Yuri Borisovich Bespalov (c. 1934 – September 27, 2026) was a television director, screenwriter, and Honored Art Worker of the Russian Federation who worked for more than half a century on Gorky–Nizhny Novgorod television. A member of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR, a member of the Union of Journalists of the USSR, an academician of the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts "Nika", and a two-time winner of the Nizhny Novgorod Prize.[1]

Career in Television

Bespalov came to Gorky Television on April 1, 1958, immediately after graduating from Lobachevsky Gorky State University, as an assistant director.[1] Having worked his way through every rung of the profession, he became one of the leading masters of regional broadcasting and later the television chronicler of Nizhny Novgorod. Throughout his career, the main subjects and heroes of his creative work remained the events of Nizhny Novgorod and the people who made the city's history: his films and programs captured the faces of fellow townspeople of whom Nizhny Novgorod is proud.[2][3]

The director's first significant works were devoted to his native city. Among his early films were "A Song About the Volga Capital" (1961), made on commission for Central Television and widely shown across the USSR, and "Siberia. Gorkovskaya Street" (1961), about young people from Gorky working on Siberian construction projects, which won a diploma at the All-Union Television Program Competition: it was the first award won by Gorky Television on the all-Union screen.[4] In 1963 he wrote and directed the program "A Walk Through City of Gorky" for the Intervision network: the live broadcast was shown throughout the Soviet Union, as well as in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the GDR.[1] In 1964 the documentary "Look at the City" was released, based on a screenplay by Bespalov together with Yu. Adrianov and I. Kuznetsov; the film appeared on the all-Union television screen and at the time represented the closed city of Gorky at the World's Fair in Montreal.[1]

For 18 years, from 1968 to 1986, Bespalov's own program "45 Minutes About a New Film" aired on Gorky television.[1] A special place in the director's work was occupied by feature-length documentaries created in collaboration with the editorial staff of the central program "Obvious — Incredible."[3] Many of his works won awards and diplomas at television reviews and festivals. Bespalov devoted three films to Alexander Pushkin, all connected with the Boldino theme: "In Pushkin's Yard" (1972), "The Pull of Boldino" (1980), and "Boldino Insomnia" (1983).[4] A whole series of his works is devoted to the image of Nizhny Novgorod: "The 750th Spring," "Where the Volga Meets the Oka" (1977), "The City of Gorky" (1982), "The Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin" (1983), "Strelka" (1980), "Now Lettest Thou Depart…" (1991, on the history of the Annunciation Monastery), and "Nizhny Novgorod Yarmarka.

Pictures from Different Years" (1992).[4] Bespalov devoted several films to Nizhny Novgorod science, including "Radio of the Revolution," made for the 50th anniversary of the NRL (Nizhny Novgorod Radio Laboratory), which for 15 years was invariably shown on the first channel of Central Television on Radio Day.[4] Among the director's historical and biographical films are "Kuzma Minin. An Afterword to a Destiny," "Volga Melodies" (about Mily Balakirev, head of the "Mighty Handful"), "The River and the Sky" (about Valery Chkalov), "Rise, Red Sun" (about Fyodor Chaliapin), and "The Mirror of Time" (about the photographer Maxim Dmitriev).[4][1]

Bespalov was one of the active participants in the campaign to restore the city's historical name, Nizhny Novgorod.[1]

Death

Yuri Borisovich Bespalov died on September 27, 2026, in his 92nd year.[5][1] The death was reported by official representatives of GTRK Nizhny Novgorod; the staff of the television and radio company expressed condolences to the director's family and loved ones. Condolences were also expressed by the Union of Journalists of Nizhny Novgorod Region. The funeral service and farewell ceremony for Yuri Borisovich Bespalov took place on September 29, 2026, at 12:15 p.m. in the ritual hall at the Bugrovskoye Cemetery in Nizhny Novgorod.[2][1]

Sources

  1. GTRK Nizhny Novgorod (Vesti) — Honored Art Worker of the Russian Federation, Member of the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR, Member of the Union of Journalists of the USSR, academician of the Nika Academy of Cinematic Arts, two-time laureate… has died (archive)
  2. nnov.ruj.ru — The funeral service and farewell ceremony for Yuri Borisovich Bespalov took place on September 29, 2026, at 12:15 p.m. in the ritual hall at the Bugrovskoye Cemetery in Nizhny Novgorod.
  3. Pro Gorod Nizhny Novgorod — Yuri Bespalov, who worked in Nizhny Novgorod television for more than half a century, has died (archive)
  4. museumnn.ru — Among the director's early works is the film "Song of the Volga Capital" (1961), made on commission from Central Television and widely shown across the USSR, as well as
  5. Govorit Nizhny — Yuri Bespalov has passed away
  6. names52.ru — Bespalov was born on September 6, 1935, in the city of Gorky. In addition to Lobachevsky Gorky State University, he graduated from the Leningrad State (archive)
  7. Pro Gorod Nizhny Novgorod — Yuri Bespalov has died — a master of Nizhny Novgorod television with more than half a century of experience (archive)