"Yura" in NYPD Blue

[Viivi]

Watched NYPD Blue a few days ago (The last episode will be aired here next Sunday – how will I ever get along without my weekly dose of Andy Sipowicz! ), and noticed the actor who played Yura Surova in Maranatha: Boris Krutonog. He was playing, surprisingly, a Russian guy named Mischa.

I also remember seeing him as a janitor in some old episode of Chigaco Hope.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

Watched NYPD Blue a few days ago (The last episode will be aired here next Sunday – how will I ever get along without my weekly dose of Andy Sipowicz! ), and noticed the actor who played Yura Surova in Maranatha: Boris Krutonog. He was playing, surprisingly, a Russian guy named Mischa.

I also remember seeing him as a janitor in some old episode of Chigaco Hope.

Sorry to hear that you won't be getting NYPD Blue after next Sunday. Here in the states, there are several channels who show reruns of it, so I still catch it once in a while. It was probably my second favorite after Millennium, and probably third after X-files, back when I was really into X-files. I know what you mean about Sypowicz, he was there from the first day of the series to the last, while everyone else came and went (except for Medavoy). He is, without a doubt, one of my top 5 TV characters of all time. Like most Tv series, NYPD wasn't quite as good in the last couple of years as it was for the first few, but it was great the whole way through and kept me as a loyal viewer. And yes, I do remember Yura from at least one episode. I think I also saw him pop up once in a while on other stuff, but I can't recall what they were off hand. I do remember him in Hunt For Red October playing, guess what, a Russian. Unfortunately, I think he is a tad type cast.

[Viivi]

I'm going to miss that series so much.. It's pretty likely, though, that they'll show reruns here also at some point.

Isn't it funny to think that David Caruso played Andy's colleague at the beginning of the series? It was so long ago that seems almost unbelievable! (Caruso has done quite OK in CSI Miami, but I don't think that his character is very plausible.)

And yes, I do remember Yura from at least one episode. I think I also saw him pop up once in a while on other stuff, but I can't recall what they were off hand. I do remember him in Hunt For Red October playing, guess what, a Russian. Unfortunately, I think he is a tad type cast.

Yep, I know what you mean. I wonder if it bothers him to always get the same kind of roles.

Edited February 1, 2007 by dontbesodark

[Guest SouthernCelt]

Yep, I know what you mean. I wonder if it bothers him to always get the same kind of roles.

Maybe he prefers those roles...maybe they allow him to be a little more 'natural' in dialog delivery not having to worry about accents and speech training. I've heard a number of actors comment in interviews that they prefer playing roles that they can 'fit into' speech-wise because it gives them more time to figure out how to play the characters other personality aspects better.

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

Maybe he prefers those roles...maybe they allow him to be a little more 'natural' in dialog delivery not having to worry about accents and speech training. I've heard a number of actors comment in interviews that they prefer playing roles that they can 'fit into' speech-wise because it gives them more time to figure out how to play the characters other personality aspects better.

I agree, and I can see where actors like Boris are very useful. If there is one thing I can't stand, it's watching NYPD Blue or Law and Order or something, and seeing an American actor butchering a fake accent. Somehow it just detracts from the show and the realism when you can clearly tell that someone is faking an accent and not doing a good job. Despite the large pool of actors out there, it is surprising to me how often I find this to be the case, and one of the most overabused accents is someone trying to do Russian accent. I'm not sure how well Boris would do trying out an American accent, but I'm sure he is happy to have stayed as busy as he has.

[Viivi]

I think you're right, SC & MIB. I hope Boris will get a lot of roles in the future and be succesful in every way.

If there is one thing I can't stand, it's watching NYPD Blue or Law and Order or something, and seeing an American actor butchering a fake accent. Somehow it just detracts from the show and the realism when you can clearly tell that someone is faking an accent and not doing a good job. Despite the large pool of actors out there, it is surprising to me how often I find this to be the case, and one of the most overabused accents is someone trying to do Russian accent.

Agreed. But what I find even more disturbing is the way some English speaking documentary makers try to solve a "language problem": Someone in the documentary is speaking his (her) mother tongue that is not English, and the voice has been dubbed into English but with an accent. Why not simply use English subtitles and let the person be heard in his/her own language?

(On a sidenote: Yes, I'm embarrassed having misspelled Chicago on my original post.. )

Edited February 2, 2007 by dontbesodark

[Guest MillenniumIsBliss]

I think you're right, SC & MIB. I hope Boris will get a lot of roles in the future and be succesful in every way.

Agreed. But what I find even more disturbing is the way some English speaking documentary makers try to solve a "language problem": Someone in the documentary is speaking his (her) mother tongue that is not English, and the voice has been dubbed into English but with an accent. Why not simply use English subtitles and let the person be heard in his/her own language?

(On a sidenote: Yes, I'm embarrassed having misspelled Chicago on my original post.. )

LOL, don't worry, "typo" is my middle name. I agree with you about the documentaries. I very much prefer to hear the person's natural language and have the subtitles. Many times, when they have the dubbing with an accent, you can barely understand the person doing the translating because of the accent. I guess maybe they feel like it makes it more authentic if the person has an accent from the language that is being spoken.

[Raven Wolf]

If I may interject a question.....

Wasn't this "Yura" guy also on The X Files epsisode "Grotesque"? He has some kind of weird one word name.