Yevgeny Leonov

Yevgeny Leonov
1979
Born
Yevgeny Pavlovich Leonov

(1926-09-02)2 September 1926
Moscow, RSFSR, Soviet Union
Died29 January 1994(1994-01-29) (aged 67)
Moscow, Russia
Resting placeNovodevichy Cemetery, Moscow
Alma materMoscow Art Theatre
OccupationActor
Years active1947–1994
TitlePeople's Artist of the USSR (1978)
SpouseVanda Stoilova
ChildrenAndrei Leonov
Parent(s)Pavel Vasilyevich Leonov
Anna Ilyinichna Leonova
AwardsOrder of Lenin

Yevgeny Pavlovich Leonov (Russian: Евгений Павлович Леонов; 2 September 1926 – 29 January 1994) was a Soviet and Russian actor. He was in many of the most famous Soviet movies. These include Gentlemen of Fortune, Mimino and Striped Trip. He has been called "one of Russia's best-loved actors". He also voiced many Soviet cartoon characters. This includes Vinny Pukh (Winnie-the-Pooh).

Early life

While growing up in Moscow, he wanted to be a pilot. His father worked in an airplane factory. During the Great Patriotic War, he and his whole family worked in a weapons making/airplane making factory. After the war, he joined the Moscow Art Theatre school. There he studied under Mikhail Yanshin.

Career

In his first movie, Leonov was cast as an extra. He later became Georgiy Daneliya's regular. He was in all of Daneliya's features. These include Gentlemen of Fortune, Autumn Marathon, Mimino, Afonya and Kin-dza-dza!. He was seen for his tragic parts and his natural acting.

He won Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for Daneliya's Autumn Marathon (1980). He performed over 200 roles and was the Russian cinema's best-known supporting actor.

In 1991 (or in 1988), when touring in Germany, he had a heart attack. This put him into a coma for 10 days (or 16 days). His life was saved only after a big surgery.

Leonov died on 29 January 1994 on his way to the Lenkom Theatre to perform in The Prayer for the Dead (A Memorial Prayer). His death was announced in the auditorium. Following the announcement, the audience went to the church across the road and lit candles in mourning. Over half a million people went to his memorial service in the freezing cold of winter. He is buried in Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow near other major people of Russian culture.

Filmography

Actor
Voice actor

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Death: Yevgeny Leonov. The Guardian (London). 23 February 1994.
  2. ↑ Peter Rollberg (2009). Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema. US: Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 403–405. ISBN 978-0-8108-6072-8.
  3. 1 2 Russia Parts With a Comic Legend. John Freedman. The Moscow Times No. 392. 3 February 1994.
  4. 1 2 Леонов Евгений - Биография - Актеры советского и российского кино (in Russian)
  5. 1 2 Евгений Леонов (Evgeniy Leonov) - биография - советские актёры - Кино-Театр.РУ (in Russian)
  6. 1 2 Биография Евгения Леонова - РИА Новости, 02.09.2016 (in Russian)
  7. ↑ Sviridov buried in Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow. Viktoria Dunayeva. TASS 9 January 1998.

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