Friends!

Friends! On this day in 1911 was born Petro Vesklyarov - known to all Ukrainian “Grandfather Panas”, who more than two decades, told the kids from radio and TV sets evening story.

Petro Vesklyarov was born in Talne, Cherkasy region.

Together with his parents he lived in a commune, on the outskirts of a town. Real name of Petro Vesklyarov - Vesklyar, however for some reason he hid it. Perhaps because of Jewish roots in another version – because he fled from German troops. From the youth Peter was interested in theater, he attended local theater.

On the big stage for the first time Vesklyarov appeared in 1932 - he was noticed by the theater artists from Cherkassy who came to Talne. They invited him to become an actor.

After the war Peter was sent to a military theater of the Southwestern Front. Once Vesklyarov and others other were attacked, but he managed to escape. He moved to Kyiv, where he was employed on the railway, and later organized a theatrical circle there. After the war, the actor moved to Lutsk, settled in the Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater named after Taras Shevchenko, where he worked for more than a decade. There he played a lot of good roles - Nicholas Zadorozhniy in the "Stolen Happiness", Commander of the "Master stones" and others.

There Peter found his other half. There worked a receptionist Galina worked who captivated the heart of the actor. They married and the couple had a son, Boris.

Later Petro Vesklyarov was invited to play a role in the movie. To give more time for filming, the family moved to Kyiv. Actor played the roles of the second plan, but they are remembered because of his skills and charisma. In particular, there were films "Oleksa Dovbush", "Forest Song", "Vij" and many others. Vesklyarov did not became famous, because he did not know and did not want to learn Russian.

In 50 -s on Ukrainian radio was an actor who called himself Grandfather Panas. Petro Vesklyarov once replaced him, because the man was old and felt ill. And finally replaced him in general. Children adored listening to tales of Grandfather Panas, who often wrote Ukrainian-speaking fairy-tales himself.

With the advent of television program with tales was decided to move to the blue screens. On the role of Grandfather Panas claimed two hundred people, but still defeated Petro Vesklyarov. So he became the main children's hero. Grandfather Panas traditionally worn on vyshyvanka. For that, a heap of language, he often was judged for nationalism. In the seventies, even been several attempts to close the program or replace Petro Vesklyarov by someone else. The important role played by the indignant crowd - they wrote thousands of letters to the editorial office demanding the return of Peter Vesklyarova.

But the program still was closed in 1988. Petro Vesklyarov retired, lived modestly, in a studio apartment with his wife. He died on the 5th of January 1994.

"Good evening to you, baby, dear boys and girls. It's me, grandfather Panas ... "- this legendary phrase is well-known, even by those who did not see a single program" Good night, kids. " I think the image of Grandfather Panas is as eternal as the value, that ​​espoused Peter Vesklyarov - love for the motherland, praise of traditions. Let us remember such people more often.