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1-50 of 65
- Actor
- Soundtrack
A Russian-born stage and screen actor who usually plays a military man in lots of spy thrillers and war films, Alexander Molchanoff was born in Petrograd in 1921. He was the eldest son of Colonel Paul Molchanoff, of the Semionovsky regiment. In 1924 his family left Russia via Finland and Germany finally ending up in London,where Alexander's grandmother had a house in Harley Street. Alexander was educated in Monmouth School. After that he became an assistant to the Russian tenor Vladimir Rosing at Covent Garden. Later he joined the RAF and after being invalided out he turned into Richard Marner and started his long career as a stage and film actor.
His first success was a title role in a stage version of Dracula where he made a memorable performance. He went on with his work in theatre but he started appearing in films as well. A small part in The African Queen (1951) was one of his first. He continued with roles in plenty of films where he usually played German or Russian officers. He acted in classic films such as The Dirty Dozen and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and also had a part in James Bond's You Only Live Twice.
While working as an actor he supplemented his income by working as a sales agent for a costume jewellery manufacturer. In the 1980s Marner played the part of Colonel Von Strohm in the British comedy classic "Allo Allo" which was his most famous and loved performance as an actor. His last film was The Sum of All Fears where he played the Russian president.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lila Kedrova was a Russian actress, who spend most of her career as an expatriate. For her role as widowed courtesan Madame Hortense in Zorba the Greek (1964), Kedrova won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was the first Russian actress to win the award, and this was her only Academy Award nomination.
Kedrova was born in Petrogad, Russia (modern Saint Petersburg). She claimed to have been born in 1918, but she may have older by several years. She wanted to appear younger than she was. Her father was opera singer and liturgical music composer Nikolay Kedrov Sr. (1871-1940). Her mother was opera singer Sofia Gladkaya (1875-1975) was a singer at the Mariinsky Theatre and a teacher at the Conservatoire de Paris. Kedrova's older brother was composer Nikolay Kedrov Jr. (c. 1904-1981). Her sister, Irene Kedroff (real name: Irina Nikolayevna Kedrova) was a soprano.
The Kedrov family left the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic c. 1922, before the formation of the Soviet Union. They settled in Berlin , in the Weimar Republic. In 1928, the family moved to France (during the Third French Republic), where her parents were able to find better jobs.
Kedrova made her theatrical debut in 1932, appearing with the Moscow Art Theatre touring company, the foremost state-supported theatre of the Soviet Union. She made her film debut in the World War I-themed historical drama Ultimatum (1938). She appeared exclusively in French theatre and film until 1964. "Zorba the Greek" was her first appearance in an English-language film.
Kedrova's next notable role was that of Polish noblewoman Countess Kuchinska in the political thriller Torn Curtain (1966). She found some success in American theatre, playing Fraulein Schneider in the West End stage production of "Cabaret" (1968). She shared the stage with Judi Dench.
Kedrova appeared in Hollywood films for several years, mostly typecast in the role of an either eccentric or outright insane woman. Her last film appearance was a maternal role in the international co-production La prossima volta il fuoco (1993). She retired from acting as she was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
In February 2000, Kedrova died in her residence in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, The cause of death was pneumonia. She was cremated, and her ashes were buried in the Kedrov family grave at the Russian cemetery in Paris.- Maria Britneva was born on 2 July 1921 in Petrograd [now St. Petersburg], Russia. She was an actress, known for A Room with a View (1985), Maurice (1987) and Studio One (1948). She was married to Grenfell, Peter. She died on 15 February 1994 in Newton Toney, Witshire, England, UK.
- John Edwin Arnatt was born in Petrograd on the eve of the Russian Revolution, the son of a manager for Vauxhall Motors. Forced to leave Russia during the turmoil, his family returned to England where John was schooled at Epworth College and later trained for acting at RADA. On stage from 1936, he made his debut at the London West End in 1938 (in the revue "Happy Returns"). He resumed his theatrical career following wartime army service, even enjoying a brief stint as a stand-up comic at the Windmill Theatre. During the 1950's, he appeared in plays by Shakespeare and Chekhov at the Arts Theatre Club and at the Old Vic (both in London and in Bristol), as well as doubling up reporting sports on commercial television under the nom de plume 'Howard Peters'.
A tall man with urbane manners, a no-nonsense attitude, often sporting a pencil moustache, Arnatt is best remembered for his many impersonations on screen of thoughtful, pipe-smoking authority figures: Scotland Yard inspectors, commissioners, diplomats, aristocrats and army officers. In Doctor Who (1963) ("The Invasion of Time"), he played the Time Lord Borusa, one-time Lord Chancellor of Gallifrey. He was, perhaps, most effectively employed as deputy sheriff (temporarily replacing Alan Wheatley) or as the high sheriff of Nottingham in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955), a worthy antagonist to Richard Greene. - Actress
- Additional Crew
Irina Baronova was born on 13 March 1919 in Petrograd, Russia [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Toast to Love (1951), Florian (1940) and Toast of Love (1943). She was married to Cecil Tennant and German 'Jerry' Sevastianov. She died on 28 June 2008 in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia.- Marina von Ditmar was born on 30 October 1914 in Petrograd, Russian Empire [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. She was an actress, known for The Csardas Princess (1934), G.P.U. (1942) and The Divine Jetta (1937). She was married to Hans-Georg Dehnhardt. She died on 3 September 2014 in Bad Kissingen, Bavaria, Germany.
- Vladislav Strzhelchik was a Russian actor known for his portrayal of Napoleon in the epic film War and Peace (1965) by director Sergey Bondarchuk.
He was born Vladislav Ignatyevich Strzhelchik on January 31, 1921, in Petrograd (St. Petersburg), Russia. His father, Ignat Strzhelchik, was interned in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) after the First World War, he was a Polish Catholic and discreetly attended the Catholic service in Leningrad. Young Strzhelchik was brought up in a highly cultural atmosphere of his parents home, he was fond of literature and theatre, and had a dream about acting on stage, and eventually started playing in amateur drama at high school.
In 1937 he was admitted to the Acting Studio of the Bolshoi Drama Theatre in Leningrad. There his acting teachers were Aleksei Dikij, and the legendary Chapaev, Boris Babochkin. Strzhelchik worked at the Bolshoi Drama Theatre (BDT) through his entire acting career beginning in 1938 and ending in 1995, the year he died. His studies and work were interrupted by the Second World War, and Strzhelchik served at the front-line during the siege of Leningrad. After the war he continued his studies and graduated from the Acting Studio of the Leningrad Bolshoi Drama Theatre (BDT) in 1947.
His acting talent was fully revealed under director Georgi Tovstonogov, who seriously updated the repertoire and elevated artistic culture at the Bolshoi Drama Theatre. Strzhelchik worked under Tovstonogov for almost 35 years with an outstanding ensemble of actors at BDT in Leningrad / St. Petersburg. There his stage partners were such stars as Vasili Sofronov, Vitali Politsejmako, Oleg Basilashvili, Tatyana Doronina, Alisa Freyndlikh, Lyudmila Makarova, Svetlana Kryuchkova, Zinaida Sharko, Natalya Tenyakova, Elena Popova, Valentina Kovel, Mariya Prizvan-Sokolova, Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Sergey Yurskiy, Kirill Lavrov, Ivan Palmu, Oleg Borisov, Yefim Kopelyan, Evgeniy Lebedev, Georgiy Shtil, Pavel Pankov, Mikhail Volkov, Leonid Nevedomsky, Vsevolod Kuznetsov, Vadim Medvedev, Yuriy Demich, Gennadiy Bogachyov, Andrey Tolubeev, Nikolay Trofimov, Pavel Luspekayev, and many other remarkable Russian actors.
Among Strzhelchik's best remembered stage works were his appearances as Gregory Solomon in "Tsena" (1968), an adaptation from Sholom Aleichem, and his portrayal of Antonio Salieri in the stage play 'Amadeus' (1982). Strzhelchik was popular among critics and audiences, his stage performances were marked with his special presence and finesse. Among his notable film works were his portrayal of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in War and Peace (1965) by director Sergey Bondarchuk, and General Kovalevsky in popular TV-series 'Adyutant ego prevoskhoditelstva' (1969), among many other roles.
Vladislav Strzhelchik was professor at the Leningrad Institute of Theatre, Music, and Cinematography (1959-1968). He also taught at the Leningrad Institute of Culture from 1966-1990. Strzhelchik was awarded the Vasilyev Brothers State Prize of Russian Federation for his TV work. He was designated People's Artist of the USSR (1974), and was made Hero of Socialist Labor (1988). Vladislav Strzhelchik died of a brain tumor on September 11, 1995, in St. Petersburg, and was laid to rest in Necropolis of The Masters of Art "Literatorskie mostki" at Volkovskoe Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Russia. - Vera Altayskaya was born on 21 May 1919 in Petrograd, RSFSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Mashenka (1942), Syn Tadzhikistana (1943) and Tanya (1940). She was married to Aleksey Konsovskiy. She died on 28 December 1978 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Pavel Kadochnikov was born on 29 July 1915 in Petrograd, Russian Empire [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was an actor and director, known for Secret Agent (1947), Povest o nastoyashchem cheloveke (1948) and A Big Family (1954). He was married to Rozaliya Kotovich. He died on 2 May 1988 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia].- Actor
- Additional Crew
Georgi Zhzhyonov was a popular Russian actor who survived 18 years of imprisonment under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin.
He was born Georgi Stepanovich Zhzhonov on March 22, 1915, in St. Petersburg (then Petrograd), Russia. He was the seventh of ten children of Stepan Philippovich Zhzhonov and Maria Fedorovna Shchelkina. In 1921 his father was arrested and imprisoned for opposition to the communists. The Zhzhonov family lived on Bolshoi Prospekt of the Vasilevsky Ostrov in the historic center of St. Petersburg, near the "Petrogradets" stadium sports center. There young Zhzhonov took arduous physical training, specializing in acrobatics.
In 1930, Zhzhonov graduated from a secondary school with advanced course of mathematics. He borrowed his elder brother's ID in order to pass the admission to Acrobatic class at the Leningrad Circus School, where he was admitted as "Boris" Zhzhonov and studied for two years. He was forgiven for his innocent forgery, because of his excellence in acrobatics. He was noticed by a cinematographer during his acrobatic performances at the Leningrad Circus and was cast for the leading role as Pavel Vetrov in 'Oshibka Geroya' (1932), a silent film directed by Eduard Ioganson, where his partner was Yefim Kopelyan. From 1932-1935, Zhzhonov studied under Sergey Gerasimov at the Leningrad Theater and Film Institute, where his classmate was Arkady Raykin. Zhzhonov continued his film career in the classic film Chapaev (1934), where he played a cameo role alongside Boris Babochkin. Then he worked again with director Eduard Ioganson in Nasledny prints respubliki (1934). In 1935 Zhzhonov graduated from the class of Sergey Gerasimov and his film career looked good.
At that time, after the popular Leningrad governor, Sergei Kirov, was murdered, Joseph Stalin started extermination of Russian intellectuals. Zhzhenov's elder brother, Boris, was falsely accused of "anti-Soviet activity", and was executed in prison. The entire family of Zhzhonovs (father, mother, five sisters and two surviving brothers) were exiled to Siberian part of Kazakhstan. Georgi Zhzhonov refused to obey. At age 20 he was already recognized as a brilliant actor, and his film career was at stake. The Lenfilm Studio petitioned to postpone his exile, because he was cast by Sergey Gerasimov for a supporting role in 'Komsomolsk' (1938). His exile sentence was postponed and he joined the cast and crew on a train to the filming location at the city of Komsomolsk-on Amur on the Pacific Far East. On the train he met an American diplomat, who treated Zhzhonov to a taste of American cigarettes and they had a friendly conversation. That was enough for the Soviet secret police to arrest him on false accusations of spying for America.
Zhzhonov was forcefully separated from his wife, young actress Yevgeniya Golynchik, and was taken to the KGB prison in Leningrad. There he was tortured, humiliated, blackmailed and exiled to Kolyma in Siberia from 1938 to 1945. In 1945 he was allowed to work in Magadan Zapolyarny Drama Theatre in Siberia. In 1947 he came to Moscow, but he was banned from living in the Soviet Capital. He was arrested again on false accusations and was exiled to Norilsk in Northern Siberia. There he worked at the Zapolyarny Drama Theatre together with his friend Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy. Zhzhonov lived in exile until the death of Joseph Stalin.
In 1955, after 18 years of imprisonment and exile, Georgi Zhzhonov was allowed to return to his home town of Leningrad. There he was cleared of all previous charges of "anti-Soviet activity and spying for America" and was allowed to work as an actor in Leningrad. He also received official clearance for work in film. He returned to acting at the Theatre of Lensoveta and other theatres in Leningrad during 1955-1968.
Zhzhonov became known after a role in 'Beregis avtomobilya' (Watch out for Automobile 1966) by director Eldar Ryazanov. From 1968-2005 he lived in Moscow and worked on stage and in film. He was best known for the leading role as Western spy "Resident" in the eponymous film-trilogy from director Venyamin Dorman, and also for the leading role in 'Ekipazh' (1980) from director Aleksandr Mitta. Zhzhonov himself regarded his work with actor-director Mikhail Kozakov in the TV movie 'Vsya korolevskaya rat' (All the King's Men 1972). The first episode was already filmed with Pavel Luspekayev in the leading role as Senator Stark, but Luspekayev suddenly died during filming. In a fierce competition with other renown actors the role was won by Zhzhonov. His masterful acting in the leading role as Senator Stark was praised by the author Robert Penn Warren.
Georgi Zhzhonov wrote an autobiographical story of his Gulag prison-camp experience, which was praised by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and was published in Russia. He was awarded the State Prize of the USSR, and was honored with the title of the People's Artist of the USSR. He also received the 'Nika Award' for lifelong career.
Zhzhonov spent his 90th birthday on stage, acting at the Russian Army Theatre. Later that day, he was invited to the Kremlin for reception of the highest civilian decoration of Russia. During a conversation that followed, President Putin admitted that Zhzhonov's popular film roles had prompted him to become an intelligence officer. Zhzhonov replied with dark humor: "Just don't arrest me again."
Georgi Zhzhonov died on December 8, 2005, and was laid to rest in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Evgeniy Vesnik was born on 15 January 1923 in Petrograd, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was an actor and producer, known for Othello (1956), Trembita (1968) and Pyatdesyat na pyatdesyat (1973). He was married to Susanna Kameneva, Galina Zenkina, Angelina Prokhorova and Klavdiya Shinkina. He died on 10 April 2009 in Moscow, Russia.- Production Designer
- Special Effects
- Actor
Viktor Shildknekht was born on 27 January 1917 in Petrograd, Russian Empire [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was a production designer and actor, known for Pedejais bledis (1966), Kapteinis Nulle (1964) and Cara ligava (1965). He died on 9 August 2012.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Elisaveta was born on 21 July 1922 in Petrograd, Russian SFSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Dance on Roses (1954), Sköna Helena (1951) and Karusellen i fjällen (1955). She died on 23 August 1992.- Nikolai Boyarsky was a Russian character actor known as Kozlevich in the popular comedy The Golden Calf (1968), and as leading stage actor with the Theatre of Komissarzhevskoi in St. Petersburg, Russia.
He was born Nikolai Aleksandrovich Boyarsky on 10 December 1922, in St. Petersburg, Russia. His father, Aleksandr Boyarsky, was a priest of Russian Orthodox Church who was executed by the communists during the Great Purge of 1937 under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. Young Nikolai Boyarsky was fond of theatre, he followed his elder brother, Sergey Boyarskiy. From 1940 to 1941 he studied acting at the Leningrad Institute of Theatre and Cinema, but his studies were interrupted by WWII. Nikolai Boyarsky was drafted in the Red Army and served for four years fighting in the front-lines against the Nazis. During the war, he was taken by the Nazi forces and was kept as a POW, but he managed to escape and survived. He was wounded in the battle, but survived again and made it to the Victory day. He received numerous decorations for his courage. After the end of WWII, Nikolai Boyarsky returned to Leningrad. There, in 1945, he married actress Lidiya Shtykan who survived the Siege of Leningrad.
From 1948 to 1988 Nikolai Boyarsky was a permanent member of the troupe at the Theatre of Komissarzhevskoi in Leningrad/St. Petersburg. There his stage partners were such actors as Galina Korotkevich, Ivan Dmitriev, Tamara Abrosimova, Natalya Chetverikova, Elena Safonova, Valentina Chemberg, Tatyana Samarina, Aleksandr Galibin, Yefim Kamenetsky, Mikhail Khrabrov, Georgi Korolchuk, Stanislav Landgraf, Sergey Boyarskiy, Vladimir Osobik, Boris Sokolov, Ivan Krasko, Petr Shelokhonov, and other notable Russian actors. His most memorable stage appearances were as Zakhar in "Oblomov" and as Levan in "Esli b nebo bylo zerkalom" among other stage works.
He made his film debut as King Karl II of Spain in Don Sezar de Bazan (1957). In the course of his acting career, Nikolai Boyarsky played over 30 characters in film and on television. He worked with such directors as Pavel Kadochnikov, Mikhail Shapiro, Aleksandr Belinsky, Mikhail Shveitser, Vladimir Vengerov, Aleksandr Rou, Aleksandr Proshkin, Sergey Bondarchuk, and others. Nikolai Boyarsky was regarded for his presence and effortless style. He was designated People's Artist of Russia. He died on 7 October 1988, and was laid to rest in Komarovo cemetery near St. Petersburg, Russia. - Nikolai Badyev was born on 25 December 1922 in Petrograd, RSFSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was an actor, known for White Sun of the Desert (1970), Pered rassvetom (1989) and Taina zelyonogo bora (1961). He died on 11 February 1993 in Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Georg Ots was born on 21 March 1920 in Petrograd, RSFSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Valgus Koordis (1951), Mister Iks (1958) and The Bohemian Life (1992). He died on 5 September 1975 in Tallinn, Estonian SSR, USSR [now Estonia].- Actor
- Director
Léon Zitrone was born in Russia in 1914 and around 1920 he moved to France with his family. He graduated from Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme de Paris in 1948 and in 1959 he joint RTF. He was best known for hosting "Intervilles" alongside Guy Lux, commentating on the Tour de France on 6 times, hosting the French coverage for the Olympics between 1964 and 1992, commentating on the Eurovision Song Contest and hosted the 1978 Edition alongside Denise Fabre.- Fyodor Shmakov was born on 1 March 1917 in Petrograd, Russian Empire [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Bessmertnaya pesnya (1958), Kochubey (1958) and You Should Value Love (1960). He died on 2 May 2009 in Vitebsk, Belarus.
- Galina Korotkevich is a Russian actress known for the leading role in Vesna v Moskve (1953).
She was born Galina Petrovna Korotkevich on August 18, 1921, in St. Petersburg, Russia, into a family of actors. Her family lived on the Nevsky Prospekt, number 11, near the Hermitage museum. As a young girl she was fond of art, music and theatre. In the 1930s, she studied drawing and ballet, then took an acting class.
Galina Korotkevich was nineteen when Hitler's troops attacked her country in WWII. The war changed her life forever. She survived the siege of Leningrad during the Nazi occupation of Russia in the Second World War. At that time she and her mother nearly died of starvation, but they survived. In her effort to help the resistance, Korotkevich formed a small concert troupe and gave over two thousand performances for soldiers in the front-lines during WWII. Several times she was risking her life. She narrowly escaped death under air-bombings by the Luftwaffe. Her cheering appearances before soldiers in the front-lines helped lift their spirits during the hard years of WWII.
In 1945, after the war ended, Galina Korotkevich resumed her studies at the Leningrad Institute of Theatre, Music, and Cinematography. In 1946 she graduated from the acting class of Boris Sushkevich. From 1946 to 1962 she was member of the troupe at the Theatre of Lensoveta in Leningrad. There she shot to fame as Nadia Kovrova in the popular play "Spring in Moscow" directed by Nikolai Akimov. Eventually, the play was made into movie Vesna v Moskve (1953), and Korotkevich became an instant celebrity in the Soviet Union.
Since 1962 Korotkevich has been a permanent member of the troupe at the Theatre of Komissarzhevskoi in St. Petersburg. There her stage partners were such actors as Tamara Abrosimova, Natalya Chetverikova, Natalya Danilova, Elena Safonova, Tatyana Samarina, Elena Simonova, Aleksandr Galibin, Georgiy Korolchuk, Stanislav Landgraf Vladimir Osobik, Boris Sokolov, Petr Shelokhonov, and other notable Russian actors.
Galina Korotkevich was decorated for her feat as actress who performed for defenders of Leningrad during WWII. She was also honored as a survivor of the heroic siege of Leningrad. Korotkevich was designated People's Artist of Russia and was awarded for her works on stage and in film. During her acting career spanning over 70 years, she played over 70 roles on stage and also appeared on television. Galina Korotkevich also made memorable readings of Russian classic literature on many radio shows. She is currently residing in St. Petersburg, Russia. - Mikhail Devyatkin was born on 5 October 1916 in Petrograd, Russian Empire [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Tvoy sovremennik (1968), Moy luchshiy drug, general Vasiliy, syn Iosifa (1991) and Streets of Broken Lights (1998). He died on 14 November 2003.
- Tatyana Pankova was born on 27 December 1916 in Petrograd, Russian Empire [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Zvezda plenitelnogo schastya (1975), Po tonkomu ldu (1966) and Skandalnoye proishestviye v Brikmille (1981). She died on 9 July 2011 in Moscow, Russia.
- Valentin Berezhkov was the last living man who personally dealt with Hitler, Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill at the times of the Second World War.
He was born Valentin Mikhailovich Berezhkov on July 2, 1916, in St. Petersburg, Russia. Young Berezhkov was interested in history and languages. He graduated from Kiev University in 1938, then served in the Pacific Fleet in 1938-1939. At that time Berezhkov was recruited by the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs because interpreters were in short supply due to the purges during the "Great Terror" under dictatorship of Joseph Stalin.
Berezhkov was First Secretary of the Soviet Embassy in Berlin. In November of 1940 he served as interpreter at the talks between Vyacheslav Molotov and Adolf Hitler and Joachim von Ribbentrop. On June 22, 1941, the day Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union, Berezhkov interpreted at a meeting between German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and the Russian Ambassador to Germany Vladimir Dekanozov. Ribbentrop explained invasion as a preemptive attack, although, he plead "Make it known in Moscow that I was against the invasion!" In July of 1941 Berezhkov was appointed to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow as Assistant to Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov for Soviet-American relations.
Berezhkov served as personal interpreter to Joseph Stalin and Molotov at the Teheran conference in 1943, and also at the Yalta conference in 1945. In Teheran he interpreted Stalin's communication with Franklin D. Roosevelt when the two leaders met for the first time. Berezhkov also interpreted at the tree-way meetings between Stalin, Roosevelt and Winston Churchill in Teheran. Berezhkov was chosen for the job by Vyacheslav Molotov, although, he was not entirely confident in English at that time. By the time of the Yalta conference he further upgraded his English and was appointed the principal interpreter. Berezhkov's service at the Teheran and Yalta conferences became the highlight of his career. He also interpreted the intelligence unit's transcripts of conversations inside the bugged rooms of other delegates, which was typed in English, so that Berezhkov had to translate it orally to Stalin, as the leader prepared his agenda for the day's session of talks.
At historic conferences Berezhkov had to work under pressure without much rest or sleep, or even a mealtime. At the Yalta conference he was especially overloaded with work. One episode he recalled later with humor. He was so busy with interpreting between English, American, and Russian officials that he did not have a moment to eat and became really hungry at the end of the first day. The dinner was served to Roosevelt, Curchill, and Stalin, but they kept talking, obligating Berezhkov to translate. At one moment he took a bite, and the same moment Stalin asked Roosevelt a question. Berezhkov was not able to translate with his mouth full for a few seconds, and received an angry comment from Stalin: "You came to work, not to eat!" Berezhkov later recalled that his appetite was immediately gone.
Molotov shielded Berezhkov from prosecution, but could not prevent the termination of his diplomatic career. In 1945 Berezhkov turned to journalism and became an editor of the Soviet weekly 'New Times'. From 1969-1988 he was Chief Editor for the Soviet monthly journal 'USA-Economics, Politics, Ideology'. Berezhkov received a doctorate from the Institute of USA and Canada Studies in 1974, and taught at Moscow State University and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. From 1978-1983 he served in the Soviet Embassy in Washington as First Secretary. He also taught at the Monterrey Institute of Internationl Studies, Claremont Colleges and Occidental College in California. He wrote seven books with a circulation in Russian and English of over two million copies, including his last book "I was Stalin's Interpreter" (1991), which was re-issued in the United States in 1994 as 'At Stalin's Side'.
Valentin Berezhkov was living in California during the later years of his life. Berezhkov was the last living person who personally dealt with Hitler, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt. He died on November 20, 1998, in Los Angeles. - Sergei Boyarsky was a Russian character actor at the Theatre of Komissarzhevskoi in St. Petersburg, Russia.
He was born Sergei Aleksandrovich Boyarsky on 31 December 1916, in St. Petersburg, Russia. His father, Aleksander Boyarsky, was a Russian Orthodox priest who was executed by the communists during the Great Purge of 1937 under the dictatorship of 'joseph Stalin'. Young Sergei Boyarsky was fond of music and theatre. From 1935 to 1939 he studied acting under Boris Sushkevich at the old Russian acting school of Aleksandrinsky Theatre (named after Pushkin), graduating in 1939 as actor. After having worked for a few seasons at a small theatre in Ukraine, he returned to his hometown, Leningrad/St. Petersburg. From 1949 to 1976 Sergei Boyarsky was a permanent member of the troupe at the Theatre of Komissarzhevskoi in St. Petersburg. There his stage partners were such actors as Galina Korotkevich, Ivan Dmitriev, Tamara Abrosimova, Natalya Chetverikova, Elena Safonova, Valentina Chemberg, Tatyana Samarina, Aleksandr Galibin, Yefim Kamenetsky, Mikhail Khrabrov, Georgi Korolchuk, Stanislav Landgraf, Nikolay Boyarsky, Vladimir Osobik, Boris Sokolov, Ivan Krasko, Petr Shelokhonov, and other notable Russian actors.
Sergei Boyarsky made his film debut in 'Amphibian man', and later appeared in various supporting roles in film and on television. He was highly regarded for his works on stage having created over 50 roles in stage productions. Sergei Boyarsky also made memorable readings of Russian classic literature for various cultural events and radio shows. Outside of his acting career Sergei Boyarsky enjoyed a happy family life with his wife, Tatiana Melentieva, and the couple's son, Mikhail Boyarskiy, made a career as one of the leading stars of Russian cinema.
Sergei Boyarsky's last work was the leading role as Ivan the Terrible in the eponymous play by A. Tolstoy; he created the character of the legendary Russian Tsar in the period costume on the famous stage at the Theatre of Komissarzhevskoi in St. Petersburg. However, Sergei Boyarsky did not make it to the premiere. He died after a long and exhausting stage rehearsal on 1 March 1976, and was laid to rest in Komarovo cemetery near St. Petersburg, Russia. - Halina Czengery was born on 5 May 1919 in Petrograd, RSFSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Nights and Days (1975), The Third Part of the Night (1971) and Noce i dnie (1978). She died on 4 December 1981 in Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland.
- Lyudmila Iosifovna Makarova was born on October 20, 1921, in St. Petersburg (then Petrograd), Russia. Young Makarova was fond of ballet and theatre. In 1937 she was admitted to the Acting Studio of Bolshoi Drama Theatre (BDT) in Leningrad. She studied acting under Boris Babochkin and graduated from the Acting Studio of BDT in 1941. Makarova married actor Yefim Kopelyan the same year. During the Second World War Makarova worked at the Theatre of the Baltic Navy Fleet. She was entertaining the Navy and Red Army troops with theatrical performances at the time when Leningrad was under the siege. She gave many performances aboard battleships and submarines. Makarova survived the siege of Leningrad and was decorated for her courage.
Since 1945 Makarova has been a leading actress at the troupe of Bolshoi Drama Theatre in St. Petersburg (Leningrad). Her acting talent was fully revealed under director Georgi Tovstonogov, who seriously updated the repertoire and elevated artistic culture at the Bolshoi Drama Theatre. Makarova worked under Tovstonogov for almost 35 years with an outstanding ensemble of actors at BDT. There her stage partners were such renown stars as Oleg Basilashvili, Tatyana Doronina, Alisa Freyndlikh, Valentina Kovel, Svetlana Kryuchkova, Zinaida Sharko, Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Vladislav Strzhelchik, Sergey Yurskiy, Kirill Lavrov, Oleg Borisov, Yefim Kopelyan, Evgeniy Lebedev, Vsevolod Kuznetsov, Nikolay Trofimov, Pavel Luspekayev, and many other remarkable Russian actors. Among Makarova's best remembered stage works were the role of Khanuma in the eponymous play. Khanuma ran over 300 performances on stage; it was also filmed by director Georgi Tovstonogov in 1978.
Lyudmila Makarova was awarded numerous prizes and decorations for her stage and film works. She was honored with the title of the People's Artist of the USSR in 1977. Makarova is living in St. Petersburg, Russia.