Actor Yuri Kuzmenkov: biography, personal life. Best Movies

Yuri Kuzmenkov is a talented actor, whose existence was recognized by the audience thanks to such films and TV series as "Big Change", "Two Captains", "You are summoned by Taimyr", "Minute of Silence". This outstanding man passed away in 2011, however his bright roles have forever entered the history of cinema. What is known about the path that he passed?

Yuri Kuzmenkov: childhood and youth

The actor is a native Muscovite, born in February 1941. There was a joyful event in the family of a locksmith and a hairdresser, the parents of the future star were people far from art. The first years of his life, Yuri Kuzmenkov spent in a small village located in the Moscow suburbs. As a child, he gave a lot of trouble to his mother and father, as he grew up as a hooligan.

However, in school, little Yura received one of the five, strangely enough, he was easily given such subjects as mathematics, physics. Interest in the theater and literature of the future star appeared already in adolescence. Yuri Kuzmenkov even practiced acting with one artist who played episodic roles in the Moscow City Theater. It is not surprising that by the time the certificate was received, the guy was already clearly imagining his future.

Father tried to resist that the only son became an actor, but the stubborn Kuzmenkov achieved his. Having successfully completed training in the studio working at the Mossovet Theater, he became a member of the theater troupe, who had been faithful for more than 40 years - until his death.

First roles

Yuri Kuzmenkov did not belong to the number of actors, whose path to fame was long. After a couple of episodic roles of a talented young man, the directors noticed. For the first time, a novice actor was able to play the central character in 1965 in the drama "Flight Days". He perfectly coped with the image of the courageous airman Andrei, who every day was forced to expose his life to mortal danger.

The directors liked to entrust Kuzmenkov with the role of simple and strong people, who become heroes in extreme situations. He enjoyed playing military, workers, law enforcement officers. In the melodrama "Two Sisters" the actor appeared in front of the audience in the image of the crane operator Kuzi, in the short film "The Trap" played Lieutenant Klimchenko. However, the real glory came to him only after a fateful acquaintance with the director Korenev, whose films made a young man a star.

Shooting at Korenev

The meeting with Alexei Korenev became a great success for such a wonderful actor as Yuri Kuzmenkov. The director's films allowed him to fully demonstrate his talent to viewers and critics. It all started with the picture "You are called Taimyr," the role in which Kuzmenkov received without any samples, as he liked the master. His character was geologist Djuzhikov, comedy tape was released in 1971.

In the series "Big Change" Korenev originally intended to give his favorite actor the role of Nestor Petrovich. However, the director gradually doubted that Yuri would look like an absent teacher. As a result, Kuzmenkov played Ivan Fedoskin. He perfectly managed to convey such qualities of his character as a kind heart, masculinity, honesty. After the release of the "Big Change", the actor had an army of fans.

"Three days in Moscow", "For family reasons", "Honest, intelligent, unmarried ..." - Yuri has more than once starred in the films directed by Korenev. Among his heroes were a plumber, a precinct and even an astronaut.

Other interesting movies

Of course, not all the bright roles that Yuri Kuzmenkov played are listed above. The filmography of the actor will delay the remarkable military drama "Minute of Silence", glorifying the exploits committed by Soviet soldiers. The character of the star in this picture was Kostya Bokarev, a brave fighter against fascism.

"Two Captains" is a film project, the plot of which is borrowed from the same name of Kaverin's work. Kuzmenkov brilliantly coped with the image of Peter Skovorodnikov, a companion-in-arms of the main character. Tragically, Yuri's participation in shooting the tape "Fiery Childhood" could have ended, when he almost got under the train. I remember the audience and his lieutenant Alexander Nazarov from the film "Waiting for a miracle."

Actively acted in the last years of his life. For example, he managed to create a unique image of a village shepherd in the film "Sorcerous Love", presented to the audience in 2008.

Life Behind the Scenes

Yuri Kuzmenkov is an actor who was lucky and in love. His chosen one was Galina Vanyushkina, who studied with him in the studio. The actor, who was still beginning, fell in love at first sight, took care of his classmate for a long time. The wedding took place in 1963. Mistaken those who promised Galya and Yury an early divorce, the couple spent together all their lives. The only son Stepan chose for himself the career of a diplomat, now lives in the US with his wife and two children.

The death of the star of Soviet cinema came as a result of a heart attack, before that he was a few years concerned with pancreatitis and diabetes mellitus. The grave of the actor is in the village Zhabkino, located in the Moscow region.