Among Russian actors there are those who are remembered even for one film or for a cameo - they are so bright, extraordinary and somehow "alive". One of these actors is Vitaly Viktorovich Leonov, a man with an extraordinary destiny.
He was born in the pre-war period, and he had to grow up and learn to make independent decisions already in the days of the hard times of war.
Nevertheless, all of his roles were imbued with vitality, optimism and infinitely sincere humor, no matter what role he played.
The best films in Leonov's filmography are considered the films "They Fought for the Motherland", "White Bim Black Ear", "It Can't Be!", "Dog in the Manger", "Kin-Dza-Dza". He also played a role in the epic multi-part film "Siberiade".
Biography
Vitaly Viktorovich Leonov was born in 1926 in the Ural city of Sverdlovsk, now Yekaterinburg. His family was far from the art world: his father was a trade worker, and his mother was a housewife.
Vitaly received an incomplete eight-year education at school, and then left for the Solovetsky Islands to enroll in a boy's school. The teenager was then only fourteen years old, but he was already quite independent.
The Solovetsky Jung School is famous for its discipline, good military training, so real heroes emerged from its walls, who during the Great Patriotic War defended the northern borders of their homeland from enemy ships. Now, on the school Board of Glory, next to the portraits of the Heroes of the Soviet Union, there are portraits of famous people who studied sea craft here. This includes a portrait of the famous writer Valentin Pikul and the actor Vitaly Leonov.
The war for the cabin boy Leonov began when he served on the steering destroyer Karl Liebknecht, which accompanied the ships of the Northern Sea Fleet and escorted sea convoys. Throughout the war, the future actor served on this ship, getting into various troubles. There is also a memorable moment in his military biography: in 1945 he was already in the rank of foreman and was on watch on the day when their destroyer was attacked by the U-286 submarine. The team quickly reacted to the attack and sank the enemy submarine.
Actor's career
Leonov got into actors by accident: he was recommended by the mother of a girl he knew as a talented poetry reader. Immediately, by order of Admiral Golovko, the sailor became an artist - he ended up in the Theater of the Northern Fleet. There he worked until 1950, and then left to serve on a fishing boat. The reasons for this act are unknown. Leonov returned to the theater only fifteen years later - in 1965.
He lived in Tashkent, Samarkand and Moscow. In the capital, he got a job at the Film Actor's Studio Theater and began acting in films. His image was not conducive to the main roles, so he had to play either a drunkard, or a hard worker, or a rogue or a robber. However, each of his roles was noticeable and vivid.
Personal life
In life, Leonov was the most charming man, was often the soul of the company, knew how to cheer and make anyone laugh. This is probably why he was married three times. He had a daughter from his first marriage and a son from his second.
Vitaly Viktorovich Leonov died in 1993 in Moscow and was buried at the Vostryakovskoye cemetery of the capital.
