Monogamous Vadim Spiridonov: happy life and quiet death

Biographical facts

The biography of Vadim Spiridonov before the start of his creative career was not full of any bright and special events. He was born into a Moscow intelligent family on October 14, 1944. The future actor's father was an engineer, his mother was a chief accountant. The parents doted on their son.

While still a schoolboy, Vadim began to become interested in acting and enthusiastically participated in drama club productions. But the boy’s interests were not limited to theatrical art alone. Another of his hobbies was boxing.

Vadim Spiridonov began his working career early as a fitter at the factory where his father worked. At the same time, the young man attended a school for working youth.

After receiving secondary education, Vadim decided to enroll in a theater school and successfully passed the entrance examination to the Moscow Art Theater School. But due to his hot temper, he studied there for only six months. Two years later, the future artist again attempted to become a student and passed exams at VGIK and at the same time at the Shchukin School. He was happily accepted into both universities.

Vadim faced a difficult choice, and he made it in favor of VGIK. Spiridonov's teachers were the legendary Sergei Gerasimov and Tamara Makarova. Sergei Nikonenko, Natalya Belokhvostikova, Nikolai Eremenko and many other future stars of Russian cinema studied in the same course with him.

Student years

The biography of Vadim Spiridonov says that on his first attempt he managed to become a student at the Moscow Art Theater School. However, an unpleasant incident in which he accidentally became involved forced the aspiring actor to leave this educational institution within six months after admission.

The next university to accept Spiridonov was VGIK. The leaders of his course were Makarova and Gerasimov; these teachers were famous for refusing to teach students who did not have talent. It is interesting that many of Vadim’s classmates in the future became stars of Russian cinema: Nikonenko, Eremenko Jr., Gubenko.

Films with Vadim Spiridonov

One of the artist’s most striking works was the role of Fyodor Savelyev in the serial television film masterpiece “Eternal Call”, the first episodes of which were seen by viewers in 1973. The actor brilliantly managed to cope with a difficult task, to convey all the nuances of the complex and contradictory human nature of one of the Savelyev brothers.

Moreover, at the beginning of the film, Vadim Spiridonov plays a very young Fedor, and in the last episodes of “Eternal Call” he is already an elderly man, behind whom stands a difficult life and a gradual degeneration from a hero to a traitor.

The role in “Eternal Call” became, as it is now fashionable to say, stellar for the artist, it was thanks to it that he became famous. But before 1973, the actor had already starred in other famous films: “By the Lake” (the role of Konovalov), “Stoves and Benches” (Vaska Chulkov), “Hot Snow” (the role of Colonel Deev), etc.

In 1975, Spiridonov created another bright, memorable image: Fyodor Makashin in the film “Earthly Love.” And in 1977, a continuation of this picture called “Fate” was released, where actor Vadim Spiridonov continues the story about the fate of his hero.

The next strong work in cinema was the role of Akinfiy Demidov in the television serial film “The Demidovs” (1983). In 1987, Spiridonov played Colonel Iverzev in the mini-series “Battalions Ask for Fire.” The listed roles are just a small part of the creative heritage of Fyodor Spiridonov. The actor’s total filmography includes 35 diverse film roles.

Spiridonov Vadim Semenovich

Vadim Spiridonov
October 14, 1944, Moscow, RSFSR, USSR - December 7, 1989, Moscow, RSFSR, USSR. Popular Soviet film actor.

Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1984).

The childhood of the future sharp-character star of Soviet cinema was spent on the city streets of Moscow in Sokolniki, in companies that, to put it mildly, were not alien to criminal behavior. Vadim was a city punk, impudent and pugnacious. And with all this, while still in school, he came to the drama club at the factory cultural center. There he met a shy girl, Valya. The courtship of the young hooligan was not particularly graceful: he snatched the briefcase from the hands of the quiet schoolgirl or painfully pulled her braids. She endured all these, as they would say now, “gags,” because she fell in love with Vadim at first sight. And under his clearly childish antics, there was an equally strong feeling. In 1962 (he was 18, she was 20 years old) they began to live together, and on June 28, 1963, they got married secretly from their parents. Valentina was studying at the institute, Vadim was thinking about the future. In 1966, he firmly decided to become an actor and passed exams at all major universities in the capital - Pike, Moscow Art Theater, VGIK. And I passed the competition everywhere. I chose VGIK, the workshop of Sergei Gerasimov and Tamara Makarova. Then the masters said that Spiridonov was one of their favorite students - a talent, a genius, a hard worker.

Vadim began acting in films in 1969 while still a student. The first role was in the film “By the Lake” by his teacher, Sergei Gerasimov. Spiridonov starred in the famous war film “Hot Snow” in 1972. At the same time, his screen type was further formed: “flint”, a man with an unbending will and enormous spiritual power, with a dominant negative charm.

Graduated from the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (1971, workshop of S.A. Gerasimov and T.F. Makarova).

From 1971 to 1989 - actor at the Film Actor's Studio Theatre.

Vadim Spiridonov predicted his early death. In the last years of his life, his heart often ached, but he categorically avoided doctors, considering 100 grams of “little white” to be the best medicine. Shortly before his death, in a conversation with his wife Valentina, he, either jokingly or not, said: “I wish I could die soon from this life. And in order not to go out, it’s better to die in winter, for example on January 7.” The wife retorted: “People are having a holiday, but you are going to die.” He thought and said: “Well, then on December 7th I’ll give you a gift” (my wife’s birthday was December 8th). In life, everything happened exactly according to these words. On that fateful evening of December 7, 1989, Spiridonov was supposed to fly to Minsk, where filming of a new film began in the coming days. It seemed that nothing foreshadowed trouble: the actor was cheerful and cheerful. A couple of hours before leaving home for the airport, he decided to lie down to rest, ordering his wife Valentina to wake him up at the right time. But when the wife touched her husband two hours later, he was no longer breathing. The actor fell asleep forever. As it turned out later, Vadim Spiridonov died in his sleep from an attack of acute heart failure - in an instant, which happens very, very rarely.

The actor was buried on December 10, 1989 in Moscow at the Vagankovskoye cemetery (site No. 13).

Chapter 24 of the cycle “To Remember...” by Leonid Filatov is dedicated to the life and work of the actor. prizes and awards Laureate of the USSR State Prize (1979, for the role of Fyodor Savelyev in the TV series “Eternal Call”). Winner of the Lenin Komsomol Prize (1980, for playing the role of Roman Zakharovich Bastrykov in the film “Father and Son”).

movie roles 1989 Souvenir for the prosecutor :: Evgeniy Ivanovich Ogorodnik 1989 Criminal Quartet :: Lobanov 1988 Pilots | Piloti (USSR, Czechoslovakia) :: transport aviation pilot 1987 Not subject to publication :: Semyon Mikhailovich Budyonny 1987 Days and years of Nikolai Batygin :: Nikolai Batygin :: main role 1985 Battalions ask for fire :: Vladimir Petrovich Iverzev :: main role 1984 First Horse :: Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich :: main role 1983 Demidovs :: Akinfiy Nikitovich Demidov :: main role 1982 Personal scores :: Konstantin Ivanovich Popov :: main role 1982 Who is knocking on my door... :: Igor Mikhailovich 1982 Birthday :: director plant 1981 Return move :: Shvets :: main role 1981 Mad Money :: Egor Dmitrich Glumov 1980 Youth of Peter | Peters Jugend :: Fyodor Levontevich Shaklovity :: main role 1980 People in the Ocean :: Valery Mikhailovich Orekhov :: main role 1979 Farewell tour of “The Artist” :: “Sable” :: main role 1979 Father and Son :: Roman Bastrykov :: main role 1978 Classmates :: Andrey Rizodeev 1977 Quagmire :: Stepan Bystrov :: main role 1977 Fate :: Fyodor Makashin 1975 Until dawn :: Volokh 1974 Earthly love :: Fyodor Makashin 1974 At eighteen boyish years (film-play) :: Sergei Petrovich 1973-1983 Eternal Call :: Fedor Silanthevich Savelyev :: Home Role 1973 Comrade Brigade :: Ilya Besedin 1972 Taming of Fire :: Testing Commander of the RS Fleurs 1972 Siberian :: Prokhanov 1972 Grandma stoves :: Vaska Chulkov 1972 Peter Ryabinkin :: Peter Ryabinkin :: main role 1972 Hot Snow :: Deev 1971 Feat on the Highway (short film) :: Captain Korneev 1969 By the Lake :: Konstantin Konovalov

dubbing 1989 The Perfect Crime :: Herero role of Romualdas Anzans 1987 Bravo, Albert Lolish! :: Alexi the role of Gia Burjanadze 1985 The Return of Budulai :: Stanislav Ozhogin the role of Stasis Petronaitis 1984 The Bet with the Sorceress | Ramasagul (Romania) :: King Dragon role of Florin Piersik 1984 Legend of the Surami Fortress :: from the author 1983 Dads | ComDads | Compères, Les (France) :: Jean Luc role of Gerard Depardieu 1982 Love sickness | प्रेम रोग (India) :: Virendra role of Kalbushan Kharbanda 1982 Loma - a forgotten friend :: reads the text 1982 Cucaracha :: thief nicknamed “Murtalo” role of Zaza Kolelishvili 1982 Lords of Time | Time Masters | Maîtres du temps, Les (Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, France, Switzerland, animated) :: Jaffar 1981 Before the Closed Door | Bağlı qapı :: Saleh role of Mamed Mamedov 1981 Tony Wendice's mistake :: Max role of Paul Butkevich 1981 Unlucky | Goat, The | Chèvre, La (France, Mexico) :: Campana role of Gerard Depardieu 1981 Game without trump cards | Lošimas be kozirių :: Grigonis role of Boris Borisov 1981 Brother :: Gio role of Levan Turmanidze 1980 I'll be back | Gözlə məni :: Tahir role of Shakhmar Alekperov 1980 Bread, gold, revolver :: Gorbach role of Vladimir Borisov 1980 Three need to be removed | Three Men to Destroy | Trois hommes à abattre (France) :: Michel Gerfaut (Alain Delon) 1980 Diva | Diva (France) :: Gorodish role of Richard Boringe 1980 Abdullah | Abdullah (India) :: Khalil role of Danny Denzongpa 1979 Gypsy :: Stanislav Ozhogin role of Stasis Petronaitis 1979 Hurricane | Hurricane (USA) :: Jack Sanford as Timothy Bottoms 1979 The Honeymoon Motel Mystery | Fleisch (Germany) :: Bill Martenson as Wolf Roth 1979 American Kidnapping | Fantastic Seven, The (USA) :: Maximilian Boudreau as Patrick Macnee 1979 Father and Son :: Alexey Bastrykov as Andrei Smolyakov 1979 Life is Beautiful | Life Is Beautiful | Vita è bella, La (USSR, Italy) :: Investigator role of Regimantas Adomaitis 1979 Gospodar Vlad | Vlad Tepes (Romania) :: Prince Vlad Tepes role of Stefan Sileanu 1978 Revenge | Revansa (Romania) :: Paraipan role of Gheorghe Dinică 1978 Five more days :: Gevorgyan role of Miron Kechoglian 1978 Lord of Fate | Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (India) :: Shikandar role of Amitabh Bachchan 1977 Cinema | სინემა :: Yasha Kostava the role of Guram Pirtskhalava 1977 Mimino the roles of actors Eduard Izotov and Anatoly Ivanov 1977 The Legend of the Dinosaur | Kyôryuu: Kaichô no densetsu (Japan) :: Ashizawa role Tsunehito Watase 1977 Eternal tale of love | Dharam Veer (India) :: hunter Jawala Singh role Pran 1977 Abyss | Deep, The (UK, USA) :: David Sanders as Nick Nolte 1976 Dangerous Pursuit | Kimi yo funme no kawa o watare (Japan) :: Morioka role of Ken Takakura 1976 A real Tbilisian and others | Gaseirneba Tbilisshi :: scholar-opponent / Pavel roles of Malkhaz Gorgiladze and Grigol Tsitaishvili 1975 Knights Errant :: Sandro role of Georgiy Datunashvili 1975 Solo for elephant with orchestra | Circus in the circus | Cirkus v cirkuse :: veterinarian role of Karel Effa 1975 Profession: reporter | Professione: reporter (France, Italy, USA, Spain) :: David Locke as Jack Nicholson 1975 The First Swallow :: Nuri as Dmitry Jayani 1975 The 109th goes on without stopping | Bullet Train (Japan) :: Tetzuo Okita as Ken Takakura 1974 Four Against a Cardinal | Les Charlots en folie: À nous quatre Cardinal! (France) :: D'Artagnan role of Jean Valmont 1974 Flood | Deluge, The | Potop (Poland) :: Brown role of Jerzy Fedorovich 1974 Immortals | Nemuritorii (Romania) :: Captain Andrei role of Sergiu Nicolaescu 1974 4 Musketeers Charlot | Four Charlots Musketeers, The | Quatre Charlots mousquetaires, Les (France) 1973 Police Commissioner accuses | A Police Inspector Calls | Un comisar acuză (Romania) :: Paraipan role of Gheorghe Dinică 1973 A protracted reckoning | Zanjeer (India) :: Inspector Vijay Khan's role as Amitabh Bachchan 1973 A bitter lesson | Levan Khidasheli 1963 Cleopatra | Cleopatra (USA, UK) :: Rufio role by Martin Landau

archival footage 2005-2007 How idols left (documentary) 1996 To be remembered... (documentary)

Film dubbing work

Few people know that Fyodor Spiridonov not only starred in many films, but also performed more modest but important creative work in voice acting and dubbing films. For example, when the film “Profession: Reporter” (1975) was released in the Soviet Union, Jack Nicholson, who played the main role, spoke in the voice of Fyodor Spiridonov.

In the famous 1983 French film “Papas,” our artist dubbed Gerard Depardieu. In total, Spiridonov voiced as many as 74 films, this number includes both foreign and domestic films.

Voice acting

1963 - Cleopatra - Rufio (role of Martin Landau)
1972 - Walter defends Sarajevo / Valter brani Sarajevo
1972 - Construction / Parades
1973 - Protracted Reckoning - Vijay Khanna, Police Inspector (role of Amitabh Bachchan)
1973 - A bitter lesson. Levan Khidasheli
1974 - The police commissioner blames - Paraipan (the role of Georgiu Dinike)
1974 - Flood - Officer Brown (role of Jerzy Fedorowicz)
1974 - Immortals / Nemuritorii - Captain Andrei (role of Sergiu Nicolaescu)
1974 - The Four Musketeers "Charlot" / Les Quatre Charlots mousquetaires - D'Artagnan (the role of Jean Valmont)
1974 - Four against the Cardinal / Les Charlots en folie: A nous quatre Cardinal! — D'Artagnan (the role of Jean Valmont)
1975 - People of Honor / Gente di rispetto - Maresciallo (role of Aldo Giuffre)
1975 - 109th goes non-stop - Okita (role of Ken Takakura)
1975 - Knights Errant - Sandro (role of Zhora Datunashvili)
1975 - Seven deaths by prescription, or In the networks of the mafia / Sept morts sur ordonnance - Dr. Pierre Losseray (role of Michel Piccoli)
1975 - Solo for elephant with orchestra - veterinarian (role of Karel Eff)
1975 - Profession: reporter - David Locke, journalist (role of Jack Nicholson)
1975 - 1st swallow - Nuri (role of Dmitry Jayani)
1975 - Doomed to loneliness / Kenka Karate Kyokushinken - Masutatsu Oyama (the role of Sonny Chiba)
1976 - Nest of Salamanders / Cuibul salamandrelor - George (role of Georgiu Dinike)
1976 - Radiant corpses / Cadaveri eccellenti - Doctor Maxia (role of Paolo Bonacelli)
1976 - Terrible Pursuit - Prosecutor Morioka (role of Ken Takakura)
1976 - Real Tbilisi citizen and others - Pavel and the scientist-opponent (roles of Grigol Tsitaishvili and Malkhaz Gorgiladze)
1976 - Dog / El Perro - Aristides Ungria (role of Jason Miller)
1977 - Mimino - crew commander and fellow traveler of Ruben Khachikyan (roles of Eduard Izotov and Anatoly Ivanov)
1977 - An Endless Parable of Love / Dharam Veer - Jawala Singh, Hunter (role of Pran)
1977 - The Abyss - David Sanders (role of Nick Nolte)
1977 - The Legend of the Dinosaur - Takashi Ashizawa, geologist (role of Tsunehiko Watase)
1978 - Cinema - Yakov Kostava (role of Guram Pirtskhalava)
1978 - Revenge - Paraipan (role of Georgiou Dinike)
1978 - Lord of Fate / Muqaddar ka Sikandar - Sikandar (role of Amitabh Bachchan)
1978 - 5 more days - Gevorkyan (role of Miron Kechoglyan)
1979 - The Secret of the Honeymoon Motel / Fleisch - Bill (role of Wolf Roth)
1979 - Gospodar Vlad / Vlad Tepes - Vlad Tepes (role of Stefan Sileanu)
1979 - Father and son - Alexey Bastrykov and Zvonarev (roles of Andrei Smolyakov and Sergei Polezhaev)
1979 - Hurricane / Hurricane - Jack Sanford (role of Timothy Bottoms)
1979 - Gypsy - Ozhogin, Budulai’s front-line friend (role of Stasis Petronaitis)
1979 - American Kidnapping - Maximilian Boudreau, leader of a gangster group (the role of Patrick Macnee)
1979 - Goro / Ogon no inu
1979 - Cost of Victory / Speed cross - Kurt Schmidbauer (role of Romano Puppo)
1979 - Melancholy baby / Melancoly baby - Claude (the role of Jean-Luc Bidot)
1980 - Life is great - investigator (role of Regimantas Adomaitis)
1980 - I'll be back - Tahir (role of Shakmar Alekperov)
1980 - Three need to be removed - Michel Gerfaut (role of Alain Delon)
1980 - Bread, gold, revolver - Vladimir Gorbach, security officer (role of Vladimir Borisov)
1980 - Abdullah / Abdullah - Khalil (role of Danny Denzongpa)
1980 - 2nd wife / Orokseg - Akos (role of Jan Novitsky)
1981 - Miracle - Gorodish (role of Richard Boringe)
1981 - Brother - Gio (role of Levan Turmanidze)
1981 - Before a closed door - Saleh (role of Mamed Mamedov)
1981 - The Unlucky - Monsieur Campana, personal detective (role of Gerard Depardieu)
1981 - Tony Wendice's mistake - Max (role of Paul Butkevich)
1981 - Season of peace in Paris / Sezona mira u Parizi / Sezon de pace la Paris - Dragan (the role of Dragoslav Nikolic)
1981 - Game without trump cards - Ludas Grigonis, police captain (role of Boris Borisov)
1982 - Cucaracha - “Murtalo”, bandit (role of Zaza Kolelishvili)
1982 - Lords of Time (cartoon) - Jaffar
1983 - Loma - a forgotten friend - reads a text from the creator
1983 - Dads - Jean Lucka (role of Gerard Depardieu)
1983 - Love sickness / Prem rog - Virendra Singh (role of Kulbhushan Kharbanda)
1983 - The Mystery of a Secluded Motel / Motel
1984 - Bet with a sorceress / Ramasagul - Ruler Dragon (Zmeyul) (role of Florin Piersik)
1984 - The Legend of the Suram Fortress - reads the text
1984 - Hell Train / Train d'enfer - Salvier (role of Gerard Klein)
1985 - Return of Budulai - Stanislav Ozhogin (role of Stasis Petronaitis)
1987 - Visit to the Minotaur - the voice of a police officer on the radio
1987 - Bravo, Albert Lolish! — Alexi (role of Zhora Burjanadze)
1989 - Impeccable Sin - Lance Guerero (role of Romualds Anzans)
1989 - Nikolai Bukharin (documentary) - reads the text

Personal life

Many women of the Soviet Union were in love with this handsome and famous actor. But he gave his heart once and for all to only one girl. Vadim met his only love as a teenager. It was a beautiful girl, Valya, who lived next door.

Young Vadim showed his sympathy in the usual boyish ways: he pulled the girl’s braid, knocked the briefcase out of her hands, and threw snowballs. Having matured, he began to look after the girl for real. She didn’t mind, since she herself had long been head over heels in love with this tall, thin guy.

In 1963, when Vadim Spiridonov turned nineteen, the lovers registered their relationship. And they did it secretly from their parents. Vadim and Valentina lived together for 26 years until the actor’s death. They were a loving couple who supported each other in everything.

After the artist’s death, his wife said that their life together was not an idyll; several times they even wanted to get a divorce, but could not live without each other. They dreamed of children. Vadim Spiridonov even offered to adopt a child, but this dream remained unfulfilled.

Life behind the scenes

Was Vadim Spiridonov married, a biography whose personal life is discussed in this article? The actor met his life partner Valentina while still a schoolboy, as she was his neighbor. He began dating his future wife in his teens and married her as soon as he came of age - this happened in 1963. Vadim has always enjoyed success with the opposite sex, but legend says that he never cheated on his wife, with whom he lived his whole life.

Unfortunately, Vadim Spiridonov never managed to become a father, biography, children, whose personal life is discussed in this article. Valentina and Vadim never acquired heirs. At first, they postponed having children until they were financially ready to create a full-fledged family. As a result, the couple remained childless.

The fatal number seven and the death of the artist

When perestroika began in the Soviet Union, the artist could not accept the changes; a crisis arose in his life. Spiridonov still continued to act in films, but not out of creative interest, but to feed his family.

During this difficult time, he meets famous astrologers Tamara and Pavel Globa and begins to become interested in numerology and astrology. The artist was sure that the number 7 mysteriously influenced his fate. He was convinced that he would die on the seventh. And he even predicted his death. He told his wife several times that he would die on December 7th.

And so it happened. Vadim Spiridonov was supposed to fly to filming on December 7, 1989. He did not feel any malaise and simply lay down to rest before the road, fell asleep and never woke up. Later it turned out that acute heart failure occurred during sleep, which led to the artist’s death. At that time, Vadim Spiridonov was only 45 years old.