Leonid Kuravlyov Explained

Leonid Kuravlyov
Native Name:	Леонид Куравлёв
Native Name Lang:	ru
Birth Name:	Leonid Vyacheslavovich Kuravlyov
Birth Date:	1936 10, df=yes
Birth Place:	Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Death Place:	Moscow, Russia
Occupation:	Actor
Yearsactive:	1959–2015
Children:	2

Leonid Vyacheslavovich Kuravlyov (Russian: Леонид Вячеславович Куравлёв; 8 October 1936 – 30 January 2022) was a Soviet and Russian film actor. He became a People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1976.^[1]

Early life

Kuravlyov was born in Moscow into a working-class family.^[2] His father Vyacheslav Yakovlevich Kuravlyov (1909–1979) worked as a locksmith at the Salyut Machine-Building Association and his mother Valentina Dmitriyevna Kuravlyova (1916–1993) was a hairdresser.^{[3] [4]} In 1941 with the start of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union (known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War) his mother was arrested on false report, accused of counter-revolutionary activity (Article 58) and exiled to Karaganda, Kazakh SSR to work at the local plant.^[5] In five years she was freed without a right to live in Moscow and sent to Zasheyek, Murmansk Oblast in the Russian far north where she continued working as a hairdresser. In 1948 she managed to get a permission to see her son who spent a year with her at Zasheyek, and in 1951 she finally returned to Moscow.^[6]

Career

In 1955 Kuravlyov entered VGIK to study acting under Boris Bibikov.^[7] He graduated in 1960 and joined the Theater Studio of Film Actors.^[8] He made his first movie appearances while still a student. In 1960 he was noted by Vasily Shukshin and took part in his diploma film Reported From Lebyazhye. In 1961 they both starred in the popular melodrama When the Trees Were Tall, and in 1964 Shukshin gave him the leading role in his comedy movie There Is Such a Lad which brought Kuravlyov true fame and which he considered to be the start of his successful movie career. He also acted in Your Son and Brother (1965) and felt so grateful for what the director did for him that he later named his son after Shukshin.^[9]

The role of Shura Balaganov in Mikhail Schweitzer's comedy The Little Golden Calf based on the book by Ilf and Petrov was one of his first successful roles: he managed to create an image of a brash yet charming petty thief.^{[10] [11]} His other notable roles of that period include Khoma Brut in one of the first Soviet horror movies Viy (1967),^[12] antagonist Sorokin in a psychological melodrama Not Under the Jurisdiction (1969), Robinson Crusoe in Stanislav Govorukhin's Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1972), a Nazi officer Kurt Eismann in Seventeen Moments of Spring (1973) and Lavr Mironovich in Pyotr Todorovsky's The Last Victim (1975).^[13]

In the 1970s he appeared in three to four films per year.^[14] Even though Kuravlyov was adept at playing serious dramatic roles, he is still best known for his leading roles in top-grossing comedy movies such as Afonya (1975) by Georgiy Daneliya (11th highest-grossing Soviet film, highest grossing film of the year,^[2] 62.2 mln viewers),^[15] Leonid Gaidai's (1973, 17th highest-grossing film, 60 mln viewers) and It Can't Be! (1975, 46th highest-grossing film with 46.9 mln viewers), The Most Charming and Attractive (1985) by Gerald Bezhanov (the highest-grossing film of 1985, 44.9 mln viewers)^[16] and others.^{[17] [18]}

According to Russian actress Lidiya Fedoseyeva-Shukshina, after being tipsy, Kuravlyov openly spoke about his negative attitude towards the leadership of the Soviet Union. She recalled that, drunk, he had opened the window at her house and had shouted to the whole street that he hated the Soviet regime. She had feared that "the police would come and take everyone away as rebels."

Later years

During the late 1990s he hosted a popular TV programme The World of Books with Leonid Kuravlyov where he talked about new book releases. In two years it was closed and then relaunched with new hosts.^[19] In 2012 he was awarded the IV class Order "For Merit to the Fatherland".^[20]

Kuravlyov was a devoted Christian, a member of the Russian Orthodox Church.^[21]

In 2014 Kuravlyov along with 100 other Russian members of culture signed an open letter in support of Vladimir Putin's position regarding Ukraine and Crimea.^[22] In his last years Kuravlyov lived in a nursing home where he was diagnosed with dementia.

In January 2022, he was hospitalized with pneumonia. According to Kuravlyov's son, tests for COVID-19 were negative.^[23]

Death

Kuravlyov died from pneumonia on 30 January 2022, at the age of 85.^{[24] [25]}

Selected filmography

• All that Jam (Весь этот джем, 2015) as Father Leonty^[26]
• The Book of Masters (Книга Мастеров, 2009)^[27]
• The Heirs (Наследники, 2008)^[28]
• Streets of Broken Lights (Улицы разбитых фонарей, 2005) as Ershov, police colonel^[29]
• Brigada (Бригада, 2002) as MVD general
• The Aristocratic Peasant Girl (Барышня-крестьянка, 1995) as Grigory Muromsky^[30]
• Shirli-Myrli (Ширли-мырли, 1995) as US Ambassador to Russia
• The Master and Margarita (Мастер и Маргарита, 1994) as Bosoy, chairman of housing association^[31]
• Weather Is Good on Deribasovskaya, It Rains Again on Brighton Beach (На Дерибасовской хорошая погода или на Брайтон-Бич опять идут дожди, 1992) as President of USSR Mikhail Gorbachev'^[32]
• Private Detective, or Operation Cooperation (Частный детектив, или Операция "Кооперация", 1989) as editor in chief
• Entrance to the Labyrinth (Вход в лабиринт, 1989) as Lev Khlebnikov^[33]
• Yolki-palki (Ёлки-палки!, 1988) as electrician^[34]
• The Left-Hander (Левша, 1987) as Emperor Alexander I Pavlovich^{[27] [35]}
• The Twentieth Century Approaches (Двадцатый век начинается, 1986) as Von Bork^[36]
• The Most Charming and Attractive (Самая обаятельная и привлекательная, 1985) as Misha Dyatlov^[37]
• Dangerous for Your Life! (Опасно для жизни!, 1985) as Spartak Molodtsov
• TASS Is Authorized to Declare... (ТАСС уполномочен заявить..., 1984) as Zotov
• The Invisible Man (Человек-невидимка, 1984) as Thomas Marvel^[38]
• The Trust That Has Burst (Трест, который лопнул, 1984) as Farmer Ezra Plunkett^[39]
• Copper Angel (Медный ангел, 1984) as Larsen, professor^[40]
• We Are from Jazz (Мы из джаза, 1984) as Samsonov^[41]
• Look for a Woman (Ищите женщину, 1983) as Inspector Granden^[42]
• Vitya Glushakov - A Friend of the Apaches (Витя Глушаков — друг апачей, 1983)^[43]
• Simply Awful! (Просто ужас!, 1982) as Ruslan Ivanovich^[44]
• Ladies Invite Gentlemen (Дамы приглашают кавалеров, 1980)
• Borrowing Matchsticks (За спичками, 1980) as peasant^[45]
• The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed (Место встречи изменить нельзя, 1979) as "Kopchyony", thief^[42]
• Little Tragedies (Маленькие трагедии, 1979) as Leporello, servant of Don Juan^[29]
• Tailcoat for Scapegrace (Фрак для шалопая, 1979) as police captain Deev^[46]
• Incognito from St. Petersburg (Инкогнито из Петербурга, 1977) as Shpekin, postmaster^[47]
• Mimino (Мимино, 1977) as Professor Khachikyan^[48]
• Timur and His Team (Тимур и его команда, 1976) as Georgiy Garaev, Timur's uncle^[30]
• You to Me, Me to You (Ты — мне, я — тебе, 1976) as Ivan Kashkin / Sergei Kashkin^{[41] [32]}
• Afonya (Афоня, 1975) as Afanasy Borshchov
• The Flight of Mr. McKinley (Бегство мистера Мак-Кинли, 1975) as Mr. Droot
• It Can't Be! (Не может быть!, 1975) as Vladimir Zavitushkin^{[41] [32]}
• Circus in the Circus (Соло для слона с оркестром, 1974) as Grísa^[49]
• Seventeen Moments of Spring (Семнадцать мгновений весны, 1973) as Kurt Eismann^{[42] [50]}
• (Иван Васильевич меняет профессию, 1973) as George Miloslavsky, burglar^[42]
• This Merry Planet (Эта весёлая планета, 1973) as Y^[51]
• Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (Жизнь и удивительные приключения Робинзона Крузо, 1972) as Robinson Crusoe^[32]
• Two Days of Miracles (Два дня чудес, 1970) as Vadim Murashev^[52]
• Liberation (Освобождение, 1970) as Chuikov's signaler^[53]
• Shine, Shine, My Star (Гори, гори, моя звезда, 1970)^[54]
• The Beginning (Начало, 1970) as Arkady^[55]
• The Little Golden Calf (Золотой телёнок, 1968) as Shura Balaganov
• A Literature Lesson (Урок литературы, 1968)^[56]
• Time, Forward! (Время, вперед!, 1968) as Korneyev^{[57] [58]}
• Viy (Вий, 1967) as Khoma Brutus^[42]
• Older Sister (Старшая сестра, 1966) as Volodya
• Your Son and Brother (Ваш сын и брат, 1965) as Stepan Voyevodin^[55]
• There Is Such a Lad (Живёт такой парень, 1964) as Pashka Kolokolnikov
• The Little Golden Calf as Shura Balaganov^[59]
• Michman Panin (Мичман Панин, 1960) as stoker Pyotr Kamushkin^{[60] [58]}
• There Will Be No Leave Today (Сегодня увольнения не будет ..., 1959)^[55]

External links

• • • Leonid Kuravlyov biography, filmography, photogallery

Notes and References

1. Web site: Биография Леонида Куравлева. RIA Novosti. 8 October 2016.
2. Web site: Умер известный актер Леонид Куравлев. 30 January 2022. ru.
3. https://www.1tv.ru/doc/pro-zhizn-zamechatelnyh-lyudey/leonid-kuravlev-eto-ya-udachno-zashel-dokumentalnyy-film Leonid Kuravlyov
4. http://bozaboza.narod.ru/kuravlev.html Family tomb
5. http://tvkultura.ru/video/show/brand_id/20882/episode_id/1334113/ Islands. Leonid Kuravlyov
6. https://www.dv.kp.ru/daily/25962.5/2902180/ As a child Leonid Kuravlyov lived in Zasheyek and then Kola Peninsula in cinema
7. Web site: Биография Леонида Куравлева. ru.
8. Cinema: Encyclopedia Dictionary, main ed. Sergei Yutkevich (1987). — Moscow: Soviet Encyclopedia, p. 222
9. Web site: Anna Velidzhagina . Леонид Куравлев: Я так был благодарен Шукшину, что назвал в его честь сына(Leonid Kuravlyov: I was so grateful to Shukshin that I named my son after him). Komsomolskaya Pravda. 20 January 2011. ru.
10. Web site: Самый обаятельный и отрицательный. Биография Леонида Куравлева. ru. Rbc.ru.
11. https://mir24.tv/articles/16477839/spas-varlei-vo-vremya-semok-v-grobu-i-edva-ne-stal-gitlerom-interesnye-fakty-iz-zhizni-leonida-kuravleva (In russian)
12. Web site: Как снимали "Вий" — первый и последний советский фильм ужасов. 2 November 2021. ru.
13. Web site: Последняя жертва.
14. Web site: От Афони до Айсмана. Леонид Куравлёв сам выбирал свои роли. 8 October 2014. ru.
15. Web site: За что советские зрители любили "Афоню" и другое плохое кино. ru.
16. Web site: "Самая обаятельная и привлекательная": Абдулов умирал в муках, а Муравьева и Куравлев овдовели. ru.
17. https://www.kinopoisk.ru/top/lists/184/filtr/all/sort/order/page/1/ Top-grossing Soviet films
18. https://kinanet.livejournal.com/14172.html National films in Soviet distribution
19. https://www.kp.ru/daily/22649.5/12630/ Leonid Kuravlyov: I write stories, but I'm not talking with editors
20. http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/36602 President's decree № 1699
21. Olga Shablinskaya. White Studio. Leonid Kuravlyov talk show at Russia-K, 2016 (in Russian)
22. https://echo.msk.ru/blog/echomsk/1277044-echo/ Russian members of culture - in support of Vladimir Putin's position on Ukraine and Crimea
23. Fedoseeva-Shukshina: Kuravlyov shouted that he hated the Soviet regime, (30 January 2022)
24. News: Ушел из жизни выдающийся актер Леонид Куравлев . 30 January 2022 . 1TV . 30 January 2022.
25. Leonid Kuravlyov died, Ukrayinska Pravda (30 January 2022)
26. Web site: All That Jam Cast / Crew.
27. Book: Rollberg, Peter . Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema. 2016. Rowman & Littlefield. 421 . 9781442268425.
28. Web site: Актеры и роли, создатели фильма "Наследники". ru.
29. Web site: Жил такой парень. Не стало Леонида Куравлева. 30 January 2022. ru.
30. Web site: Леонид Вячеславович Куравлев. Биографическая справка. 8 October 2011.
31. Web site: "Мастер и Маргарита" Юрия Кары выходит в прокат. 2 December 2010. ru.
32. Web site: Актер умер в возрасте 85 лет. ru.
33. Web site: Вход в лабиринт - актеры и роли. ru.
34. Web site: Елки-палки!... ru.
35. Web site: Режиссеры о Леониде Куравлеве: никакой звездной болезни, деликатность и трудолюбие. ru.
36. Web site: Режиссер Игорь Масленников: "У Леонида Куравлева была изюминка русского простака". ru.
37. Web site: Кто из актеров "Самой обаятельной и привлекательной" действительно знал секреты сватовства. ru.
38. Web site: Человек-невидимка (1984). ru.
39. Web site: БИОГРАФИЯ ЛЕОНИДА КУРАВЛЁВА: УМЕР АКТЁР ФИЛЬМОВ "АФОНЯ" И "ИВАН ВАСИЛЬЕВИЧ МЕНЯЕТ ПРОФЕССИЮ". 30 January 2022. ru.
40. Web site: Ярмольник рассказал, как Куравлева однажды разыграли по-крупному. ru.
41. Web site: В возрасте 85-ти лет ушел из жизни замечательный актер Леонид Куравлев. ru.
42. News: Умер актер Леонид Куравлев, сыгравший Афоню и Айсмана. BBC. ru.
43. Web site: Леонид Куравлев: любимый, народный, родной. ru.
44. Web site: Просто ужас.
45. Web site: "Символично, что он ушел в день рождения Гайдая": Харатьян о смерти Куравлева. ru.
46. Web site: "Фрак для шалопая". ru.
47. Web site: Инкогнито из Петербурга. ru.
48. Web site: "Мимино": как создавался культовый киношедевр?. ru.
49. Web site: Соло для слона с оркестром. ru.
50. Web site: Уникальное дарование: скончался актер Леонид Куравлев. ru.
51. Web site: Умер Леонид Куравлев. 30 January 2022. ru.
52. Web site: Простой хороший человек: Леонид Куравлёв всю жизнь играл сердцем. 8 October 2021. ru.
53. Book: Rollberg, Peter . Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema. 2016. Rowman & Littlefield. 420 . 9781442268425.
54. Web site: Умер Леонид Куравлев. 30 January 2022.
55. Web site: Не оставшийся в простаках. ru.
56. Web site: Актер Леонид Куравлев отмечает 85-летний юбилей. ru.
57. Web site: Народный артист Леонид Куравлев попал в реанимацию с коронавирусом. ru.
58. Web site: Афоня, Жорж Милославский, инспектор Гранден. Главные роли Леонида Куравлева. 30 January 2022. ru.
59. Web site: "Жил такой парень". Не стало Леонида Куравлева. ru.
60. Web site: Биография Леонида Куравлева. 30 January 2022.