Alexander Druz: biography, family and television career. Alexander friends - biography, information, personal life Friends experts

Photo from the personal archive of Inna Druz

The owner of the "Crystal Owl" and the title of an immortal member of the elite club of connoisseurs "What? Where? When?" Inna Druz told Yulia Gusina, editor-in-chief of the Diaspora newspaper, about her life in California, about how she brings up her daughters and about the worst punishment in childhood.

When a 15-year-old girl appeared in front of the gaze of viewers, they were touched: the daughter of a connoisseur will also play “What? Where? When?". But according to the results of the first game, a girl with a fluffy and naughty hairstyle proved that Inna Druz is not just the daughter of Alexander Druz, but an independent unit and a real scholar.
After the very first game in the team of Alexei Blinov, Inna received the red jacket of an immortal member of the TV club, and a few years later - the main prize, the Crystal Owl.

After the owl was the title of laureate of the International Association of Clubs, the end of the Physics and Mathematics Lyceum, St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance, the University of Pierre Mendes-France in Grenoble, the University of Paris-Dauphin in France. Then there was a career: leading consultant of the corporate finance department of the Industrial Construction Bank, associate professor of the department of finance at his native university.

And then came the move to America. Where, like most emigrants, Inna began to explore another world.

I can't be a housewife

Inna has been living in California for three and a half years. I went not for the “American dream”, but after my husband, programmer Mikhail Pliskin. And despite the fact that her sister lived in California (Marina Druz moved with her family to the United States a few years earlier), at the first stage it was not easy.

“With changes, fears always arise,” Inna admits. – And although I was confident in myself, I understood that I was moving to another world.

The question of becoming a classic American housewife or looking for a job was not even raised. As Inna herself explains, in California it is unrealistic to live in a family in which one parent works. And she herself is not the kind of person who can send her husband to work, children to school and sit at home.

“I never wanted to be a housewife. I was confident in myself, although it was bold for a person with no experience in America. But I sent my resume to one company, answered the test questions and passed the first stage, where almost 2,000 people dropped out, and 40 passed. I worked at this company for a year, and then changed jobs. I coordinate analytical teams at Flex.

Inna says she never felt like a star. During my school years, at the lyceum, it was much more prestigious to win an Olympiad in mathematics than to be “on TV”. But participation in “What? Where? When?" undoubtedly brought great benefits: the ability to quickly analyze, draw parallels, logical connections and chains. Later, this came in handy in my work, as a certain style of thinking was formed.

How would it be in Russian

In the three years that Inna and her family have been living in America, she had to deal with the same things that happen in any Russian-speaking family. And for many mothers, this seems like an irreversible disaster: children forget Russian. The girls Inna and Mikhail, when they moved to the USA, were 5 years old and 2 years old.

Those who say that children instantly and painlessly merge into the American environment are most likely disingenuous. Inna recalls that the eldest, Alice, was not easy at first, and had to go through a period of adaptation, in which you don’t understand what they say to you, you don’t know what to answer. For the youngest, Alina, everything was new: the home child went to kindergarten, and here we must pay tribute to the director, who paid a lot of attention to the baby, sat on her knees until Alina got used to the new environment. Now, three years later, the girls are already talking English with might and main, and Inna has another task - to save Russian.

“We have a rule in our family - we only speak Russian at home,” Inna shares the secret of upbringing. – If the girls start speaking English, I answer that I don’t understand and ask them to speak in Russian.

If they forgot and don’t know the right word and ask: “Mom, can I speak in English,” we remember together how it will be in Russian and together we figure out how to say it correctly.

One communication in the family, according to Inna, is still not enough. Therefore, children learn Russian, they must read and write in Russian at home, and it is important that the child writes in capital letters. And before going to bed, Inna always reads them books in Russian.

- This is a very important ritual - reading before going to bed. Laying down and falling asleep can take about an hour, says Inna. And it's not just reading. When the lights go out, we still talk in the dark. I believe that the friendship of children and parents is very important for the family, and we succeed.
Inna recalls that she and her parents always had friendly and trusting relations:

Our parents have always given us freedom. Although, I remember, in response to my statement that I wanted to become a doctor, my mother (and she is a doctor by profession) said: only through my corpse. Although, I am sure that if I had insisted and I had a strong desire to become a doctor, my parents would have supported me.

Photo from the personal archive of Inna Druz

Where do reading children come from?

Perhaps this habit is inherited, science does not know. Everyone in the Friends family reads, always and everywhere. Inna recalls that in any free minute, dad picked up a book. And my daughters began to read aloud almost from birth. When Inna learned to read, the books “swallowed” one after another and grabbed everything. And sometimes there were mishaps.

“I had a passion for books about Lenin,” says Inna. - Once I stole a book of ditties from my dad, seeing a familiar topic: “Lenin said to Trotsky: - I got a bag of flour ...”. However, ditties about Lenin quickly ended, then completely different topics went. In general, I learned a lot of new words. I believe that while the child is small and has an interest in reading, this should be supported and encouraged in every possible way.

It's no secret that even the most ideal children are, first of all, children who play pranks and who have to be punished. The worst punishment in the Friends family was that parents stopped talking to their daughters.

“This happened two or three times,” Inna recalls. - In all seriousness - they didn’t say a word, and it was very hard for me. They could be punished for lying or for the fact that what you did could harm another child. I remember how I was once punished for locking Marina in a closet. We played, and both knew well that it was impossible to close oneself in a closet, because one could suffocate. But for some reason I closed the Marina and, I remember, was punished for it.

Photo from the personal archive of Inna Druz

Recipe for nostalgia

“Of course I miss Peter, but I like the place where I now live, and so far I don’t plan to return in the foreseeable future,” Inna admits and shares her recipe for adapting to the USA.

- For a speedy adaptation, you need to start participating in local life and take everything that you like from what is happening around. Then - to take part in this and not to refuse public life and communication. But I don’t know what to do in order not to yearn for my native city ... If I knew the recipe, I would apply it myself.

Alexander Druz was born and raised in Leningrad. His father and mother were the most ordinary Soviet people. From a young age, the boy read a lot, but at the same time he dreamed of becoming a firefighter or a sailor. In the elementary grades of the 47th secondary school, Sasha became a participant in various reviews and competitions. When he was nine years old, he won the first prize in his life - a book written by Vladimir Maksimov.

Young Friends got it for the first place at the end of the evening of entertaining questions, which took place in one of the rest houses of Ukraine. After that, Sasha repeatedly became the winner of various competitions in his educational institution. Being a tenth grader, he won the title of the winner of the quiz "You are a Leningrader", dedicated to the native city of Druz.

Start of the Star Trek

After graduating from school, Alexander became a student at the Leningrad Industrial Pedagogical College. Here he studied as an electrical technician, master of industrial training. He received his second higher education at the Leningrad Institute of Railway Transport Engineers.

After receiving a university diploma, the future owner of the Diamond Owl entered the position of a systems engineer and immediately applied to join the What? Where? When?". The first time live on the popular TV program Friends was seen in 1981.

According to Alexander, his application lay in the editorial office of the program for about a year. Then he had to pass the selection and only after that he was accepted as a member of the intellectual club.
It is worth noting that in 1982, for the first time in the history of “What? Where? When?" the connoisseur was removed from the table after prompting those present in the hall. It turned out to be Friends.

Diamond Master

Alexander has one of the longest careers in the popular program. Six times he was recognized as the best connoisseur of the year. In 1995, Druz was the first to be awarded the title of "Master", and in 2011 he was awarded the "Diamond Owl" as the best player in "What? Where? When?".

Alexander participated not only as an expert in the intellectual casino. He could be seen in other television programs, for example, in the "Brain Ring", where the Friends team won four times, as well as in "Own Game". Also, "Master" often goes on foreign "intellectual business trips".

For example, he was a repeated participant in Ukrainian, Israeli and Uzbek television projects. Friends keeps numerous awards from different parts of the world at home.

businessman friend

In addition to success on television, Alexander managed to become a successful businessman. He was the owner of two companies:

1. "Build-Agio".
2. "Trans-Agio".

They did business in the building materials market.
Friends sold his business in 2012, after the onset of another crisis situation in the global economy.

The owner of the "Diamond Owl" runs a branch of the intellectual casino in St. Petersburg. He is the most titled member of the famous TV show of all time.

Success in personal life

Throughout his adult life, the connoisseur lives with his wife Elena. Two daughters grew up in their family:

• Marina;
• Inna.

They followed in the footsteps of their father and at different times took part in the games of the intellectual casino. Each of the daughters of Druz was marked with the "Crystal Owl". The eldest Inna already has her own children - Alina and Alice. Grandpa Sasha also takes part in their upbringing.

What do you think of Alexander? We are waiting for your comments.

Alexandra Druz can definitely be called one of the most charismatic and even odious personalities of the elite club of connoisseurs, an erudite, a living legend and a true leader. He received the "Crystal Owl" six times, once became the owner of the "Diamond Owl" as part of the intellectual TV game "What? Where? When? ”, Three times became the world champion in the sports version of the ChGK.

And Sasha was born on May 10, 1955 in an intelligent Jewish family in Leningrad. The education of the parents played a role. Sasha early became interested in reading books that filled the apartment. I read with interest both weighty encyclopedias and works of art. True, this did not prevent him from being a cocky boy, playing football, swimming in the pond and violating the prohibitions of adults.

He studied well at school, but he was not an excellent student. Alexander had an excellent memory, he could easily learn a long poem or a prose passage. Took part in intellectual competitions. He received his first award at the age of 9 at an evening of entertaining questions. After school, he studied at a technical school, and then at the Leningrad Institute of Railway Engineers, graduating with honors. True, he was given one B in the political economy of socialism because of his personal conflict with the leadership of the department. After graduation, he briefly worked as an engineer.

His life changed dramatically after a truly fateful invitation to participate in the TV program “What? Where? When?" in 1981. It didn't happen right away. Prior to this, Alexander applied several times to participate in this project. And he got on “What? Where? When?" thanks to his amazing knowledge in various fields, having successfully passed tests and trials. The host of the intellectual show, Vladimir Voroshilov, managed to discern in him an intelligent, comprehensively developed, integral personality.

The friend showed himself as a gambler. He argued with the host, other experts. He was even expelled for abrupt behavior and tips from the club, but was returned back at the request of the audience. The first time this happened in 1983, when Alexander, along with two participants, left the program for a year. However, he was nevertheless returned to the club based on the results of the audience vote. Three times after that, he "flew out" of the project and returned to it. Since the end of 1992, Friends has been a regular participant in the intellectual show “What? Where? When?".

It must be said that this project is not the only one in which Alexander Abramovich took part.

In 1990 he was invited to the intellectual show "Brain Ring". The chance was not missed. Druz defeated all rivals and received the Golden Brain award.

Since 1995, he has been a regular participant in the program “Own Game”, where he won in 22 games out of 35. He did not take the first prize in a foreign-assembled passenger car, because he had nothing to pay the tax with. The award was given to him in money, for which he purchased domestic Zhiguli. In the entire history of the program, it was Druz who received two maximum wins in one game.

In 2009 and 2015, for the second time, together with bard Alexander Rosenbaum, he participated in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

In 2011, he tried his hand and quite successfully as the host of the informative historical program "The Hour of Truth" on the "365 Days TV" channel.

Alexander Druz, thanks to his outstanding intellect, deep knowledge in various fields, charisma, is a frequent guest in other TV shows: Guess the Melody, While Everyone is Home, Evening Urgant, etc.

Since 1991, he has been preparing school students for club games “What? Where? When?”, holds school, interregional and even international tournaments, for which he has a medal “In memory of the tercentenary of St. Petersburg”. Currently, at the Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239, where, by the way, his daughters studied, Alexander Abramovich works with youth teams of experts, holds school games of the ChGK in a slightly modified format.

But still, they know Alexander Druz precisely as one of the most successful players in the What? Where? When? ”, On account of which (at the end of June 2017) 55 winning games. They also set a record for the number of participations in games - 88. Alexander Abramovich was the first in the club to receive the title of Master. Since 2009, the eminent player has been playing in the Nikita Mobile TeTe team from time to time, playing in the sports analogue of mind games. He, acting as a debutant at the Brain Ring Championship in Uzbekistan, immediately won. Then he continued his participation in the team in Israel, Great Britain, and Ukraine.

The intellectual show brought him not only fame and fame, but also certain incomes. Although Friends himself admitted that the game does not feed, therefore he connected his life with television not only through this intellectual show.

In 2002, an expert in one of the interviews called TV a permanent job. At that time, he directed the programs of the Golden Calf television company in St. Petersburg, which supplied content for the projects "Fatherland and Fate" of the TC "Culture" and "Agency" REN-TV.

In 2007, Druz became the founder of the Stroy-Azhio construction company, which was engaged in the wholesale trade in building materials, in 2007, another company called Trans-Azhio, which specialized in freight transportation. But a year later, he sold his entire business, not having time to develop it and due to the economic crisis. So, by and large, it was the intellect, colossal knowledge in various fields that became the factors that ensured financial income in the life of Alexander Druz.

A connoisseur-intellectual is happy in his personal life. From a young age, he thought about getting married once and for all. And so it happened. After all, Alexander met his future wife in the first grade. Then fate pulled them apart. Teenagers met after 7 years. At first, they were just friends, walked together, visited museums. And in the tenth grade, the friendship between Alexander and Elena turned into love and romance, which led to the wedding in 1978. A year later, Inna was born to the spouses, and in 1982 - Marina. The father actively participated in the upbringing of his daughters. From the age of three months, he read cognitive literature to them, instilling a thirst for knowledge and developing intellect. The daughters did not disappoint their father. Over the years, they took part in the intellectual show “What? Where? When?". Both were awarded "Crystal Owls".

The couple of Friends have been together for almost forty years. Their daughters gave them three granddaughters. And now Alexander combines the work of the head of the gaming programs department at the St. Petersburg TV channel STO with the training of Alice, Alina and Ansley.

Alexander Druz is a person who, probably, everyone knew in the nineties. This outstanding erudite was a living legend of the What? Where? When?" and the undisputed leader of this intellectual casino. The number of games he has played is close to a hundred, in his treasury of awards are 6 crystal owls and one diamond.

Alexander Druz dances after the incorrect answer of Blinov's team

Childhood and family of Alexander Druz

Alexander Druz was born into an ordinary Leningrad family. Both of his parents were Jews by nationality, and therefore (no matter how trite it is) Sasha grew up surrounded by books and weighty folios from early childhood. Although it cannot be said that such a state of affairs somehow interfered with the young guy. Even in elementary school, he began to eagerly read various literary works, study encyclopedias, eagerly absorbing a variety of interesting knowledge. Despite the fact that in many biographical texts dedicated to Alexander Druz one can find reports that at an early age the future "expert" dreamed of becoming a sailor and a fireman, the facts point to a completely different state of affairs.

Throughout the life of the legendary erudite, knowledge remained his main passion. So, while still a primary school student of the Leningrad secondary school No. 47, Alexander began to participate in various competitions and reviews. In particular, it is known for certain that already at the age of nine (!) Our today's hero won his first prize - a book by Vladimir Maksimov, presented to him as a reward for winning an evening of entertaining questions in a Ukrainian holiday home.

After that victory, others followed. So, Alexander repeatedly won competitions in his native school, and in the tenth grade he even became a laureate of the prestigious quiz “You are a Leningrader”, in which teenagers were tested on knowledge of their native city.

In one of his interviews, Alexander Druz quite succinctly explained such a large number of various competitions and intellectual quizzes that remained behind him. “I have never been afraid to look stupid,” the legendary polymath replied, answering the question of how he was able to achieve so many victories in various forums. And it's hard to add anything else.

Star Trek Alexander Friends

Having received a diploma of higher education, Alexander Druz began working as a systems engineer. However, quite soon, performances in the program “What? Where? When? ”, Which was broadcast on the Central Television of the USSR. As part of this television show (if you can call it that), the legendary polymath first appeared in 1981, leaving behind many other pre-selection participants. As the “expert” himself recalls, he sent an application for getting into this TV project back in April 1980, but only a year later the editors of the program invited Alexander to participate in the selection of participants. Friends passed a rigorous selection process. And soon became a full member of the TV show.

It is noteworthy that a year later, Alexander recorded another “achievement” in his asset, becoming the first participant in the project to be removed for tips from the audience.

Alexander Druz did not answer the questions of the honey seller

However, this small "feat", of course, is not the only significant achievement of this legendary connoisseur. During his long career at the What? Where? When?" our today's hero won in 46 games (out of 74 programs), and was also recognized as the best expert in 1990, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2006 and 2012. In 1995, the player became the first "expert" awarded the title of Master of Intellectual Casino. In 2011, Alexander also became the owner of the Diamond Owl honorary prize, awarded to the best players in the program.

But, despite such a dizzying success, Alexander Druz always yearned for more. In fact, having made such performances his main source of income, the "expert" began to actively participate in other projects of an intellectual profile. So, in the asset of our today's hero there are performances on such prestigious projects as "Brain Ring" (victories in 1990, 1991, 1994 and 2010) "Own Game". In addition, over the years, Alexander Druz also took part in various projects outside of Russia. In particular, the famous erudite was noted in the intellectual projects carried out in Uzbekistan, Israel and Ukraine. Looking at the full list of victories of the famous "expert", it seems that it is simply impossible to list them all.

Business of Alexander Friends

In addition to participating in the designated projects, for a long time Alexander Druz was also engaged in business and owned two companies - Trans-Azhio and Stroy-Azhio. Both of these organizations have long been significant players in the building materials market. Alexander was forced to sell the company only in 2012 due to the outbreak of the crisis in this industry.

Currently, Alexander Druz is the head of the St. Petersburg representative office of What? Where? When? ”, As well as the most titled participant in the history of games.

Personal life of Alexander Friends

Almost all his life, Alexander Druz has been married to a woman named Elena. In marriage with her, the famous "expert" had two daughters - Inna and Marina. Each of them in different years, like her father, successfully performed in the project “What? Where? When?" (in the asset of each of them there is a "Crystal Owl").

In 2008 and 2011, the eldest daughter Inna gave Alexander two granddaughters - Alice and Alina. Thus, at the moment, Friends Sr. is already a grandfather.

Alexander Druz now

In February 2019, Druz was at the center of a bribery scandal. Editor-in-Chief of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Ilya Ber announced that the titled ChGK expert was trying to offer him money for answering the questions of the game, which would allow him to win 3 million rubles. As evidence, he provided an audio recording of the conversation. However, Alexander denied the accusations, saying that everything was exactly the opposite: Ber offered to provide him with the correct answers in exchange for a percentage of the amount won. “The voice on the record is really mine, I decided to play along with him,” Friends commented on the record. This was confirmed by his colleague in ChGK Viktor Sidnev, who played with Alexander in that very episode.

Friends and Sidnev in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The entire issue.

According to Sidnev, Ber told them the answers to their first questions, but before filming, both agreed not to agree to the proposal, in any case not to win the main prize and act according to circumstances, and after filming was completed, tell the Millionaires management about everything. Starting from the tenth question, the questions were no longer the ones that Ber had provided answers to. Experts answered on their own. The answer to the last question turned out to be wrong, but as it turned out, Druz knew the answer to it, but let Sidnev answer incorrectly so as not to win. Victor believes that the purpose of all this fraud was to discredit Druz.

September 4 marks 35 years since the release of the first program "What? Where? When?". This intellectual TV game made famous many residents of Russia and the CIS countries.

Alexander Druz plays "What? Where? When?" since 1981. A system engineer by education, he graduated with honors from the Leningrad Institute of Railway Transport Engineers.

Five-time winner of the "Crystal Owl" prize (1990, 1992, 1995, 2000 and 2006).

In the final game of the 1995 winter series, Alexander Druz was awarded the honorary title of Master of the game "What? Where? When?", awarded the Big Crystal Owl and the Order of the Diamond Star as the best player in all 20 years of the elite club's existence.

From 1998 to 2001 worked in the company "NTV-Kino" as an executive director, and also served as a producer-coordinator and chief consultant.

In 2001, he became the general director of New Russian Series LLC. Here, until 2006, he produced such television series as "Streets of Broken Lights", "Secrets of the Investigation", "National Security Agent", "Children of the Arbat", "Taxi Driver", "Cop Wars", "Airport" and others.

From 2006 to the present - General Director of LLC "Forward-Film", producer and co-producer of the series "Katerina", "Protection of Krasin", "Schedule of Fates", "Special Group", "Cop Wars-3", "Web" , "Cop in law", "Highway Patrol". Member of the Union of Journalists of Russia, member of the Guild of Producers of Russia, member of the Academy of Russian Television.

The author of the monument to TV presenter Vladimir Voroshilov at the Vagankovsky cemetery.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources