Immer wieder, nachdem er in dem von ihm bevorzugten Moskauer Kunsttheater (MkhAT) die Verfilmung von Bulgakovs Roman „Belaya Gvardiya“ („Die Weisse Garde“) gesehen hatte, rief Josef Vissarionovich den Schriftsteller an, um ihm seine Bewunderung kundzutun.
Again and again Josef Vissarionovich would repeatedly telephone Bulgakov after viewing the film version of his novel "The White Guard" in his favorite Moscow Art Theater (MkhAT), to express his admiration. "Mikhail Afanasievich, Stalin speaking," would come the voice down the receiver, freezing the author in terror.