Biography of Alexander Abdulov
Alexander Abdulov is often called a sex symbol of the 80s: a noble, romantic, intelligent handsome man, an actor of the Lenkom Theater charmed the audience of the films “An Ordinary Miracle”, the television version of the musical “Juno and Avos”, “Formula of Love”, “Do not part with your loved ones” , “Look for a Woman” and many others.
Legend of Russian cinema Alexander Gavrilovich Abdulov
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Personal life
The artist’s personal life was not cloudless: he had to go through a dramatic divorce. The first wife of the great actor was his colleague Irina Alferova. They met while working together on the set of the film “Don't Part With Your Loved Ones.” Irina Alferova recalled that Sasha always treated her daughter from her first cancer, Ksenia, very well.
In 2006, the actor married for the second time, and a year later his chosen one, Julia, gave birth to his daughter, Evgenia. Before this, Abdulov had no children of his own, so the birth of Zhenechka was a great joy for him. Yulia recalls that Sasha loved the child very much and devoted all his free time to his daughter.
Abdulov is one of the most interesting actors in Soviet and Russian cinema. It is a pity that this talented, versatile and very cheerful person left this world so early. Relatives, friends and theater colleagues will forever remember Sasha as active, witty and truly intelligent.
Childhood
Sasha Abdulov was born on May 29, 1953 in Tobolsk, but he always considered Uzbekistan his small homeland. His parents moved there, to sunny Fergana, when Alexander was three years old.
In the photo: Gavrila Danilovich, father of Alexander Abdulov
The boy grew up in a theatrical family: his father, Gavrila Danilovich, was the founder and artistic director of the Russian Drama Theater (the first drama theater in Central Asia), his mother, Lyudmila Aleksandrovna, worked there as a costume designer and make-up artist.
Little Sasha Abdulov (right) with his mother and brother Vladimir
It is worth noting that Alexander is the third son in the family. The couple also raised Lyudmila's son from her first marriage, Robert, and their eldest common son, Vladimir. When Abdulova became pregnant for the third time and found out she was having a boy again, she decided to have an abortion - she really wanted a girl. But at the medical examination, the woman was still persuaded to give birth, saying that they had made a mistake and that the woman was still carrying a girl under her heart. The deception was revealed only after the birth.
Childhood photos of Alexander Abdulov
Alexander Abdulov made his stage debut at the age of 5, when he and his father appeared on the stage of the drama theater in the production of “The Kremlin Chimes.” It was his father, by the way, who instilled in Sasha a reverent, sacred attitude towards the theater.
At school, Alexander was a so-so student; of all the subjects, he sincerely loved only physical education. He often behaved like a hooligan and was involved in all sorts of fights in the yard: if a window was broken somewhere or someone was beaten, then the future artist was sure to be somewhere nearby. At the age of 13, he started smoking, and together with his friends he picked up bulls from adult smokers. At school, he stole chemicals and made explosives from them, sometimes he secretly took my mother’s makeup, painted her face and scared the neighbors. But his creative parents rarely punished him seriously, but his brother, so that Sasha would sit at home and study more, once cut his hair.
Young Alexander Abdulov
As a teenager, Abdulov Jr. discovered an interest in music. The Beatles became his idols. Many years later, he demonstrated his love for the Fab Four in the original film “The Bremen Town Musicians and Co.” The Abdulov family did not live well, and Alexander made his first guitar himself. His friends were so impressed that the company began to call him almost the “fifth Beatle.”
He also achieved significant success in sports. He is a master of sports of the USSR in fencing; years later, in Ordinary Miracle, he fenced without backup.
The Abdulov family hoped that at least one of their sons would continue their work and connect their lives with the theater. His father insisted that Alexander enter the theater school. Shchepkin, but that time he failed the exams and entered the Faculty of Physical Education of the Fergana Pedagogical Institute, while working part-time as a stagehand in his father’s theater.
A year later, Alexander Abdulov again went to storm the capital's theaters. This time he managed to successfully pass the exams at GITIS and become a student of Joseph Moiseevich Raevsky. It was not easy for a freshman from the outback, like many provincials. At night he unloaded wagons, lived in a dormitory, but never complained about difficulties; on the contrary, he considered such a life normal.
While still a student, Abdulov began acting as an extra: “Gold” (1970), “Near these windows” (1973).
Theater career
In 1974, Mark Zakharov noticed a talented student at his graduation performance and invited him to Lenkom to play the main role (Lieutenant Pluzhnikov) in the play “Not on the Lists.” This work brought the actor the “Theatrical Spring” award.
“Not on the lists”: Abdulov’s first performance on the Lenkom stage
From that time on, Abdulov connected his life with Mark Zakharov’s theater, becoming part of a troupe that already included Oleg Yankovsky, Inna Churikova, Tatyana Peltzer, and Evgeniy Leonov. Over the years of service, Abdulov played in 17 productions of Lenkom. Among them: “Hamlet”, “Cruel Intentions”, “Optimistic Tragedy”, “Marriage”, “For”, in which Fr.
Star of Lenkom
But the most memorable production with his participation was the musical “Juno and Avos,” where Nikolai Karachentsov and Elena Shanina also took part. Over the 35 years since its premiere (July 9, 1981), it has been staged on the Lenkom stage more than 1,500 times. Abdulov appeared on stage in three images: a man from the theater, a flaming heretic and Fernando Lopez.
“Juno and Avos”: Alexander Abdulov as a flaming heretic
Abdulov played so convincingly that once the Americans who came to see “Juno and Avos” decided that the heretic with torches was played by a real mental patient - such a detached look did the actor have in this scene.
Alexander Abdulov and other Lenkomovites
"Lenkom"
1974 becomes a landmark year for the biography of Alexander Abdulov. Then, at a performance dedicated to defending his diploma, Mark Zakharov notices him and invites him to work with him. Abdulov’s debut at Lenkom under the direction of the famous director was the role of Lieutenant Pluzhnikov in the play “Not on the Lists” based on the novel of the same name by Boris Vasiliev. For this role, the actor received the “Theatrical Spring” award. It was from this moment that the vector in the biography of Alexander Abdulov changed dramatically - he began to live and breathe theater!
It was “Lenkom” that he considered his native stage, which did not let him go until his last days. The play “Juno and Avos” is considered a significant milestone. Abdulov’s success in the theatrical field was also his role in the play “The Barbarian and the Heretic,” which was an adaptation of Fyodor Ivanovich Dostoevsky’s novel “The Idiot.”
Alexander Abdulov in the cinema
Abdulov's film career began to develop in the mid-70s. After a number of roles in the crowd, he received the role of paratroopers in the film “About Vitya, about Masha and the Marine Corps,” and assistant director Ptashuk stumbled upon him by chance. Afterwards there was work in the half-hour short film “Vera and Fedor”. Director Vitaly Gonnov chose Abdulov “because he was damn handsome!”
Then the actor starred in “12 Chairs” with Andrei Mironov and Anatoly Papanov - Abdulov played the husband of Ellochka the cannibal. By the way, this is his first cinematic work with Mark Zakharov.
Abdulov - engineer Shchukin from “12 chairs”
And in 1978, he played the main role in the film adaptation of Evgeniy Schwartz’s fairy tale “An Ordinary Miracle,” on which Mark Zakharov worked. Abdulov played a bear, which a long time ago a wizard turned into a man. With one condition - if a girl kisses him, he will become a bear again. Many years have passed, and a princess (Evgenia Simonova) has appeared in the young bear's life, and her kiss will surely turn him back into a beast.
Still from the film “An Ordinary Miracle”
After the release of the film, Abdulov gained national fame and the adoration of the female half of television viewers. And in 1979, the melodrama “Don’t Part With Your Loved Ones” was released, starring Abdulov and his wife Irina Alferova. The plot was about divorced spouses who are trying to start their life together again.
“Don’t part with your loved ones”: Abdulov and Alferova
After the premiere, Alexandra and Irina began to be called the most beautiful couple in Russian cinema. When the actor was asked in an interview whether it was difficult to film with his wife, he replied: “It’s difficult because you feel double responsibility, and it’s nice because it was only on the set of the film that I felt how talented Irina is.”
Still from the film “Premonition of Love”
In the 80s, Abdulov's fame only increased. The amazingly energetic, efficient actor could act in several films simultaneously. So, during the filming of “Sorcerers” he was involved in four more films, so only at night he could transform into Ivan Pukhov. Therefore, the director of “Sorcerers” Konstantin Bromberg was forced to often resort to the help of doubles. So, in the “Three White Horses” scene, an understudy plays instead of Abdulov.
“Sorcerers”: Abdulov and Alexandra Yakovleva
Abdulov’s characters immediately sank into the audience’s soul: Rampkopf from the comic film “That Same Munchausen”, and Dr. Simpson from “The House That Swift Built”, and Jacob from the comedy “Formula of Love”, and the knight from the parable “To Kill the Dragon”...
Alexander Abdulov starred in more than a hundred films
Abdulov’s bright talent was used, perhaps, by all the prominent directors of the Soviet Union: he could be seen in the film “The Most Charming and Attractive” by Gerald Bezhanov, “For Beautiful Ladies” by Anatoly Eyramdzhan, detective stories “Look for a Woman” by Alla Surikova and “Ten Little Indians” by Stanislav Govorukhin , adventure films “The Secrets of Madame Wong” by Stepan Puchinyan and “Gold” by Fabio Bonzi, historical costume film “Midshipmen, Forward!” Svetlana Druzhinina.
He performed deep dramatic roles in the films “Over Dark Water” by Dmitry Meskhiev, “Those Who Descended from Heaven” by Natalya Troshchenko, “Keep Me, My Talisman!” and “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” by Roman Balayan, “Facts of the Past Day” by Vladimir Basov.
In 1991, Abdulov began collaborating with director Viktor Sergeev. Their first creation is the detective "Genius". This was followed by a melodrama with elements of crime, “Strange Men of Ekaterina Semyonova.”
Still from the film "Genius"
In 2000, the artist presented to the public his directorial debut - the feature film “The Town Musicians of Bremen and Co.” In the film, the Bremen musicians appear in the costumes of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club” and fly away on the “Yellow Submarine” - a tribute to Abdulov’s beloved “The Beatles”.
“The Master and Margarita”: Abdulov as Koroviev
In 2006, he appeared in the TV series “The Master and Margarita” by Vladimir Bortko in the role of Woland’s servant, Koroviev-Fagot.
Personal life of Alexander Abdulov
Abdulov was burdened by popularity and the female attention pursuing him. He wanted to be seen as an actor, not as a saccharine screen guy. And he didn’t like to talk about his personal life.
Handsome man
Because of his bright appearance, Abdulov was considered a magnet for women back in his native Fergana. All his classmates and street girls were in love with him, because this handsome guy was also a gallant gentleman, despite his reputation as a hooligan.
At the age of 14, he first truly fell in love. The lucky one was his classmate Natalya Nesmeyanova. Their romance was not childishly serious; once Sasha even ran away from home when he had a fight with his friend. The feelings remained at a distance: after the first year of GITIS, Alexander returned to Fergana and first of all went to Natasha, but returned from her as black as a cloud. He invited her to Moscow with him, but she did not dare, considering his proposal childish.
Natalya Nesmeyanova (top right) - Alexander Abdulov’s first love
Tatyana, a tall blonde, a medical student, whom Alexander met in 1973 at a student disco, helped Abdulov forget about Natalya. Their romance developed rapidly; it got to the point that the leadership of GITIS bluntly raised the issue of expelling the student Abdulov - he constantly skipped classes to spend time with his beloved.
Everything collapsed in an instant: returning to Tatyana from the next student meeting at which he was scolded, he found his girlfriend in the arms of another man. Abdulov returned to the hostel, locked himself in the room and cut his wrists. He was saved by his roommate Sasha Myagchenkov, who returned home earlier than expected. “He was a fool!” Abdulov later recalled.
The actor almost committed suicide because of a woman
In the 70s, Alexander Abdulov fell in love with an American woman, vice-president of a large capital bank. The relationship went far enough, which is why the actor was summoned to the Lubyanka. The KGB explained that his lover was a spy. Abdulov refused to cooperate with the security forces, but he was still forced to break up with his beloved.
Because of this story, the artist was “not allowed to travel abroad” for a long time. Thus, his tour in Portugal was disrupted, and if he was allowed to go abroad, it was only accompanied by “art critics in uniform.”
After this, the actor began an affair with dancer Tatyana Leibel. All of Moscow was talking about their passionate romance. “Our love was ruined by the envy of others,” Tatyana believed.
In the photo: Tatiana Leibel
In 1976, Irina Alferova entered the service at Lenkom, instantly captivating Abdulov. He confessed his feelings to her, but unexpectedly received a refusal. Irina, who had just parted with her lover, Bulgarian Boyko Goyurov, in memory of whom she still had 2-year-old baby Ksenia in her arms, did not want to let someone new into her heart.
The most beautiful couple of Soviet cinema
But Alexander firmly decided that Irina was the very woman whose favor he would wait for years. But he didn’t have to wait long: that same year, during Lenkom’s Yerevan tour, he tried his luck again, and she jokingly replied: “If you carry me in your arms through the park, I’ll marry you!” Alexander fulfilled her wish, and upon returning to Moscow, the lovers secretly married.
At home
The actor accepted Irina’s daughter as his own, adopted her and spoiled her as best she could. Irina was nearby when two tragedies occurred in Abdulov’s life: in 1980, with a difference of 2 months, first his father died, then street hooligans killed his brother Vladimir.
Alexander Abdulov with his wife and daughter Ksenia
And one day Alexander himself was a few centimeters away from death. A fan of Alferova waylaid the actor at the entrance and threw an ax at him. Only by miracle did Abdulov manage to dodge.
Family portrait
Alas, the relationship between Irina and Alexander did not stand the test of time. In 1993, after 17 years of marriage, which seemed cloudless from the outside, the couple separated. He left his ex-wife and daughter an apartment, and he settled in a tiny closet at Lenkom.
It was rumored that the reason lay in Abdulov’s frequent affairs, in his irrepressible energy, which was constantly looking for a way out: extreme sports, noisy gatherings with friends, gambling, creative evenings - what kind of quiet family life could there be? “I need something completely different in life, but I understand it. That's just who he is. Everyone needs him,” Irina recalled.
Alexander tried to forget himself for a long time, looked for the “second Alferova” and found solace on the chest of the young ballerina Galina Lobanova, with whom he spent the next 8 years. Perhaps their relationship would have lasted longer if Galina had not insisted on officially registering the relationship. And Abdulov, after breaking up with Irina, made a vow to himself - never to marry again.
Galina Lobanova, Abdulov's common-law wife
The break with Galina plunged Alexander into depression, which journalist Larisa Steinman helped him cope with. But the relationship with the pen shark turned out to be short-lived, and not at all because of the actor’s dislike for the press. Larisa turned out to be an extremely jealous little thing, and one day, tired of constant scandals, Alexander simply changed the locks on the front door, thereby putting an end to their relationship.
Alexander Abdulov and Larisa Steinman
He still broke his promise to himself to never marry. In 2006, the actor began to be often spotted with a young, attractive brunette, Yulia Meshina. At first, Abdulov introduced her to his acquaintances as his niece, but soon revealed the secret: the girl turned out to be his fiancée.
Yulia Meshina and newborn daughter Evgenia Abdulova
The impressive age difference (22 years) did not prevent the lovers from feeling happy. On March 21, 2007, their daughter Evgenia was born, who made the actor feel young again. Their happiness was overshadowed only by an increasingly frequent stomach ulcer.
Death of Alexander Abdulov
In August 2007, Alexander was hospitalized in Sevastopol and underwent emergency surgery - an ulcer opened. A couple of hours later he was returned to the operating table - his heart almost gave out. After six days in intensive care, he was transferred to Moscow, where his condition worsened.
The last role of Alexander Abdulov (“Anna Karenina”)
In early September, the actor flew to Tel Aviv for treatment. It was from Israeli doctors that he heard a terrible diagnosis - stage 4 lung cancer. Abdulov's long-term passion for tobacco did not pass without a trace. The treatment did not produce results - on January 3, 2008, 54-year-old Alexander Abdulov passed away. He is buried in Moscow at the Vagankovskoye cemetery.
The grave of Alexander Abdulov
Life line
May 29, 1953 Date of birth of Alexander Gavrilovich Abdulov. 1956 Moving to Fergana. 1973 Film debut. May 24, 1974 Birth of Abdulov’s adopted daughter, Ksenia Alferova. 1978 Role in the film “An Ordinary Miracle” by Mark Zakharov. 1975 Graduated from the acting department of GITIS (course of I. Raevsky). Admission to the Lenkom troupe. November 28, 1991 Receiving the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR. 1993 Revival of the festival "Backyards". 1995 General Director of the Moscow International Film Festival. 2006 Marriage to Yulia Meshina. March 21, 2007 Birth of daughter Evgenia. August 2007 Surgery for an ulcer, deteriorating health. September 2007 Diagnosis: lung cancer, stage four, incurable. January 3, 2008 Date of death of Alexander Abdulov at the Bakulev Center for Cardiovascular Surgery. January 5, 2008 Civil memorial service and farewell to Alexander Abdulov at the Lenkom Theater. Funeral service in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Putinki on Malaya Dmitrovka. Abdulov's funeral at the Vagankovskoye cemetery in Moscow.
Alexander Abdulov with his first wife, Irina Alferova, they were considered one of the most beautiful couples of Soviet cinema
