Karp Khachvankyan

Karp "Karapet" Mkrtchi Khachvankyan (; 23 January 1923 in Akhaltskha – 29 November 1998 in Yerevan) was an Armenian actor and director, People's Artist of Armenia. He was known as the "King of Laughter".

Biography From 1941 to 1944. Khachvankyan studied at the Actor's school of the Tbilisi film studio. From 1944 until his death, Khachvankyan acted at the Paronyan Musical Comedy Theatre of Yerevan, performing more than 100 roles.

From 1984 to 1988, Khachvankyan was the artistic director of the Paronyan and directed 13 plays.

He was best known for his comic roles, such as Knyaz in Taxi, Taxi, Thodoros in the Dimitris Psathas play Liar Wanted, and Skapen in Skapen’s Pranks.

His directing included Man of La Mancha (where he played both Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote), Silva by Emmerich Kálmán, and Love under the Stars by A. Ayvazyan.

Khachvankyan also played in films, including The Girl from Ararat Valley (1950), Patvi hamar (1956), and Road to the Stage (1963).

Selected filmography

Acting

1949 – The Girl of Ararat Valley, as Poghos 1956 – Patvi hamar, as Suren Elizbarov 1963 – Road to the Stage, as Ashot 1982 – Eastern Dentist, as Niko (TV Movie) Taxi, Taxi, as Knyaz Liar Wanted, as Thodoros Skapen’s Pranks as Skapen

Directing

Man of La Mancha Silva Love under the Stars