Personal hell of Georgy Epifantsev: What killed the star of the film "Gloom River"

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

In the late 1960s. the name of this actor was known to everyone - after the main role in the film "Gloomy River", he won all-Union popularity. Probably, there could be much more such roles in his filmography, but Georgy Epifantsev himself ruined his talent. He passed away too early, going from nationwide fame to complete oblivion, succumbing to the same passions and vices that were possessed by his movie heroes …

In the film "Gloomy River" the following words were addressed to his character: "". Unfortunately, for the actor himself, they turned out to be prophetic. The beginning of his acting career was indeed very successful: having moved from his native Kerch to Moscow, Georgy entered the Moscow Art Theater School, and after graduation he was accepted into the troupe of the legendary theater, on the stage of which he then performed for 30 years. Already at the age of 19, Epifantsev made his film debut, and immediately in the lead role. The film "Foma Gordeev" brought him his first popularity. In it, he played the son of a wealthy merchant, entangled in passions, who sought solace in alcohol. As it turned out later, this role largely predetermined the fate of the actor.

The roles of Prokhor Gromov in his filmography might not have happened - Vladimir Gusev has already started filming in "Gloomy River", but because of the fracture of his leg, the shooting happened to be simple, and the director Yaropolk Lapshin decided to replace the main character. The actors accepted the appearance of Georgy Epifantsev on the set with hostility and even arranged a boycott for him. But in the image of Prokhor Gromov, he was so convincing that soon everyone was convinced that the director was not mistaken in his choice. This hero was also very close to Epifantsev. Just like himself, he was generously endowed with nature and intelligence, and talent, and beauty, but he could not fully realize all this and did not protect himself from moral decline.

On the screens, he often embodied the images of heroes who were strong and passionate, but who could not direct this energy in the right direction and cope with this force. In life, he was the same - temperamental and unrestrained, often caught up in his own passions. Epifantsev's problems with alcohol appeared during the filming of the film "Gloom River" - he could disappear for several days, and then appeared on the set with noticeable traces of drinking. And if Yaropolk Lapshin tolerated his antics and forgave spree, paying tribute to his extraordinary talent, then other directors simply did not want to get involved with such an unstable actor. In the 1970s. Georgy Epifantsev continued to act, however, he was no longer offered the main roles. His last notable work was the role of a divorcing husband in the film "Do not part with your loved ones."

Epifantsev was a man of undoubtedly creative and versatile gifted - he wrote poems and plays, two of which were staged at the Moscow Art Theater, was fond of painting, painted pictures. There were also many extraordinary people around him. Long-term friendship connected Epifantsev with Vladimir Vysotsky. Once, during a tour in Transcaucasia, the actor even saved his life by pulling the singer out of the turbulent course of the Kura River. One of the first he began to record Vysotsky's songs on tape. Unfortunately, they were united not only by friendship - they also had one bad habit for two.

Creative lack of fulfillment aggravated his alcohol addiction. The only thing that kept Epifantsev on the edge of the abyss was his wife and three children. But one day he almost missed that straw. Tired of his endless drunken spree, his wife filed for divorce. Only after that, the actor came to his senses and decided to end his addiction, but he did not manage to completely recover from alcohol addiction. His wife Tatiana told: "".

As a result, in the late 1980s - early 1990s. Georgy Epifantsev was left without work in cinema and theater. He tried to find consolation in faith, translated works of Christian authors from Church Slavonic, wrote plays on religious themes, toured the country with a solo performance dedicated to the millennium of the baptism of Rus. However, this did not bring much income - the theater of one actor organized by him was not commercially successful. Epifantsev tried to find his place in the changed reality and even tried to trade on the market - first with his own paintings, then - cigarettes, alcohol and watches at the station booths.

The circumstances of his untimely death were mysterious and remained unclear. When Georgy Epifantsev was returning home from work, he was crossing the railroad tracks, and he was hit by a train. No alcohol was found in his blood. His relatives denied the version of suicide. He was only 53 years old. The actor's widow Tatiana said: "".

After the death of her husband, Tatyana had to endure many more shocks: Saving divorce of Georgy and Tatyana Epifantsev.