Kramarov Saveliy Viktorovich: biography and filmography of the actor

Kramarov Saveliy Viktorovich (October 13, 1934 - 6June 1995) was one of the most popular comic actors of Soviet cinema of the 60s and 70s, a real darling of the public. He played in at least 42 Soviet films, and also starred in several American films after emigrating to the United States.

Origin and difficult destinies of parents

Where did Saveliy Kramarov begin his life? His biography began in Moscow in a Jewish family: his father Viktor Savelievich, a native of Cherkassy, ​​was a lawyer. He failed to raise and raise his son, since three years after his birth in the terrible period of "Yezhovshchina" (as it was called the peak of Stalin's repressions in 1937-38), he was arrested and imprisoned in a camp in Siberia, at first for eight years . It is said that Viktor Kramarov was involved by the NKVD in participating in the inspired trials as a defender. The organizers of the Stalinist courts, apparently, expected that he would, as they say, "grab on the fly" their instructions. However, an honest professional lawyer behaved differently, tried to really protect his clients, for which he paid freedom. So only my mother raised her son, Benedikta Solomonovna (in her family she was affectionately called "Basya").

Mother Saveliya was forced to divorceconvicted husband (this was the time, after all, not only wives, but also children of the so-called "enemies of the people" were subject to persecution). At that time, a special simplified procedure was even invented for such divorces: no court session, just give an announcement in the evening paper, you come with her to the registrar and get the appropriate certificate. So did Basya Solomonovna. Can you imagine what a blow it was for Viktor, who was pouring wood in the USVITLag? But to act differently meant destroying himself and his son.

Childhood and youth

Kramarov Saveliy Viktorovich often recalled howhe hid from the classmates the fact of condemnation of his father, especially afraid of the almost obligatory in the senior classes of admission to the Komsomol - after all, it was necessary to tell the parents' biographies. Therefore Saveliy deliberately studied and behaved worse, not to be worthy of membership in this organization.

Basia and Saveliy lived in the same room ascommunal apartment. They were lucky that the mother had brothers in Moscow who took care of them. Due to their help, Saveliy managed to survive in the years of military hard times, although he earned tuberculosis of the lungs, which is always a consequence of malnutrition and hypothermia. But an amazing thing, a familiar Jewish doctor helped the young Savely overcome a terrible illness. How he achieved the result, it is not known, but Savely Viktorovich Kramarov was grateful to him for the rest of his days.

Unfortunately, the blows of fate undermined Basi's healthSolomonovna, and, just as Savely turned 16 years old, she died. After her death, Viktor Kramarov, who was after eight years of camps in a settlement in Siberia, was allowed to briefly arrive in Moscow to meet his son. What was this conversation father, for a moment emerged from the camp of nonexistence, with his half-whelped son, is not known for certain, but the fact that he left an indelible impression in the soul of Saveliy is obvious. Returning to Siberia, his father soon received a new term (it was such a vile practice for Stalin's jailers - once hitting their claws, a man could not escape, even after serving his original sentence). Everything has its own limit of strength, he also came to Viktor Kramarov - in 1951 he committed suicide in the camp.

Beginning of independent life

Aspiring after leaving school to follow onthe steps of his father and become a lawyer, Kramarov Saveliy Victorovich quickly discovered that this door is closed to him as the son of the enemy of the people. Then the family council (in the family of my uncle by mother) decided to enter the Forestry Institute. The competition there was small, and on the biography of the parents of future foresters looked not so meticulously as in the legal.

It is said that the first role in the movie was formedKramarova quite by accident. As a student, he somehow walked past the set of a film on one of Moscow streets. There was a small crowd, and Saveliy just went to look closer to the process of filming. But the curious eye of the director immediately saw in the crowd a fellow with an unconventional face, and suddenly Kramarov was offered to play an episode in the film. And he coped well with the task.

It is not known how Saveliy's life would be further developedKramarova, if it did not have a theater studio at the Central House of Artists. It was in it that he got the skills of an acting profession, got acquainted with some directors, finally, he just believed in his acting future.

The Beginning of Soviet Film Careers

In the late 1950s - early 60s on the Sovietscreen came out a new movie hero performed by Saveliy Kramarov. It was a hooligan and reckless guy who could not be called an exemplary Soviet film hero. Rather, it was even his antipode, because he often was at odds with the law and in general was very different from the stereotype of a young Soviet man that had developed in those years. And at the same time, Kramarov's characters invariably aroused sympathy among the public - such was the power of his acting talent. At the end of his life, when Savely Viktorovich Kramarov, at the request of his colleagues, listed his most beloved films, he named among them a picture of that period "My friend Kolka!" Where he played the hooligan Vovka, nicknamed Pimen. In the same series, you can also name such films as "Guys from Our Yard" (hooligan Vaska Rzhavy), "Farewell, pigeons" (hooligan Vaska Konoplyanisty), "First Trolleybus", etc.

The flowering of talent

In the second half of the 1960s, actor Saveliy Kramarovbecomes popularly known. And although the roles he played in the movies were not the main ones, but often it was his secondary, often episodic, character that was most memorable to the audience. So it happened with his Ilyukha from the "Elusive Avengers" dir. Edmond Kersayan. Just a couple of minutes on the screen, a short story with a unique "Kramar" mimicry - and now the whole country, laughing, repeats the words of his Ilyukha: "And the dead with braids are .... And silence".

To the unquestionable actor's successes of the 1960s are the images of the driver Ivashkin from "Krosh Vacation", Vasi-Grandpa from "Tales of lost time", Click-Klyaka from the "City of Masters" and many others.

Supermarket of Soviet cinema

In the 1970s, the comic talent of Kramarov bloomedin full force. He created a number of film characters who entered the treasury of motion picture art. So, the master of the Soviet comedy film Leonid Gaidai took him as the deacon Theophanes in the comedy based on Mikhail Bulgakov's play "Ivan Vasilyevich is changing his profession." The audience also remembered his characters from the films "Trembita", the series "Big Change", etc. The peak of the actor's success of Kramarov was the image of Fedka (Sloth) from "Gentlemen of Fortune" dir. Alexander the Gray.

What was behind the scenes

But with all the external signs of success, Kramarovthe actor's fatigue grew from continuous exploitation of the same image, although in different modifications. He was tired of portraying a ridiculous nonsense, constantly playing over the characteristics of his appearance (Kramarov had a slight strabismus, which gave his expression a special comedy). Probably, that's why he sought to change the acting role, get a job in the theater, where he could play more serious roles. His same goal was served by his studies at GITIS, which he graduated in 1977. But not a single Soviet theater opened its doors to him.

And although Kramarov was awarded the title in 1974Honored Artist of the RSFSR, he felt hurt and irritated. Probably, under their influence, he became demonstratively religious, openly visited the synagogue, refused to work on Saturdays. This annoyed the Soviet cinematographic bosses, and Kramarov became, as they say, "clamped." In the late 1970s, the number of proposals for filming was sharply reduced, it was refused to be released abroad, even in tourist trips. Kramarov increasingly felt his life unsettled and unnecessary in the future. No matter what his family life was like. After living with his wife Maria for thirteen years in a civil marriage, Kramarov never felt the joy of paternity, remained childless. The emigration of Soviet Jews to Israel that began in the late 1970s contributed to the formation and the desire to leave the homeland.

Life in exile

People of the older generation remember how, in the 80'sfrom the screens of Soviet cinemas suddenly disappeared famous actor Kramarov Saveliy Viktorovich. His filmography had already numbered more than 40 paintings by that time. Many were lost in conjecture, rumors were circulating that Kramarov had left for the United States. Finally, in a central Soviet newspaper, a large article appeared entitled "Saveliy in jeans", in which it was confirmed that Kramarov left his homeland in pursuit of the "long dollar" and now lives in the United States. The author of the article expressed confidence that Kramarov abroad is facing complete degradation as an actor. Today we know that this did not happen.

How did Saveliy Kramarov live in the US? His biography for almost a decade and a half of his life in America was not too remarkable. He starred in several comedies, which had limited success (the most significant of them was "Moscow on the Hudson"). But, having married for the third time, Kramarov at last became the father of the charming daughter, in whom the soul did not desire.

However, he did not have long to enjoy familyhappiness. In the mid-1990s, he was diagnosed with cancer, an operation was performed that was unsuccessful. The death of Saveliy Kramarov occurred in the summer of 1995 as a result of postoperative complications. He passed away at the age of 60, but managed to leave behind a whole galaxy of remarkable film images, which still continue to warm the souls of moviegoers.