Maria Pavlovna Barabanova is a well-known and popular in the Soviet Union actress-travesty, director, who received the title of People's and Honored Artist of the RSFSR. There are more than 40 film roles in her creative biography. She worked in the Leningrad Youth Theater and the Comedy Theater, she was rightfully called the "queen of laughter."
Maria Pavlovna was an actress with a complex character. She achieved her goals in every possible way, and there were no obstacles for her. Men went crazy over her, and colleagues at work admired her talent and at the same time were afraid.
In the post-war period, Barabanova headed the party organization at the Gorky Film Studio and took care of many actors, including the famous Vasily Shukshin.
Childhood and adolescence
Maria was born in St. Petersburg, in 1911, on November 3. From early childhood, the girl had a completely uncontrollable character, but her father, who loved her madly, forgave her daughter any of her antics. She did not stay in any school for a long time, because teachers constantly complained about her abnormal behavior. After another scandal and expulsion from school, the father still supported the girl, convincing her that there are many schools, and she is the only one in the world, so you need to love yourself in any capacity.
Perhaps it was this love of the closest person that shaped the future character of Mary and allowed her to achieve exactly what she wants throughout her life. Her biography is full of many different events, but thanks to her convictions, perseverance and ability to manipulate people, Maria almost always emerged victorious from any difficult situations.
Even before school, the girl decided that she would definitely become an actress and nothing could stop her from achieving what she wanted. She begins to study music, dance, singing on her own, learns to recite poems and stories, and by the time she graduates from school she decides to try herself on the big stage. Even the lack of acting education did not prevent Maria from coming to audition for the theater. She was accepted first with the troupe of the Leningrad Proletkult Theater, and then with the Youth Theater. After a while, the girl decides to get a professional education and enter the acting department, so her work in the theater stops for a while.
Creative way
Having entered the theater school, the girl begins to study on the course of the famous teacher Sushkevich and becomes his favorite. But even this love did not prevent Maria from showing her difficult, and sometimes defiant character in front of the teacher and fellow students.
After graduating from the acting department, Maria was assigned to the Comedy Theater, at the same time she began acting in films.
Barabanova performed her first small role in the comedy "Girl in a Hurry to Date". And the fame and love of the audience brought her the role of a boy in E. Garin's film "Doctor Kalyuzhny". A small, thin girl with a short haircut, a cocky character and a peculiar voice was very suitable for the role of a teenager, and I must say that in the future she often starred in films in male roles. Even on the set, not many knew that these roles were played by a young actress. After a while, an acting role was fixed for her - travesty.
In the first years of the war, the actress was invited to the picture "The Prince and the Beggar", which was supposed to be filmed in Moscow. She immediately agreed to the role, but at the same time with the filming she needed to play in performances in Leningrad. Constant moving from city to city tired the actress very much and was not welcomed by the theater director. As a result, she had to make a choice and leave her work in the theater, which led to a scandal with Akimov, who condemned her, in his opinion, a rash act.
At the film studio, Barabanova was always in the center of events and took part in everything that happened not only on the set. She could interfere with the personal relationships of work colleagues, but she did it sincerely, without any self-interest. Maria was sure that everything she does was done only out of love for friends and from a pure heart.
Due to her amazingly strong character, Barabanova could solve almost any problem. During the war, the actress was evacuated to Tajikistan, where the entire film studio went. Once, having learned about the plight of the Leningrad actors, she was able to ensure that the Comedy Theater was also evacuated to Dushanbe. Turning to the party committee with a request, she found support in the person of the first secretary, who helped her to carry out her plans.
By the end of the war, Barabanova returned with the studio to Moscow, where she continued to star in new films. She remained in the capital until the end of her days.
Party activities
Some time after returning to the capital, she entered the Higher Art School and became the party secretary of the Gorky Film Studio. Barabanova stops filming for several years and is completely immersed in party work.
Her activity, dedication and desire to achieve all goals irritated many. Some friends began to treat Mary with great caution, while for others she became an enemy. Barabanova did not tolerate any falsity either in relationships or in work, so if she believed that the actor did not have the proper talent or did not share party views, he could not work in the studio. But for some, her categorical nature helped a lot. So Vasily Shukshin, whom they tried in every possible way to prevent the filming, was grateful to the actress for her support and guardianship. It was she who helped Shushkin stay at the film studio and continue his career. In addition, Maria supported many veterans, seeking material assistance for them, vouchers to sanatoriums and special privileges.
Puss in Boots and directorial debut
Carried away by party work, Barabanova stopped appearing in films and only by the mid-1950s decided to resume her acting activities. During this period, Alexander Rowe was preparing for the filming of the fabulous film "Puss in Boots". Barabanova decides that only her should get the main role and again, thanks to her punchy, strong character, gets what she wants. Even her age, and Maria at that time was already 47 years old, did not become an obstacle for this role. The cat in her performance was loved not only by children, but also by adults. Barabanova enchanted the audience with her image, and almost every child of the Soviet Union knew the song from the film by heart.
After the brilliant success in the role of a fairy-tale character, silence fell again in Maria's acting life. She was no longer offered roles, she decides to make her own film, acting as a director. The painting "Everything for You" was conceived as a musical comedy based on the biography of Maria herself. The leading actors were involved in the main roles: Rina Zelenaya, Tatyana Peltzer, Leonid Kuravlev and many others. The film was released, but critics and audiences spoke of it rather restrainedly. In fact, the picture failed, although the actress herself did not think so.
After her directorial debut, Barabanova again absorbs creativity, and she continues to act in films, mainly creating images of fairy-tale characters. Her last role in 1993 should be the image of a cheerful bander, but illness prevented her from realizing this idea. And on March 7, 1993, Maria Pavlovna passed away.
Personal life
For many years, Maria tried to establish her family life. She has been married many times and has always helped her beloved men to succeed in their careers. Men admired her, and Maria herself was a very amorous nature and at the same time an excellent hostess and wife. Despite the fact that there were a huge number of men in her life, she never found her only one.
