Theater and film actor Kirill Lavrov. Biography

Kirill Lavrov was born on September 15, 1925 in Leningrad into an acting family. His father, Yuri Lavrov, worked at the Bolshoi Drama Theater and the Meyerhold Theater, and his mother, Olga Gudim-Levkovich, worked on radio. When Kirill turned five, his parents separated. Later, the actor recalled that his meetings with his father were infrequent, but the family always talked about him in friendly tones.

The future actor spent his childhood in Leningrad. He was a typical Soviet boy who was fond of sports. At school, he was actively involved in football and even played for the youth team of the Spartak Leningrad Sports Society, occupying the position of the right wing forward. After school, he dreamed of becoming a sailor and planned to enroll in a naval school, but the outbreak of war disrupted these plans.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he and his family were evacuated to the Kirov region, where he had to work in various jobs as a teenager: as a loader, turner, security guard. In 1943, at the age of 17, he volunteered for the army, although he never reached the front — he was sent to the Astrakhan Aviation School. After graduation, he served as a technician in a bomber regiment, preparing Pe-2 dive bombers. It was then that Kirill first came across the theater, participating in amateur productions.

After demobilization, the young man returned to Leningrad with the intention of enrolling in a theater institute, but his application was rejected due to lack of a matriculation certificate. However, due to a combination of circumstances, he ended up at the Kiev Russian Drama Theater, where his father worked. This was the first step in his theatrical career. For five years, under the guidance of his father, he mastered acting, appearing on stage with him in several performances. Konstantin Khokhlov, the head of the theater, provided special assistance in his education and development as an actor.

In 1954, he became the head of the Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theater, where he invited Lavrov. Thus began a new milestone in the artist's career, already on the main Leningrad stage. He devoted more than 50 years of his life to her, becoming one of the leading actors and a symbol of the theater. His repertoire includes major roles in such plays as The Brothers Karamazov, Three Sisters, and The Cherry Orchard. In 1989, Kirill Lavrov was unanimously elected artistic director of the theater.

The actor made his film debut in 1955 with a small role in the film Vasek Trubachev and his Comrades. But the real fame came to him after the role of war correspondent Ivan Sintsov in the film "The Living and the Dead" based on the novel by Konstantin Simonov. The film was released in 1964 and set an attendance record — it was watched by more than 40 million viewers.

During his career, the actor starred in almost 80 films, creating a gallery of vivid and memorable images. Among them are the roles of Ivan Karamazov in "The Brothers Karamazov", the chief designer of rocket and space technology Andrei Bashkirtsev in the film "The Taming of Fire" based on the biography of Sergei Korolev, Count Alexei Karneev in the film "My Affectionate and Gentle Beast" based on Chekhov's story and others. The actor continued to work actively, even when many of his peers were no longer filming. His last major work was the role of Pontius Pilate in the film adaptation of the novel "The Master and Margarita" directed by Vladimir Bortko.

In addition to his creative career, Lavrov actively participated in the public and political life of the country. He was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and a People's Deputy of the USSR from the Union of Theatrical Figures. He headed the Leningrad branch of the All-Russian Theatrical Society. In 1992, he was elected president of the International Confederation of Theatrical Unions, later a member of the Commission on Science, Culture, Education and Information of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS countries, as well as a member of the Committee on State Prizes under the President of Russia.

During his long-term career, the actor was awarded many awards, including the title of People's Artist of the USSR. He was awarded the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, and for Services to the Fatherland, II, III, and IV degrees. In 1995, he was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of St. Petersburg.

Kirill Lavrov died on April 27, 2007 in St. Petersburg from leukemia. He is buried in the Theological Cemetery. The actor has two adult children — daughter Maria, who became an actress, and son Sergey, who chose a business.

In his youth, Kirill Lavrov was credited with having affairs with various actresses, including the star of Soviet cinema, Elina Bystritskaya. However, he lived almost all his life with the only woman, his wife, actress Valentina Nikolaeva, whom he met in 1951. Their marriage lasted for almost 50 years. After his wife's death in 2002, Nastya, a costume designer, remained next to the People's Artist, with whom he spent the last years of his life. This late love restored the actor's vitality and allowed him to continue his creative activity.

On the 100th anniversary of the artist

In September 2025, the Northern Capital celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of the artist, who became one of the symbols of the Leningrad acting school. In honor of the anniversary, a memorable evening "Our Laurels" will be held on the main stage of the Gorky Bolshoi Drama Theater, and a reconstruction installation dedicated to the actor will open in the BDT theater exposition.

Zenit football club, of which Lavrov was an avid fan, will also join the celebration. On September 17, Gazprom Arena will host a Russian Cup match between Zenit and Akhmat dedicated to the anniversary of the artist. The club's press service reported that the program of pre-match events will be dedicated to the life and work of the actor, his connection with football and friendship with the blue-white-blue players. Another important detail will be the special edition of the PROZenit edition, stylized to match the program of the BDT performance.

In addition, as a sign of respect for the great countryman, the Kirill Lavrov International Prize for the Support and Promotion of Russian Culture was established in St. Petersburg. It will be awarded to artists and cultural figures for strengthening cultural ties and developing Russian culture abroad.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.