Actor Yuri Kuzmenkov: biography, personal life. Top Movies

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Yuri Kuzmenkov is a talented actor, the existence of which the audience learned thanks to such films and series as "Big Break", "Two Captains", "Taimyr Calls You", "A Minute of Silence". This outstanding person passed away in 2011, but his bright roles have forever entered the history of cinema. What is known about the path he traveled?

Yuri Kuzmenkov: childhood and youth

The actor is a native Muscovite who was born in February 1941. There was a joyful event in the family of a locksmith and a hairdresser, the parents of the future star were people far from art. Yuri Kuzmenkov spent the first years of his life in a small village located in the near Moscow region. As a child, he caused a lot of trouble for his mother and father, as he grew up as a bully.

However, at school, little Yura received only fives, oddly enough, such subjects as mathematics and physics were easily given to him. Interest in theater and literature in the future star appeared already in adolescence. Yuri Kuzmenkov even studiedacting with one artist who played episodic roles in the theater of the Moscow City Council. It is not surprising that by the time he received the certificate, the guy already clearly imagined his future.

The father tried to resist the fact that the only son became an actor, but the stubborn Kuzmenkov achieved his goal. Having successfully completed training at the studio that worked at the Mossovet Theater, he became a member of the theater troupe, to which he remained faithful for more than 40 years - until his death.

First roles

Yuri Kuzmenkov was not one of the actors whose path to fame was long. After a couple of episodic roles, the talented young man was noticed by the directors. For the first time, the novice actor had a chance to play the central character in 1965 in the drama "Flying Days". He perfectly coped with the image of the courageous pilot Andrei, every day forced to put his life in mortal danger.

Directors loved to entrust Kuzmenkov with the roles of simple and strong people who become heroes in extreme situations. He enjoyed playing the military, workers, law enforcement officers. In the melodrama "Two Sisters", the actor appeared before the audience in the form of a crane operator Kuzi, in the short film "The Trap" he played Lieutenant Klimchenko. However, real fame came to him only after a fateful acquaintance with director Korenev, whose films made a star out of a young man.

Shooting at Korenev

The meeting with Alexei Korenev was a great success for such a wonderful actor as YuriKuzmenkov. The director's films allowed him to fully demonstrate his talent to viewers and critics. It all started with the picture “Taimyr calls you”, in which Kuzmenkov received a role without any audition, as the master liked it. Geologist Dyuzhikov became his character, the comedy tape was released in 1971.

In the series "Big Break" Korenev initially intended to give his favorite actor the role of Nestor Petrovich. However, gradually the director had doubts that Yuri would look like an absent-minded teacher. As a result, Kuzmenkov played Ivan Fedoskin. He perfectly managed to convey such qualities of his character as a kind heart, masculinity, honesty. After the release of "Big Break", the actor gained an army of fans.

"Three days in Moscow", "For family reasons", "Honest, smart, unmarried …" - Yuri has more than once starred in films directed by Korenev. Among his heroes were a plumber, a district police officer and even an astronaut.

Other interesting films

Of course, not all the bright roles played by Yuri Kuzmenkov are listed above. The filmography of the actor will delay the wonderful military drama "Minute of Silence", glorifying the exploits committed by Soviet soldiers. The character of the star in this picture was Kostya Bokarev, a brave fighter against fascism.

“Two Captains” is a film project, the plot of which is borrowed from the work of the same name by Kaverin. Kuzmenkov brilliantly coped with the image of Pyotr Skovorodnikov, an ally of the protagonist. Tragically couldYuri's participation in the filming of the film "Fiery Childhood" will end, when he almost fell under a train. The audience also remembered his lieutenant Alexander Nazarov from the film “Waiting for a miracle.”

The actor was actively filming in the last years of his life. For example, he managed to create a unique image of a village shepherd in the film "Witch Love", presented to the audience in 2008.

Life behind the scenes

Yuri Kuzmenkov is an actor who is also lucky in love. Galina Vanyushkina, who studied with him in the studio, became his chosen one. The actor, then still a beginner, fell in love at first sight, courted a classmate for a long time. The marriage took place in 1963. Those who promised Galya and Yuri a quick divorce were mistaken, the couple spent their whole lives together. The only son, Stepan, chose the career of a diplomat for himself, now he lives in the USA with his wife and two children.

The death of a Soviet movie star came as a result of a heart attack, before that he had been worried about pancreatitis and diabetes for several years. The grave of the actor is located in the village of Zhabkino, located in the Moscow region.