(September 25 (7 October)1892, White Church, now the Kiev oblast — 1980, Moscow) — one of the masters of Soviet cinema, Russian painter and art Director actor, honored artist of Russia (1940), Stalin prize (1951 for the film "conspiracy of the doomed").
Born in White Church, Kyiv region. In 1914 he graduated from the architectural Department of Kiev art school, in 1927 printing Department of the VKhUTEMAS. From 1921 worked in the theatre since 1927, in cinema, he taught from 1928, 1940 at VGIK, since 1965 — Professor.
Creative Spinel was characterized by monumental images. His sets are expressive, concise. The painter strived for generality, the emotional expressiveness of the situation of action. As an art Director, made over 60 feature films. Acted as a theater artist. Worked with Directors Alexander Dovzhenko, Sergei Eisenstein, Mikhail Romm, Grigori Roshal, Julius Reisman and Sergei Yutkevich.
Among his most significant films: "Arsenal" (1928, dir. Alexander Dovzhenko), "Chunk" (1934, dir. Mikhail Romm), "Petersburg night" (1934, dir. Grigory Roshal and Vera Stroeva), "dawn of Paris" (1936, dir. Grigory Roshal), "Alexander Nevsky" (1938, dir. Sergei Eisenstein and Dmitry Vasiliev), Ivan the terrible (1944-45, dir. Sergei Eisenstein), "conspiracy of the doomed" (1950, dir. Mikhail Kalatozov), the trilogy "Sisters", "Eighteenth year" and "Gloomy morning" (1957-1959, dir. Grigory Roshal).
The book is about his life and work, "Joseph Spinel: the artist's Way", written by Tamara L. Tarasova-Krasnoi, was released in Moscow by the publishing house of the Art in 1979.
Filmography:
Night cabman" (1929)
"Arsenal" (1929)
"Ivan" (1932)
"Chunk" (1934)
"Petersburg night" (1934)
"Dawn Of Paris" (1937)
"Alexander Nevsky" (1938)
"Mashenka" (1942)
"Ivan The Terrible" (1945, 1958)
"The story of a real man" (1948),
"Sisters" (1957)
"The eighteenth year" (1958)
"Gloomy morning" (1959)
"Year like life" (1965)
