Oleg Strizhenov, actor, People's Artist of the USSR. Biography

Oleg Strizhenov was born in 1929 in Blagoveshchensk. His father was a serviceman, because of which the family often changed the place of residence. The future actor lived in Tiflis, Kharkov, Leningrad and other cities of the country. In early childhood, he liked to spend time in the army stables. As the artist himself later recalled, at the age of five he was first put on a horse, and soon he was already confidently in the saddle.

After moving to Moscow in 1935, young Strizhenov discovered the art of cinematography. He often visited the First Children's Theater, sometimes skipping classes for the sake of it.

Carefree childhood was cut short with the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War. Father and brothers Strizhenov went to the front. In 1942, the oldest of the three children, Boris, died in battle. The second oldest, Gleb, was contused and demobilized. The head of the family was wounded twice, but returned home alive.

Strizhenov himself, having finished seven grades, began working at the Scientific Research Film and Photo Institute as a mechanic's assistant. At the age of 16, he went to the labor front - to build the Paveletsky station and lay railroad tracks.

The last romantic: Oleg Strizhenov died

The son of a cavalryman fell in love with theater from a young age

After the war Strizhenov, with a passion for drawing and art since his youth, entered the art-boutaforsky faculty of the Moscow Theater Art and Technical School. It was there that he, in his own words, "fell in love with the theater" and could not imagine his life without the stage. In 1948 Strizhenov firmly decided to devote himself to acting and became a student at the Shchukin Theater School.

In 1953, the young artist began working in the State Russian Drama Theater of the Estonian SSR (modern Russian Theater of Estonia). A year later he moved to Leningrad, where he became an actor at the Pushkin Drama Theater (today's Alexandrinsky Theater). In 1957 he returned to Moscow and joined the troupe of the Theater-Studio of Film Actors, which operated at Mosfilm.

In 1966 Strizhenov moved to the Moscow Art Theater, where he served for 10 years. During this time, he appeared in such productions as "Mary Stuart", "Guiltless Guilty", "Three Sisters", "The Seagull", "On every wise man is quite simple" and others. In 1977, he returned to the Theater-Studio of Film Actor and no longer left it.

In the movie Strizhenov debuted as a student. In 1951, he performed an episodic role in Vladimir Petrov's film "Sporting Honor". However, he became famous for the picture of Alexander Fayntsimmera "Gadfly" on the novel of the same name by English writer Ethel Voynich. In it, the novice artist played the main character - a student revolutionary Arthur Burton. The movie was released in 1955 and immediately won the love of the audience. In cinemas it was watched by more than 39 million people.

In 1956, Strizhenov again performed the role of a revolutionary in the film "Mexican". In the story, a young rebel Felipe Rivera decides to act in a boxing match against a knowingly stronger opponent to earn money for the needs of the revolution in Mexico. For this role, the actor had to learn to box, but the hours spent in the ring paid off in full - his game noted not only critics, but also professional athletes.

In 1956, the artist also performed the role of the White Guard Vadim Govorukhi-Otrok in the screen version of Boris Lavrenev's story "Forty-first" about the Civil War. The picture was highly appreciated by the jury at the Cannes Film Festival, and in his homeland Strizhenov recognized as the best actor of the year.

Subsequently, Strizhenov embodied on the screen many bright images. Among them Peter Grinev from "The Captain's Daughter" (1958), Afanasy Nikitin from "Walking for Three Seas" (1958), Sergei Kuklin and Robert in the science fiction comedy "His name was Robert" (1967), pilot Sergei Egorov in the drama "Unsuited" (1969), Prince Volkonsky in the film "Star of Captivating Happiness" (1975) and others. In 1983, he also played a major role in the detective film "Proceed to liquidation". For this work, the actor was awarded the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In total, for his career Strizhenov starred in more than 30 films. In 1988, he was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR. In 1999, the actor received the Order "For Services to the Fatherland" III degree, and in 2004 - the same order of II degree.

Strizhenov died on February 9, 2025, he was 95 years old. In the press service of the Gorky Moscow Art Theater, the death of the actor called irreparable loss for the culture of Russia. The theater noted that he was a true artist of stage and screen, inspiring and devoted to art.

Oleg Strizhenov - personal life

With his first wife, Marianna Gryzunova-Bebutova, Strizhenov met during the filming of the movie "Gadfly". In 1955, the lovers legalized their relationship, and two years later their daughter Natalia was born. The spouses lived together until 1968, after which they separated. In 2003, at the age of 45 years, Natalia Strizhenova tragically died.

The second wife Strizhenova became an actress Lubov Lifentsova. With her, the actor lived in marriage for six years. In 1969 they had a son Alexander, who followed in the footsteps of his parents and became an actor.

In 1976 Strizhenov married actress Lionella Pirieva (Skirda), with whom he spent the rest of his life. They first met back in 1955 on the set of "The Mexican". The actor immediately noticed the girl in the crowd of spectators, but at that time he was already married and did not succumb to a sudden infatuation. After 20 years Strizhenov and Skirda crossed paths during the voicing of the movie "The Last Victim". Seeing the beautiful stranger again, the actor immediately made her an offer, and she agreed. In marriage, the spouses lived 48 years.