A 67-year theatrical novel: Vladlen Davydov and Margarita Anastasyeva

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

Margarita Anastaseva and Vladlena Davydov were called the legends of the Moscow Art Theater. They both graduated from the Moscow Art Theater School as part of the very first graduation in 1947, and then gave this theater their whole lives. Vladlen Davydov, who played many excellent roles in theater and cinema, after the release of the film "Meeting on the Elbe" could not calmly leave the house because of the fans on duty under the windows. But until his last breath he loved the most beautiful woman in Moscow, his Margot. The one who was the owner of the diploma number 1 of the Moscow Art Theater School.

Student romance

During the difficult war years, Margarita Anastasyeva remained with her mother in Moscow. The capital at that time was dark, anti-tank hedgehogs stood on Sadovy Prospekt, and near the Hermitage, where the Anastasyevs lived, an anti-aircraft gun was beating when the alarm was announced. And in this difficult time, once passing by the Art Theater, young Margarita was amazed to see how they were posting an ad for the newly created Studio School.

The next day, a girl who dreamed of a theater went to apply. After the interview, out of 1000 applicants, only 300 people left, and by the third round there were only 18. Margarita Anastasyeva was incredibly happy when she saw her name on the list of those who were enrolled. And then she realized that she was completely correct, a little deceitful in her profile. She wrote that her father died, although in fact he was shot in 1938 as an enemy of the people. There, at the Moscow Art Theater School, Margarita Anastasyeva saw Vladlen Davydov for the first time.

His father left the family when Vladlen was still a baby, and the boy bore his mother's surname, but his stepfather later gave him his patronymic. Mom, Sofia Lolievna Davydova, devoted herself entirely to raising her son. She took him to exhibitions, to museums and, of course, to the theater. Even at the age of eleven, Vladlen was so impressed by the production of Platon Krechet that he even wrote a letter to the Moscow Art Theater, which came to the director Ilya Sudakov. Vladlen Davydov gave his word: he will grow up and will definitely play on the stage of his favorite theater. Ilya Sudakov, in his answer, advised the boy to strive for his dream with all his might. When they announced the admission to the Moscow Art Theater School, Vladlen successfully passed the selection and in 1943 became a student.

Margarita Anastasyeva and Vladlen Davydov studied in the same group, but at first they avoided each other. And then there were joint sketches, arguments about art, long walks in the evening Moscow, the first date and the first timid kiss. They didn't think about how long they would be together. They just knew that their feelings were real.

Their family life began in a tiny room with a wardrobe and an ottoman. But they were young, beautiful, talented and passionately loved art and themselves in art. They were never bored with each other.

In July 1951, their son Andryusha was born, who would later follow in the footsteps of his parents and become an actor at the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater. After the birth of her son, Margarita Anastasyeva did not leave the stage, and for the boy, the couple invited a nanny. At that time, Vladlen Davydov had already become famous as a film actor, and even became a laureate of the Stalin Prize of the 1st degree.

Test of Glory

Vladlen Davydov became famous in 1949, when Grigory Alexandrov's film "Meeting on the Elbe" was released. The 25-year-old actor embodied the image of the Soviet military commandant Kuzmin and overnight became a popular favorite. He had thousands of fans who constantly followed him, accompanying him from the theater to the house, were on duty at the entrance and wrote love messages on its walls.

Many years later, Margarita Anastasyeva will say: she herself is surprised how they managed to live together all their lives. After all, she and her husband could not even walk calmly down the street, everywhere they were followed by an "honorary escort" of Vladlen Davydov's fans. Even at night, under the windows of their apartment, fans were on duty, like sentries, replacing each other at a certain time.

Margarita Viktorovna especially remembered how a black ZIS followed her and her husband along the street, where the daughter of one of the members of the government was sitting. She even stopped next to the actor and opened the door, inviting her idol into the car. But it was all in vain: next to him there was already a woman who was considered one of the first beauties of Moscow. As Vladlen Semyonovich will say many years later, his devotion to the theater protected him from many mistakes in life.

Vladlen Davydov and Margarita Anastasyeva served in the same theater, often went on tour together, went abroad to present Soviet films. Little Andryusha, answering the question, where are his mom and dad, amusingly waved his pen and said: “Mom - bye and dad - bye”. In fact, very often they were not at home, when the whole family got together - it was a real holiday.

Margarita Anastasyeva acted in films much less than her husband. She first appeared on the screen in Ivan Pyriev's film "Trial of Loyalty", then played in several more films, but always considered herself a theater actress. Despite the fact that Vladlen Davydov's filmography includes more than 30 works in cinema, he also always called the theater his true vocation.

Vladlen Semyonovich, even within the walls of the Moscow Art Theater, called his wife a bird. If he was asked if his wife was really the first metropolitan beauty, the actor raised his eyebrows in surprise: why was she? After all, she remained a beauty throughout her life.

In joy and in sorrow

After the split of the Moscow Art Theater, Margarita Anastasyeva was forced to leave the theater. Oleg Efremov actually retired the actress, although Margarita Viktorovna herself is sure: she could play on stage for more than one year. But she did not sort things out and weave intrigues - she was not brought up that way. She quietly left the theater and started writing a book about her famous grandfather - Felix Mikhailovich Blumenfeld, composer and pianist.

At that time, her husband supported her with all his might. Everyone knows his expression: "My home is my fortress, and my home is a serf actress!" But 15 years later, Margarita Viktorovna had to support her husband. For many years Vladlen Semyonovich was the director of the Moscow Art Theater Museum, bit by bit collected its archive, prepared unique expositions. But in 2000 he was fired, and the archive was simply left to gather dust. Vladlen Davydov was very keen about parting with the profession, believing that the theater of his dreams was simply killed.

The last years of Vladlen Davydov's life were spent in the company of his beloved wife and son. The actor's heart stopped beating in June 2012. His wife, Margarita Anastasyeva, prefers to spend time alone with art, listens to classical music, revises Michelangelo's albums and tries not to lose heart under any circumstances. And with love and inexhaustible tenderness, she recalls her happy 67 years next to her beloved husband.

It can be very difficult for successful and famous men to avoid temptation. They are surrounded by fans and admirers, and women are ready to fight for their attention in all known ways. And yet there are real men among the stars who have lived their whole lives with one woman, like Vladlen Davydov. Famous Monogamous not only take care of their families, but also give those around them faith in real strong feelings.