain Passes", director K. Dolidze, 1984), Count ("Life of Don Quixote and Sancho", director R. Chkheidze, 1989), Irakli ("Premiere", director G. Lortkipanidze, 1991), Tengiz ("Prince of Switzerland from Imereti", director E. Maghradze, 1995), Vazha ("My Dear Interesting Grandfather", director P. Charkviani, 1998), Antimoz's Father ("Antimoz Ivereli", 2001) and numerous other films. Archvadze’s screen characters are distinguished by artistic mastery, a rich inner world, and profound depth.

He has received numerous awards. He was an honorary citizen of Rustavi (2020) and Tbilisi (2022). He is buried in Tbilisi Didube Pantheon.

A. Gventsadze