Epifantsev, Georgy Semenovich

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The biography of Georgy Epifantsev is full of vivid episodes. He was a versatile creative person: in addition to acting in theater and cinema, he drew well, composed poetry, and wrote plays. But for various reasons it never fully revealed itself. There were many reasons for this: the beginning of perestroika made people think more about their daily bread, and not about high culture. In addition, the actor suffered from alcoholism, an almost constant companion of creative people. And he passed away very early as a result of a tragic incident...

Georgy was born in Kerch in 1939. He graduated from the Moscow Art Theater School in 1960. He spent almost his entire life in this theater (there was only a year break when Epifantsev went to the Taganka Theater ). He received big roles in the theater infrequently, but was closely involved in performances, and was appreciated by the team.

First film roles

The very first film role became a star one for the young actor. In 1959, the film “Foma Gordeev” , a film adaptation of the novel of the same name by M. Gorky. Epifantsev played the title role in the film. This wonderful film by Mark Donskoy is now undeservedly forgotten. Georgy did an excellent job with the difficult dramatic role.

“Foma Gordeev” 1959

The debut success opened the way to cinema for the young actor. In the 60s, Epifantsev starred in several notable roles in such films as: “Flower on a Stone” Inna Burduchenko died tragically on the set of this film ), the family drama “A True Story” , where his partner was Zhanna Prokhorenko , a dilogy “A Mother’s Heart” and “A Mother’s Loyalty” .

Movie

The screenwriters tried not to deviate from the literary source. It is unknown how the actors for the film “Gloomy River” were selected. It is noteworthy that the leading actor in some way repeated the fate of his hero. What is the painting “Gloomy River” about? The film, whose actors are presented below, tells about the events of the early twentieth century. The main character is a wealthy Siberian. The plot centers on the story of the Gromov family.

The actors of the film “Gloomy River” are Georgy Epifantsev, Viktor Chekmarev, Afanasy Kochetkov. They played representatives of three generations of the Gromov family - son, father, grandfather. The events of the early twentieth century and the end of the nineteenth are shown.

Once upon a time, Danila Gromov (the protagonist’s grandfather) became rich from robberies. Before his death, he told his son about the origin of his condition. He increased his father’s wealth, but in an honest way. And so the youngest of the Gromovs, Prokhor, grew up and matured. The main character is an honest, moral person. But his descendants are forced to pay for the sins of Danila Gromov. One shock after another occurs in Prokhor's life. He works hard, but life's troubles lead him to commit suicide. The film “Gloomy River” tells such a sad story.

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“Gloomy River”

In 1968, the main film in Epifantsev’s career, “The Gloomy River,” . Although, in general, he got the role by accident. Vladimir Gusev was initially invited to play the role of Prokhor Gromov . But when quite a lot of scenes had already been filmed, Gusev broke his leg right on the set. Director Yaropolk Lapshin did not wait for the actor to recover and, in agreement with the management of the Sverdlovsk film studio, quickly selected a replacement. Epifantsev came to replace Gusev. This is how it usually happens in life: one has trouble, the other has success.

“Gloomy River” 1968

True, at first George had a hard time. The film crew disliked him because of the injustice, in their opinion, towards Gusev. At that time, none of the actors and support staff wanted to communicate with him. Be that as it may, 3 years of filming passed, the film was released on television. And this became the biggest success in Epifantsev’s film career.

A television

In 1997-1998, Epifantsev became the author of the television program “Drema” on channel TV-6. Later he participated in the programs “Cultivator” and “Muzoboz”.

In 2008-2009, the actor participated in the Russian shows “Dancing with the Stars” and “King of the Ring”. At the same time, he honestly explains his participation in these television projects by the desire to earn money. “The fact that at one time I was punching faces in “King of the Ring” and dancing with Anastasia Novozhilova in “Dancing with the Stars” was just that I was going through a difficult period then - I had no money. And there they promised three “pieces” of “greenery” for the performance. This money somehow kept my pants on so I could pay my mortgage. I repeat, it was solely because of the money!

Personal life of Georgy Epifantsev

The actor's first wife is Liliya Ushakova , ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater. Georgy lived with her for only a short time. True, the couple separated amicably: Lilia even allowed her ex-husband to live in her apartment until he decided on housing, and she moved in with her mother.

his second wife, Tatyana , on the set, where the girl came to work part-time as an extra. However, she was not from the acting circle; at that time she was studying to become an economist. George lived with his second wife until his death, although there were times of crisis in their relationship. The fact is that he drank heavily, which could not but affect the family budget. Naturally, Tatyana had a row with him, he promised to improve, but then everything returned to normal. Once they even divorced, although a few months later they got married again.

In his youth, Georgy Epifantsev was very friendly with Vladimir Vysotsky , his classmate. But then, gradually their relationship faded away.

Childhood and youth

Georgy Epifantsev was born on the last day of spring 1939 in a remote microdistrict of Kerch. Annoyingly little is known about the childhood of the actor, who joked that he was named after the artist Ge. One of the film encyclopedias even claimed that in reality the famous artist was born in 1931. Georgy had a sister, Tatyana, who had nothing in common with actress Tatyana Leonidovna Epifantseva except her first and last name.

Actor Georgy Epifantsev

In articles about the founder of the Epifantsev acting dynasty, an analogy is often drawn between the tragic fate of Georgy Semenovich and the words addressed to his character:

“The start of your life is wonderful, the middle will be stormy, and the ending will be terrible.”

However, given the fact that the beginning of Epifantsev’s biography coincided with the fascist occupation of his hometown, Gosha’s childhood was hardly cloudless. According to the testimony of Epifantsev's widow, Tatyana Vasilievna, Georgy, like all children of the war, was desperately afraid of hunger.

Georgy Epifantsev in his youth

Since both sons of Georgy Semenovich are known for their tough morals, Zhorik, and that’s what his mother Praskovya Kondratyevna called him, was hardly a good boy.

According to Tatyana Epifantseva, her husband, while riding a bicycle, somehow crashed into a truck. The collision resulted in a shallow wound on the forehead. The remaining scar did not spoil the appearance of the future actor: in all the photos taken both in his youth and at the time of disappointments and failures, Georgy Epifantsev is very handsome.

Georgy Epifantsev in the film “Foma Gordeev”

After graduating from school, the boy went to conquer the capital and succeeded in this: he entered the Moscow Art Theater School, at the age of 19 he played the main role in the film “Foma Gordeev”, he married the Bolshoi Theater ballerina Liliya Ushakova, whose marriage did not last long. However, Tanya, the future mother of Epifantsev’s three children, who met the actor while filming as an extra, had not watched the movie that made the young man famous before meeting Georgy. The girl saw in the guy not a star, but a charming young man of tall stature.

Children

Georgy and Tatyana had three children: two eldest sons and a daughter.

Mikhail Epifantsev

The eldest son, Misha, was born in 1968. He was soon destined to become famous throughout the country. At the end of the second episode of the famous television series “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed” there is a dramatic episode. The Black Cat bandits rob the warehouse, killing the old watchman. His grandson, a boy of about 10 years old, meanwhile runs to a telephone booth to call for help. But there he is overtaken by a bandit...

Misha Epifantsev. “The meeting place cannot be changed” 1979

Read also: Inconspicuous stars in the TV movie “The meeting place cannot be changed”

So this boy was the son of Georgy Epifantsev Misha. It would seem that with such a pedigree and such an acting debut, a great cinematic future awaited him. But it didn’t work out. He tried to enter GITIS , but did not pass. For some time I tried to perform in new independent theaters. But, apparently, he inherited not so much his father’s talent as his addiction: Mikhail became a chronic alcoholic. He was married. But a misfortune happened: his son was born with cerebral palsy. His wife soon left him, and she later sent the child to a boarding school.

And on top of everything else, Mikhail became addicted to drugs. The tragic outcome was not long in coming. He died right at the table in the company from cardiac arrest. He was only 30 years old.

Vladimir Epifantsev

The middle son did not study well. Although with difficulty, he graduated from the Shchukin Theater School . His film debut came in the notorious trash film “The Green Elephant” . But then, thanks to his characteristic appearance, he was increasingly offered the roles of various criminals. Unfortunately, in modern Russian cinema this type is in great demand. It’s no wonder that over 20 years, Vladimir took part in almost 80 films and TV series. True, lately he has increasingly appeared in the images of police or military officers.

Vladimir Epifantsev

Natalya Epifantseva

George's youngest and therefore favorite child is daughter Natasha. She, too, initially intended to become an actress, even graduated from VGIK . But apparently she didn’t like cinema. She went to the Moscow region, where she runs a small business - she breeds dogs in a kennel.

Filmography:

• Midwife. New life (2019), TV series
• Midwife (2017)
• Shuttlewomen (2016), TV series
• Incorruptible (2015), TV series
• Our Stranger (2015), TV series
• Orca (2014), TV series
• It all started in Harbin (2013), TV series
• Spy (2012)
• Dog Work (2012), TV series
• Setup (2012)
• Escape 2 (2012), TV series
• Flint (2012)
• For Marx (2012)
• Comrades police officers (2011-2012), TV series
• The Real Ones (2011), TV series
• Love at two poles (2011)
• Home (2011)
• Generation "P" (2011)
• Hot on the Trail (2011)
• New Year's Detective (2011)
• Nowhere Man (2010)
• Deathmatch (2010)
• Promotion (2010)
• Escape (2010)
• Night of a Lifetime (2010)
• Compensation (2010)
• Gangs (2010)
• Generation "P" (2009)
• The Best Grandma (2009)
• Sea Patrol-2 (2009)
• Invincible (2008)
• Markup (2007)
• Waiting for a miracle (2007)
• Yellow Dragon (2007)
• Lucky (2006)
• I'm Staying (2006)
• Insatiable (2006)
• My General (2006), TV series
• Alive (2006)
• Two from the Casket (2006), TV series
• Assassination (2005)
• Oh, frost, frost! (2005)
• Mom Don't Cry-2 (2005)
• Secret sign 3. Formula of happiness (2004)
• Full Moon (2004)
• Antikiller-2 (2003)
• Border. Taiga Romance (1999)

The last years of the life of Georgy Epifantsev

In the 80s, Georgy was practically no longer invited to the cinema. His last notable appearance on the screen was in the drama “Don’t Part With Your Loved Ones” by Pavel Arsenov , which was released in 1. Here he played a spouse in one of the divorcing couples. His movie wife there was Lyubov Polekhina .

In the theater, he always dreamed of staging his own play. But it didn’t work out that way. In 1990, he left the Moscow Art Theater and began touring independently with his one-man show. But times are coming hard in the country, the population in the provinces is no longer interested in spectacles; here at least they can grab some bread.

“Volokolamsk highway” 1984

To feed himself, George leaves art and earns money, like the majority of the population at that time, by trading in the market. Our other wonderful actors were doing the same thing at that time - for example, Irene Azer or the same Vladimir Gusev. At first, Epifantsev sold alcohol from a stand; in those wild times, this was quite possible. Then he started selling watches.

Surprisingly, his business took off. For the first time in many years, the family no longer experienced financial shortages. But unfortunately, along with the money, George got more opportunities for drinking. True, now he drank exclusively Napoleon cognac, snacking on it with red caviar.

Tragic death

But trouble came unexpectedly. At that time, the Epifantsev family lived in the Shchukinskaya metro area behind the railway. The most direct route to their house from the subway was through the railroad tracks. On that fateful day, July 27, 1992, Tatyana received a call and was told that her husband’s body had been found on a railway embankment. What happened there remains unknown. Presumably, somehow the actor was hit by a freight train that had rushed there shortly before. And for what reason, the usually very cautious Georgy, fell under the wheels, one can only guess. Only one thing can be said for sure: no alcohol was found in his blood.

The actor was buried at the Troekurovsky cemetery .

George's widow, Tatyana, never remarried. She took her grandson, who had cerebral palsy, from a boarding school and devoted her life to caring for him.

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Theater

In those same years, Vladimir created a theater project called “Prok Theater”, in which he staged many very unusual, specific performances: “Jesus Wept”, “Seduction of the Shrew”, “Strike at a Textile Factory”, “Stream of Blood”, “Romeo” and Juliet." On stage, Vladimir always plays the main roles, surprising audiences with his extraordinary approach to art. At the Vakhtangov Theater he played the main role in Caligula and Treplev in The Seagull. However, Epifantsev later said that theater and music do not bring money at all, but take up a huge amount of time and effort.