Georgy Burkov and Tatyana Ukharova: a quarter of a century of happiness contrary to parental will

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

Their story began as an ordinary theatrical romance. He is an unrecognized provincial genius, she is a promising metropolitan actress. Georgy Burkov and Tatyana Ukharova started a family, despite the lack of understanding on the part of loved ones, the lack of housing and support. And their happiness seemed endless …

The Fox and the Little Prince

The whole theater was waiting for the appearance of a nugget actor from Perm, who was invited to the troupe by director Lvov-Anokhin. Allegedly, his diction is bad, and there is no theatrical education, but there is an extraordinary talent and a bright creative personality.

Tatyana Ukharova, a studio graduate at the Stanislavsky Theater, was expelled from the Shchukin School for violating the ban on playing in the theater. But it didn't even upset her, because she just got a new interesting role.

They met at the theatrical bulletin board, where lists of roles were hung. Georgy Burkov stood next to her tall, thin and completely unlike the artist. Rather, he looked like an intelligent provincial librarian. He ceremoniously introduced himself to each other, and then he accompanied her to the bus and they talked for a long time about future work, about the "Little Prince", on which they would begin to work together much later.

It was not love at first sight at all. It was a mutual interest, an attraction of creative souls. An almost maternal tenderness was mingled with Tatyana's feelings. And the game in "The Little Prince" became a production for the two of them, where every word is like a declaration of love.

Silent wedding

He invited her to visit, to his rented apartment on Baumanskaya. And in the morning he said quietly and simply: “Marry me. I love you so much! Tatiana could not even think that he could propose to her. They were friends, talked about everything in the world, and then, after the first real date, she was offered to marry. And she agreed.

Tatiana's parents, who spent the night worrying about their daughter, were not at all happy about her news of marriage. The day before, the father had read an article about the Perm maniac in the newspaper and found that Tatyana's fiancé fits the description in all respects. The actress's dad screamed, almost stamped his feet. But how could Tatyana refuse George? She knew for sure that he was not capable of offending even a fly.

In fairness, it must be said that George's mother, having arrived in Moscow, was very unhappy with the choice of her son. Her future daughter-in-law did not at all look like an artist: small, thin.

And so it happened that on the wedding day, the happiness of the lovers was shared with them by only a few friends. And the bride still had to wash off the ridiculous basket, which was erected on her head in the hairdressing salon. Painting in the registry office, kebab as a wedding treat in a hostel - that's the whole wedding.

Intelligent philosopher

Life was not easy for them. Georgy Burkov received only 1.5 rubles for the performance, Tatyana a little more, since she also conducted events in the guise of a pioneer, was a staff member of the theater. The newlyweds did not have their own housing, they were discharged from the hostel immediately after the wedding. But all this time they were extremely happy. They were talking. And they could not stop talking. They dreamed. In their dreams, they had their own cozy home, full of children's laughter. However, their dreams slowly took on the features of reality. Their daughter Maria was born in 1966, there was a reconciliation with parents on both sides, and later they were given an apartment.

George opened every day from a new side. As Eldar Ryazanov said, Burkov had the face of a drunken intellectual. The actor did not seek to dissuade anyone. He laughed at himself and then rejoiced like a child if the audience who came to his performance or creative meeting left absolutely stunned by the depth and versatility of the actor. They expected to see a drinker, their boyfriend. And they saw an intelligent, subtle, well-read actor who could read Dostoevsky's Demons by heart from any place.

One breath for two

Georgy and Tatiana were happy, doing the same thing, raising their daughter. The couple had almost no friends, they were quite enough for each other. Until Vasily Shukshin appeared in the life of Georgy Burkov. They have developed a strong friendly and creative tandem, as if two soul mates met. But this friendship was very short-lived. Vasily Shukshin died, and Georgy, grievingly experiencing the death of a friend, did everything to perpetuate his memory.

Tatiana supported her husband in everything. She listened to his ideas and gave advice, criticized or praised her husband's articles. Tatiana was always there, subtly feeling himself and his spiritual aspirations.

Only on that ill-fated July day in 1990 did she go to the country. And he, trying to get a book from the shelf, fell and broke his leg. It seemed that nothing particularly terrible had happened, the fracture would heal. But two days later, the actor died. A broken blood clot ended the life of a talented actor.

Tatiana still recalls her 25 years of happiness with her talented, wise, beloved husband.

On the screen, he played drunks and jokers. And in life he was completely different: domestic, restrained, intelligent.