Alexander (Sacha) Molchanoff (21 March 1922 - 18 March 2004) was a Russian-born British actor. He was probably best known for his role as Colonel Eric Von Strohm in the British sitcom 'Allo 'Allo!.
Biography
Early life
Marner was born Alexander Molchanoff in Petrograd, Soviet Union and was fluent in Russian, English, French and German. Marner was the eldest son of Colonel Paul Molchanoff, of the Semionovsky regiment, one of the two regiments that were set-up for children of children who had played with Peter the Great of Russia. In 1924, his entire family left Russia and went to Finland and then Germany before ending up in London, where Alexander's grandmother, Olga Novikov (known in the family as "Babushka London") lived in Harley Street.
After being educated at Monmouth School in Wales, Sacha became an assistant to the Russian tenor Vladimir Rosing where he performed at Covent Garden. During World War II he joined the RAF and was posted to South Africa with the Air Training Corps. After being invalided out he changed his name to Richard Marner and began his long successful career as a stage and film actor.
Career
One of his early stage roles - as Dracula - is still regarded by some as the definitive interpretation of the role. His films include You Only Live Twice, The Boys from Brazil, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, The African Queen, and the Swiss film Four in a Jeep, in which he did all the Russian dialogue. He was also in the television movie Birth of the Beatles, as the Club Boss, and in 'Allo 'Allo!.
Recent work includes guest shots in Lovejoy (1994) and the movie The Sum of All Fears (as the Russian President).
He died in Perth, Scotland and left a wife, actress Pauline Farr, who retains Molchanoff as her off-stage name. He is also survived by a daughter, Helen and three grandchildren.
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