Iosif Prut

Iosif Leonidovich Prut (Russian: Прут, Иосиф Леонидович; 6 November 1900 – 16 July 1996) was a Russian playwright and the first Soviet screenwriter. Prut was awarded the title of Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1983). Iosif Prut was born on November 18, 1900, in the city of Taganrog, in the Don Host Oblast of the Russian Empire. In 1901 his immediate family were diagnosed with acute tuberculosis and they travelled to Leysin, Switzerland, for a treatment in a local clinic. His father soon died of complications and was buried in Gerbersdorf, Germany. Iosif stayed in Leysin for treatment until 1908.

After returning several times to Taganrog and studying for a while at a Rostov on Don gymnasium, he moved to Switzerland for permanent residence with his aunt Anne Helghi and entered the École Nouvelle, a private school in Chailly near Lausanne. Among his alumni and close friends were Edward "Donnie" Donegall (1915-1918), a well-known war journalist, Constantine "Costa" Gratsos, vice president of Onassis' Victory Carriers, and Frédéric Siordet, lawyer, author and vice president of the International Red Cross.

In 1918 he graduated from the École Nouvelle and enlisted to the École Polytechnique in Paris, but quit and volunteered to serve in the Russian expeditionary corps. Iosif Prut was decorated with a Transfiguration cross.

After returning to Russia, he participated in the Russian Civil War within the 1st Cavalry Army (Soviet Union) under command of Semyon Budyonny, was in command of a platoon within the 36th regiment of the 6th Cavalry Caucasus division.

Iosif Prut moved to Moscow in 1922.

For the first time Prut wrote for a Red Army gazette in 1919. Most playwrights were dedicated to the Soviet Army and were staged at the Red Army Theater.

Prut worked for the Mezhrabpom-Rus(Межрабпом-Русь) film studio in 1924–1928, and for Lenfilm in 1928–1932.

During the German-Soviet War, he served at a mobile tank-repairing factory, later headed the club of the 222nd Smolensk Red-Banner Rifle Division (222 Смоленская Краснознаменная стрелковая дивизия), participated in several reconnaissance raid in the enemy rear, earning the Soviet Medal for Combat Service.

Iosif Prut died in Brest on July 16, 1996.