Farewell to the star of "Windows to Paris" and "Kitchens": What was hidden under the mask of a clown Kira Kreilis-Petrova

2023 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 05:58

On May 12, not having lived a month and a half before her 90th birthday, Honored Artist of Russia Kira Kreilis-Petrova passed away. There are more than 70 works in her filmography, but she played her first major role only at the age of 71, continuing to appear on the stage and act in films until she was 85 years old. She possessed a bright comedic talent, and although most of her roles were episodic, the actress was probably remembered by millions of viewers, for example, in the film "Window to Paris" and the TV series "Kitchen". She saw her destiny in making people laugh, although in her own life there were very few reasons for fun …

Blockade childhood

In the early 1930s. many girls born in Leningrad were named after Kira in honor of the first secretary of the Leningrad regional committee of the CPSU (b) Sergei Kirov. And when in 1931 a daughter was born in the family of a typist and a driver, they also decided to name her Kira. According to her, already from 4-5 years old she felt like an artist and could not imagine another future for herself. She liked to make everyone laugh and be in the spotlight, and only this profession provided such an opportunity.

When Kira was 10 years old, the war began. Together with her mother and older sister, she remained in besieged Leningrad and experienced all the horrors of a hungry life in the besieged city from the first to the last day. Later, she said that she managed not to withstand and not go crazy only due to the fact that, due to her age, she did not realize the seriousness of the situation at that time, besides, from childhood she had the qualities that made it possible to cope with all troubles in the future, - spontaneity, love of life and an unchanging sense of humor.

Kira later told about her blockade childhood: "".

Almost none of Kira's classmates and neighbors survived, but she and her mother and sister survived. The father also returned alive from the front, but he left his family and went to another woman. Then they lost not only a breadwinner, but also housing, and for 15 years wandered around relatives and rented corners, until they finally got a room in a communal apartment.

Talent to make people laugh

When Kira learned that teachers from the Moscow Art Theater School came to Leningrad to recruit applicants, she decided to try her luck at the entrance exams. At first, she was completely confused when she saw hundreds of beautiful elegant girls in the corridors, because she herself did not have an attractive appearance, and besides, she was wearing an old dress with a patch. When Kira announced to the selection committee that she was going to read the fable "The Crow and the Fox", she heard a heavy sigh of disappointment - they were just tired of listening to the same thing from all applicants. Kira got angry: "" And with the same emotions she began to read the fable. Her spontaneity made an impression on the teachers, they laughed and were completely fascinated. As a result, she became the only girl who managed to enter, and Kira heard the angry hiss of the rejected beauties behind her back: ""

Kira later called the years of study at the Moscow Art Theater School one of the happiest periods of her life. The black streak of misfortunes and misfortunes finally ended, and she rejoiced every new day. The rector himself called her a pearl of laughter, teachers highly appreciated her comedic talent and predicted a brilliant future in the role of a characteristic actress. Even then, she realized that her main mission on stage and on the set was to make people laugh. Kira and behind the scenes often found herself in ridiculous comic situations, but she was never upset when she heard laughter behind her back, because she herself knew how to laugh at herself.

Kira realized that even in her youth she was not a beauty, but she did not strive to look as good as possible in the frame and was not afraid to grow old. Once the director Igor Vladimirov told her that with her type she would be even more in demand in the profession in her old age than in her youth, and he was right. When her peers, who played romantic heroines in their youth, were left without work in their mature years, Kira Kreilis-Petrova was incredibly in demand. She said: "".

What are you dreaming about, cruiser Petrov?

After completing her studies, she was offered to stay in Moscow, but she wanted to return to her native Leningrad, and there in none of the theaters was there a place for her in the troupe. And then Kira went to the Sakhalin Drama Theater. On the way on the train, she met a novice actor and director Yakov Kreilis, and a month after they met, he proposed to her. They lived together for 45 years and were very happy together. Although they lived most of their lives in very tight financial conditions, both made fun of their lack of money. They surrounded each other with care and attention, Jacob doted on his wife, brought her home meals to her protracted rehearsals and did not take his eyes off her.

After the wedding, Kira took a double surname - Kreilis-Petrova, which is why she also constantly found herself in comic situations. The actress said: "".

The queen of comedy episodes

Already in her youth, Kira Kreilis-Petrova realized that in the role of a character actress she would never get many roles, and that they could not be the main ones. She always got episodes - both in the theater and in the cinema, and she performed her first leading role only in 2002, in one of the parts of the comedy series "Short Stories", when she was already 71 years old.

But even the episodes performed by her were simply brilliant, and the audience paid attention to her and remembered the actress, even if she appeared in the frame for only a few minutes. The most famous of her films were: the mother of the main character in the film "In love of her own accord", mother-in-law of Gorokhova in the film "Window to Paris", a colorful watchman in the series "Streets of Broken Lanterns", secretary of the housing cooperative in the series "Women's Logic-4", grandmother Maxima in the TV series "Kitchen".

This series brought resounding popularity to many of her colleagues: How "Kitchen" changed the lives of actors.