The tragic fate of Mikaela Drozdovskaya: What caused the early death of one of the most beautiful Soviet actresses

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

Fate gave her only 41 years of life, but during this time she managed to star in more than 40 films, become a master of dubbing and dubbing, earning the adoration of thousands of fans after her roles in the films "Volunteers", "Seven Nurses", "Running", "Mimino "And others. Unfortunately, Mikaela Drozdovskaya remained an "underplayed" actress, because she could have done much more, if not for her tragic premature death.

Mikaela, or Mika, as her relatives called her, was born in 1937 in Moscow. Her parents had nothing to do with the world of art, but the girl from childhood showed artistic abilities, arranged home concerts, and participated in school amateur performances. Therefore, there was no doubt about the choice of the further path: after school she entered the VGIK, and then was accepted into the troupe of the Theater-Studio of the film actor.

The film debut of Mikaela Drozdovskaya took place in 1955, and by the end of the 1950s. she was already a fairly well-known actress after the release of the films Behind the Shop Window of a Department Store, The Volunteers and I am writing to you … ". In the 1960-1970s. she continued to actively act in films, the most striking were her roles in the films "Seven Nurses", "Burn, burn, my star" and "Mimino". Her voice was well known to the audience from French comedies, the heroines of which she often dubbed. Her last work was the film "Write Letters" in 1978, where she played the main role, the director of the Palace of Culture. The film was released 3 years after her death.

The family life of the actress was happy. She married a famous cardiologist, doctor of medical sciences, professor Vadim Smolensky, two daughters were born in marriage - Nika and Daria. The family was well off, they lived in a large apartment opposite the Cinema House, the nannies and housekeepers helped the actress to do the housework and raise the children. There were always many guests in their house, there were Larisa Shepitko and Elem Klimov, Bella Akhmadulina, a close friend of the actress Alla Budnitskaya, Italian directors Michelangelo Antonioni and Tonino Guerra.

Mikaela's daughter Daria, who also later became an actress, said: "".

And then tragedy struck. They say that Mikaela Drozdovskaya had a presentiment of her early death. 3 months before her death, she suddenly asked Alla Budnitskaya to take care of her youngest daughter Dasha, if something suddenly happened to her. In November 1978, the actress recovered to shoot in Ordzhonikidze. The film crew went to the city, and Drozdovskaya remained in the unheated house where the actors were staying. To keep warm, she turned on the lights and fell asleep. And at night the blanket slid down on the hot lamp, began to smolder and caught fire. The actress was poisoned by carbon monoxide in a dream and could not get out of the room. Her legs were badly burned, but when she was found she was still alive. Mikaela Drozdovskaya was urgently transported to Moscow, the best doctors fought for her life, but unfortunately they could not save her - a week later, on November 15, 1978, the actress died.

Daria Drozdovskaya later said: "".

Alla Budnitskaya recalled: "". Alla Budnitskaya did not have children of her own, and with Mikaela and her daughter Dasha she was always very close, becoming the girl's godmother and later replacing her own mother. And so, without hesitation, she took Dasha to her house. In 1993, Daria graduated from the Shchukin School and began acting in films. Viewers know her from the films "The Murderer's Diary", "Turetsky's March", "Count Krestovsky", "Three Half-Graces".

It so happened that the adoptive family became a family for Daria Drozdovskaya, and in their house she felt absolutely happy. Alexander Orlov and Alla Budnitskaya: the difficult happiness of the director and actress.