Actor Lev Prygunov: biography, personal life, photo

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

Lev Prygunov is an actor who earned the title of the Soviet James Bond, as he repeatedly starred in foreign films, playing "Russian villains". By his 76 years, this man managed to take part in the creation of over 100 films and TV shows. In recent years, it is rarely possible to see him in the frame, because the lion's share of the actor's time is eaten up by another hobby - painting. What is known about his past and present?

Lev Prygunov: childhood

The actor was born in 1939, his hometown is Alma-Ata. At the age of 10, Lev Prygunov faced the first serious grief in his life. The family lost their father, who was the victim of an accident that took place during a scientific expedition in which he participated as a botanist. The boy's maternal grandfather was a village priest. Mother taught literature to high school students.

Recalling the first years of his life, Lev Prygunov describes himself asuncommunicative child. He was indifferent to school life, he was not interested in boyish games either. The passion of the future actor at that time was the world of birds, which he enthusiastically explored, constantly running away into the forest. Interestingly, the son of a school teacher was absolutely not interested in reading either.

Students

Attempt to become a biology teacher Lev Prygunov made primarily in memory of his father, with whom he was very friendly until his death. To fulfill his intention, the guy became a student at the local pedagogical institute. Gnawing on the granite of science, the young man was gradually disappointed in his choice, realizing that he was busy with something that was not suitable for him.

There is no trace left of the isolation inherent in the future actor in his school years. The student was open to new acquaintances, never missed the opportunity to communicate with an interesting person. Well-read philology students became his friends, in whose company Prygunov gradually realized his lack of education. The conclusions made made him plunge into the world of books for some time. The guy absorbed any literature that came his way: the works of Bunin, Chekhov, Balzac. Jazz has become his favorite musical direction.

It is interesting that it was during his student years that Prygunov Lev Georgievich became interested in what in the future would become the second thing in his life - painting. However, the desire to become an actor, which appeared at the same time, won, he entered one of the theater universities in St. Petersburg (then still Leningrad).

First roles

InvitationLeo got to act in films as a third-year student. To pass the casting, he had to go to the capital, on the tests he met Vladimir Vysotsky. The debut for Prygunov was the film "Shore Leave", in which he eventually got the role. The actor still remembers his first filming experience with pleasure.

The star managed to act in the film "They Went East", directed by Giuseppe De Santisa, after graduation. It was a project in which the Italian and Soviet sides participated. It is not known how Lev's career could have developed after the success of his first serious work, if not for chance. Prygunov, on the set of the drama "They Went East", where he tried on the image of an Italian soldier, had a conflict with a KGB officer, as a result of which he was ordered to travel abroad for many years.

The most famous paintings

When an actor is asked to remember his favorite film project, in which he took part, “The Heart of Bonivur” is invariably called Lev Prygunov. The star's biography contains a story about how he doubted his ability to play an honest Komsomol member Vitaly, given his attitude towards everything Soviet. However, the image of a positive character was a success for the actor.

It is also impossible not to note the roles that the actor received in film projects created by director Feizimer. After watching the drama "Without the right to make a mistake", which was released in 1975, the audience remained under the impression for a long time.impression. The character of Prygunov in this tape was a scoundrel, whom the actor made unlike the classic negative characters, whose images were actively used at that time. The drama "Tavern on Pyatnitskaya", also created by Feizimer, was also successful.

Private life

The actor entered into a marriage union twice. His first wife was named Ella, it was this woman who gave birth to his only son Roman. Unfortunately, Ella was the victim of a car accident. The personal life of Lev Prygunov was far from always cloudless. After the death of his wife, a widowed man was forced to send his son to a boarding school, which accepted the offspring of Russian film stars, as he was unable to combine caring for him with filming.

Olga is the second wife of Leo, whom he met 6 years after the death of his first wife. Despite the fact that there is a 16-year age difference between them, family happiness has been preserved for more than two decades. He is sincerely proud of his grown-up son, assuring that he did not help him achieve everything at all. Roman has already managed to try his hand as a director, for example, you can watch his film "Duhless".

Hobbies

Lev Prygunov, whose photo at different periods of his life is presented in this article, became interested in painting as a student. The first picture, which is the subject of his pride, was written in 1971, when the actor was in Germany. In 1983, an exhibition of his works was already arranged, which was successfully held in Moscow. Connoisseurs are happy to purchase Prygunov's paintings inown collections, he has Russian and foreign fans. The actor now pays more attention to painting than filming.