The Life Story of Oleg Vidov and Joan Borston

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Joan borston met oleg vidov in rome. He was the first major soviet actor ever to defect. Joan says she wasn't looking for romance, but he followed her around and wanted to tell her his life story. When we asked how they fell in love, joan said it just kind of happened. Oleg found work in hollywood. But there weren't a lot of parts for actors who looked like oleg and had a russian accent.

When Joan Borsten married actor Oleg Vidov, also known as “the Soviet Robert Redford,” he introduced her to beautiful Soviet animations created in Moscow’s Soyuzmultfilm studio, like Hedgehog in the Fog, by Yuri Norstein. Joan and Oleg eventually acquired the rights to distribute the films outside of the former Soviet Union. One day, Joan realized someone was undercutting their business, and she devised a very Hollywood solution. We talk with Joan Borsten, Andre Violentyev, and former FBI Special Agent and current private investigator, Jake Schmidt.

You can learn more about Joan Borsten’s late husband, “the Soviet Robert Redford” in her new documentary, based on his autobiography. It’s called “The Oleg Vidov Story.”

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