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Soundtrack composer for legendary Soviet cartoon dies aged 92

Shainsky excelled in writing songs and music for children, marked by unpretentious but catchy tunes that very often invite a child to sing

Vladimir Shainsky Vitaly Belousov/TASS

Vladimir Shainsky

© Vitaly Belousov/TASS

MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. Composer Vladimir Shainsky, who is widely known in the world of animation film as the creator of the soundtrack for the legendary Soviet cartoon Cheburashka and Gena the Crocodile, has died at the age of 92, Rossiya Kultura TV channel said on Tuesday.

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Even after his death, Shainsky will surely remain a household name for generations of Russians to come. He has earned a place in Russian music as the composer of several dozen songs, which every Russian imbibed with their mother’s milk.

Shainsky excelled in writing songs and music for children, marked by unpretentious but catchy tunes that Soviet children loved. He scored exceptional success in composing songs for movies, and animation films about Cheburashka and Gena the Crocodile, which now have versions in languages as different as Hebrew and Japanese.

The popularity of the composer’s works is not just limited to children’s music. Some of his songs were hits for adult audiences as well, like ‘A Soldier’s Walking through the Town’, which also became a hit in Israel.

As of 2007, Shainsky had resided in San Diego, California.

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