Unknown Oleg Yankovsky: an actor in the memories of friends, relatives and colleagues

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

11 years ago, an outstanding theater and film actor, People's Artist of the USSR passed away Oleg Yankovsky … He died at the age of 65 from pancreatic cancer. Until the last days, the actor did not complain of feeling unwell and continued to go on stage. On his account - more than 100 works in theater and cinema and, probably, the same number of unplayed roles. He himself did not like to talk about himself and did not speak frankly with journalists. But according to the recollections of his relatives, friends and colleagues, you can make a realistic portrait of your favorite artist.

Oleg Yankovsky was the younger brother of three and everyone's favorite. Older brother Rostislav says that as a child he was “a charming guy, charlatan, hooligan. Kolka is the middle brother - the more restrained, but madly in love with Olezhka and affectionate towards him! So loving that he even gave him his place at the drama school. Nikolai worked at a factory, but dreamed of a stage, and did not tell anyone that he had passed the exams at the Saratov Theater School.

Oleg was going to enter the medical school, but he just went to the theater to find out when the exams were. It turned out that they had already passed. But then chance intervened. Rostislav Yankovsky told about it this way: “They ask him:“What is the surname?”. He answers: "Yankovsky". The chairman of the selection committee looked at the lists and said: "You are accepted!" - "How is it" received "?!" When Oleg told his brother Kolya about everything at home, he gave up his place - after all, he had no time to study, he had to feed his family - after all, everyone lived very badly. Brother Kolya had just got married and went to work in the blacksmith shop. By the way, everyone in Saratov: mother, grandmother, and Oleg, and Kolya and his wife, lived in one 14-meter room. Nightmare-a-ar!"

Actor Alexander Zbruev for 30 years was a colleague, friend and neighbor in the theatrical dressing room of Oleg Yankovsky. He admitted: “If Oleg decided to star in a film, this in itself could serve as a sign of quality. After all, it was very difficult to lure him to the shooting. He knew his own worth. And, as a chess player, he weighed every step, unmistakably choosing only the most profitable projects."

Many directors who happened to work with Yankovsky paid attention to his versatile talent and incredible natural magnetism. So, Roman Balayan said: “Such a face is happiness for an actor. He may be a king, or he may be a bum. He can play a Komsomol member, or maybe a fascist officer. " Alexander Zbruev adds: “Yankovsky knew how to direct his magnetism and charm in any direction. And therefore, he played both villains and heroes equally convincingly."

In 1979, director Mark Zakharov began filming the film The Same Munchausen. In the main role, he saw only Yankovsky, but the artistic council and the author of the play that was the basis of the film, Grigory Gorin, were against it. Mark Zakharov said: “There was an element of risk in the invitation of Oleg Yankovsky to this role. He still developed as an actor not at all comedic. But to Oleg's credit, there were comedic colors in his acting palette, which in the film received a worthy embodiment. " Grigory Gorin later admitted: “Before that he played direct, tough, strong-willed people - Volga characters that betray his origin. I didn't believe in his baron. Work began, and he got into character, changed before our eyes. I grew into the role, and Munchausen appeared - smart, ironic, subtle. What a mistake it would be if we took another actor!"

But the actor got into the film "In love of his own free will" thanks to the actress Evgenia Glushenko, who played the main role. The director was looking for his hero for a very long time, and the actress could not resist: “Who are you all looking for? It is clear that only Oleg will be able to play a gentleman, even a degraded one. He's a real aristocrat!"

The artist's brother Rostislav says that Oleg Yankovsky didn’t admit to the last that he felt bad: “Lately, when I called, the only thing he complained about was:“Monstrous fatigue, you know, wonderfully oily! I can hardly drag my legs! The actor was repeatedly examined, but cancer was diagnosed only at the 4th stage.

May 20, 2009 the actor has become. Mark Zakharov admitted: “This is a devastating blow to Lenkom, this is grief and tragedy, which I don’t know how we will endure. We hoped for a recovery until the last moment. Oleg Ivanovich behaved very courageously, played performances when it was probably impossible to play, and he did it amazingly. He was an outstanding Russian actor, whose greatness and significance have yet to be truly appreciated."

The artist was not only talented and charming, but also an incredibly wise person: 10 golden rules of life by Oleg Yankovsky