Kirill Yuryevich Lavrov is a talented theater and film actor beloved by millions of viewers, who received the title of People's and Honored Artist of the USSR and RSFSR, Hero of Socialist Labor and People's Artist of Ukraine. For many years, Lavrov directed the Bolshoi Drama Theater named after I. G. A. Tovstonogov in St. Petersburg.
Kirill Yurievich believed that he did not choose his profession by chance, and it was predetermined by his fate in advance. But faith in higher powers alone would not allow Lavrov to become such a successful and famous actor. He achieved everything himself, his work, creative path, biography speak for themselves.
History, biography, the beginning of the creative path
Kirill Lavrov was born into a creative family, where from childhood he was surrounded by people of art. The child was born in Leningrad in 1925, on September 15. His father was Yuri Sergeevich Lavrov, an actor of the drama theater (later the Bolshoi Drama Theater named after M. Gorky), who worked there from a young age and gave the theater more than 20 years of his life. Kirill's mother - Gudim-Levkovich Olga Ivanovna - is also an actress, but she practically did not play in the theater. She was known as a literary reader, appeared on the radio and hosted literary programs.
In childhood, Kirill was a noisy and hooligan child, he loved to play football. His passion was so strong that in his youth, Kirill became a member of the Spartak football team.
When in the 30s repressions began in the city, which affected the creative intelligentsia, the family was forced to leave for Kiev. There, his father became the head of the Kiev Drama Theater. Lesia Ukrainka. Cyril stayed with his grandmother, who later was involved in his upbringing. At the beginning of the war, they were evacuated, and in 1942 Kirill moved to Novosibirsk and got a job as a turner at the plant. All these years, the young man did not stop dreaming about the theater, but many more years passed before he began to conquer the stage.
When Kirill was 17 years old, he was drafted into the army and went to the front in 1943, remaining in service until 1950. During his service, he received an education and the profession of a military aviation mechanic. He worked in his specialty for almost 5 years in the Kuril Islands. During the army service, Lavrov actively participated in amateur performances, played in the army theater.
Before the start of the war, Cyril did not manage to get a secondary education, which prevented him from entering the theater institute, where he went immediately after service. All educational institutions that trained actors, he was refused. After that, Kirill decides to go to his father in Kiev, where he helps his son get a job at the theater as an intern. This is how Lavrov's stage career begins.
For several years, Yuri Sergeevich has been teaching Kirill acting skills and, together with his son, takes part in many performances. K. Khokhov, who at that time was the head of the theater, also became an assistant and mentor to the young man. At first, the young man plays in extras and only after a couple of years they begin to trust him first small roles, and then the main ones, thanks to his talent and charisma.
Love for the theater did its job: at the beginning of 1955, Lavrov received an invitation to return to Leningrad and perform on the stage of the Bolshoi Drama Theater. M. Gorky. It was to this theater that the whole future fate, creativity and career of the actor was devoted. Lavrov played in a huge number of performances and was deservedly loved by the audience. His performances: "Woe from Wit", "The Inspector General", "Uncle Vanya", "Three Sisters", went with an invariable full house.
After the departure of G. A. Tovstonogov, Lavrov became the artistic director of the BDT in 1989 and headed the theater, while continuing to appear on stage until his death.
Lavrov's film career
Kirill Evgenievich was known not only for his roles in the theater, he actively acted in films, starting in 1955, and played a huge number of main roles that the viewer will forever remember.
Kirill first appeared on screens in the film Vasek Trubachev. This was in 1955. After this film, he began to receive many invitations to shoot, but the roles that were offered to Lavrov were insignificant and episodic.
The first nationwide success was brought to him by the painting "The Living and the Dead", released in 1964. Lavrov got the role of Sintsov - a war correspondent - an ideological, courageous man with a strong character and unshakable principles. The actor really liked the script and the image of the hero, as a result, the picture was an overwhelming success, it was watched by tens of millions of viewers. Together with Lavrov, Oleg Efremov and Anatoly Papanov starred in the film. The success of the film inspired the director to shoot the continuation of the story and in 1967 the film "Retribution" was released.
In 1965, the film "Believe me, people" was released, where Lavrov plays the role of a negative character striving to become necessary for society. This film also becomes one of the leaders in film distribution.
In 1966, a film about love, "Long and Happy Life," appeared, where Lavrov and Inna Gulaya became the main characters. This film wins the top prize at the Bergamo Film Festival.
Together with Mikhail Ulyanov in 1968, Kirill Yuryevich starred in the film The Brothers Karamazov. It was with this film that the actors' friendship began, which lasted all their lives. In the same period, two more films were released with Lavrov in the lead roles: "Our Friends" and "Neutral Waters".
Since 1969, filming has practically not stopped. Lavrov plays the role of the maestro's apprentice in the film Tchaikovsky, starring the famous I. Smoktunovsky. The next film was Lyubov Yarovaya, together with L. Chursina and V. Shukshin.
Lavrov received the main role in the film "The Move of the White Queen" in 1971. And almost immediately the film "The Taming of Fire" was released, for the role in which he was awarded the State Prize.
Viewers are familiar with many other films, where Kirill Lavrov starred: "My affectionate and gentle animal", "A glass of water", "On the Pomegranate Islands", "Charlotte's Necklace", "Salt of the earth", "From the life of the head of the criminal investigation department." He is also known for his numerous roles in film series: "The noble robber Vladimir Dubrovsky", "Gangster Petersburg", "The Master and Margarita".
In 2005, in the film All the Gold in the World, Kirill Lavrov plays his last role, already being terminally ill.
Personal life and death of the actor
Lavrov's charisma, charm, intelligence conquered many women. Fans fell in love with him, he had fleeting novels, but all his life Kirill Yuryevich really loved only one woman - Valentina Nikolaeva.
Their romance began at the time of Lavrov's work in Kiev. There he met a young actress who won his heart for many years. They got married in 1955. In 1956, the couple had their first child, a son, Sergei, and in 1965, a daughter, Maria.
The husband and wife lived together for 40 years, until the very death of their beloved woman in 2002. Lavrov was very worried about the loss of his wife, it was difficult for him to get used to loneliness. At first, his daughter supported him, moving with his family to his father. But Kirill Yuryevich, accustomed to silence, soon decided to live separately in an apartment that the theater had given him.
Soon a woman appeared in Lavrov's life, who became for him a devoted friend who was by his side until his death. It was Anastasia Lozovaya, who worked as a costume designer at the BDT. The age difference of almost 50 years did not become an obstacle for the relationship that arose between them. They spent all the last years together. And although Anastasia sincerely loved Kirill Yuryevich, she could not replace his departed wife, without whom he could not imagine life.
Lavrov passed away in 2007, on April 27, after a long illness, with which he had been struggling in recent years. The actor was buried next to the grave of his beloved wife in St. Petersburg at the Theological cemetery.
