circus artist. Her name is a tribute to the actress Marlene Dietrich. James Patterson as Jimmy, Marion's baby Sergei Stolyarov as Ivan Petrovich Martynov, Soviet performance director Pavel Massalsky as Franz von Kneisсhitz, corrupt theatrical agent Vladimir Volodin as Ludvig Osipovich, Soviet circus director Yevgeniya Melnikova as Rayechka, the director's daughter Aleksandr Komissarov as Skameikin Nikolai Otto as Charlie Chaplin Coretti Arle-Titz as Jimmy's nanny Solomon Mikhoels as Lullaby singer Production and aftermath The movie was the most commercially successful Soviet film. Two weeks after the release, it was viewed by 1 million people in Moscow alone. In Russia, Solomon Mikhoels's murder in 1948 by the order of Stalin was perceived as a failed movie's message about the danger of chauvinism and anti-Semitism. American researcher Herbert Eagle said: "The scene in the Circus is intended to show that the Soviet people are devoid of racial prejudices. Of course, it was an attack against America and propaganda, but on the other hand, Aleksandrov probably sincerely called for reconciliation, for harmony, hoping that in these terrible times he would awaken conscience in the audience with the means available to him." In early 1953, the verses from the lullaby, sung in Yiddish (which were performed by Solomon Mikhoels) were removed. After Stalin's death the verses were restored. The well known animal trainer Boris Eder substituted for Aleksandr Komissarov in Skameikin's flower fight with the lions. The "Flight to the Moon" stunt coordinated and performed by three Kharkiv inventors where the extreme sports athlete Vera Buslaeva substituted for Lyubov Orlova for the cameras. As one of Joseph Stalin's favourite movies Circus was the last film he saw before his death. The movie has an in-joke about Mikhail Lermontov's death at the hands of Nikolai Martynov, at that time in the 1930s it was officially revised as a planned political murder ordered by the secret police. The movie with an American Catholic protagonist was released one month before the 1936 anti-abortion law. Just after that, America and Americans disappeared from Soviet cinema. Lyubov Orlova had to participate in the anti-abortion law promotion company: "I myself want a child, and I will certainly have one. And it is natural. Life is getting more and more joyful and more fun. The future is even more wonderful. Why not give birth?". In 1941, she adopted Douglas (b. 19 May 1925), Grigori Aleksandrov's son by his first marriage to