On a snowy winter day in the small town of Kolomna, near Moscow, in 1933 a boy was born, who was named majestically: Lev Perfilov. He was born on the thirteenth of February. The childhood of Leo was scorched by the black fire of the Great Patriotic War. Mother raised Leo and his younger brother Yuri herself, their father died in this terrible war. But hunger and deprivation did not make him retreat from a dream. And she was alone, big - to become an artist, and gave strength at the most difficult time, and she was destined to come true.
If not for my stepfather ...
But everything could have been different; do not marry the boys' mother a second time. After all, the time was difficult, and the area where the actorâs childhood passed was criminal. And he, following the example of his friends, was stealing and begging at the stations. But everything was decided in an instant, and fate saved Leo Alekseevich from the bandit fate. Stepfather took the whole family with him to Kamchatka. We know this boy as the famous actor of the last century - Lev Perfilov.
Moving to Kiev
In 1956, after graduating from the legendary Schukin School, Leo fell into the beautiful troupe of the Kiev theater, where his monumental entry into the world of cinema began. Many roles were played, but the image in Doomsday became the closest and most fateful. This is the story of the infamous Babi Yar. And it was this image that was most dear to Perfilov. The actor even called him the main thing in his life. After all, the task was not an easy one - to convey to people that, despite all the actions, each person is worthy of understanding and love. Lev Perfilov is an actor who coped with this excellently. And thanks to this, he won the love of the viewer.
Subsequently, Lev Perfilov gave his whole soul to cinema, he enjoyed and lived in the fabulous world of studios and filming.
How did a simple actor get into the movie?
Despite the fact that more often had to play supporting roles, Lev Perfilov knew how to make each of them memorable and significant. From the first minutes in the cinema, he showed himself unusual and temperamental. For example, in âPavel Korchaginâ, where Leo played Frats Klavichka, he won over millions of spectators with his sincerity and new presentation of the image.
Are the bad ones better?
But constantly playing positive characters is boring and one-sided for a real artist, and therefore everyone wants to try his hand at the role of a screen villain. Soon Perfilov had such an opportunity. He was asked to play a fascist named Voldemar in the film about the war "The Cyclone Will Start at Night." After this role, all the newspapers extolled the actorâs talented game, calling him âthe lamb in wolf's clothingâ. He did not get lost in the shadow of the main characters, but made them a worthy competition, showing in all its glory the difference between good and evil.
Significant 70s
This period has become significant not only in his personal life, but also in the career of Lev Perfilov. It was in the 70s that the peak of popularity and demand for the mummery came. When an actor is talented, there are no boundaries and barriers for him, and it is not so important in which film he plays, be it comedy, drama, etc. He easily managed to revive his every character, to make him unique.
"Zakhar Berkut", which tells about the struggle of the mountain people from the Carpathians, allowed the actor to fully reveal his temperament. The directors made their choice in favor of Perfilov and did not fail. How else? Indeed, in the role of the prince, Leo remained in the memory of many film enthusiasts. And why is the drama âOlesyaâ filled with mysticism and magic based on the story of the famous Kuprin or the patriotic film âWay to the Heartâ! This list goes on and on. It is different everywhere, never repeating and bright. There were and are few such colorful actors.
After the fabulous production of âIn the Far Far Away Kingdomâ Lev Perfilov began to choose films slightly different. The actor liked the role of the villain.
Lev Perfilov, films with whose participation is always memorable, was at the peak of popularity.
Someone needs to play evil too
With unrivaled talent on the screens, thieves and pirates, murderers and drunken alcoholics came to life. And the people believed everything that was happening on the screen. After all, not every actor manages to so accurately convey all the nuances of the image.
Although this role imposed certain requirements, Leo, in his words, such roles were more interesting. It was the images of the âbad guysâ that brought the actor world fame. After all, who does not remember Jackson in the film adaptation of the novel of the world classic Jules Verne âCaptain Nemoâ or a criminal with the experience of Casket in the film âThe Old Fortressâ? There are many such roles: Soaked, Calimer, Hook. And the most memorable one is in âKin-dza-dzaâ.
"Meeting Place" and Leo
The apogee in the work of Perfilov is considered to be the role of Grisha in the series with V. Vysotsky "The meeting place cannot be changed." It was in this tape that the actor managed to show the public all the facets of his talent. He is like a diamond, which no matter how you turn it - it shines and attracts to itself. After all, not everyone is given the opportunity to play in such a way that the people believe in the actor that there is real friendship, which can neither be bought nor sold.
But at the same time, Grisha is not perfect in the film, and he has his own small weaknesses. He likes to exaggerate and embellish some moments in communication with friends. Thanks to this interweaving of high ideals and qualities of an ordinary person, the image turned out to be real, memorable.
How to make enchanting of a small role?
Gradually, the demand for the actor became less, and Perfilov was no longer offered significant roles. He played a lot in films, but he could not achieve his former success.
Almost every of his appearance on the screen, even if episodic, each time proved that there are no small and unimportant roles if they were given to a professional.
Eccentricity combined with the aristocratic manners allowed Perfilov to stand out among episodic characters and be remembered by everyone in the films "Riding an Old Car", where the actor played an unusual man with a dog, and "Green Van".
All the films where this talented man was shot have become cult.
Significant in terms of good luck for the lyceum was shooting on the play "Dandelion Wine" by R. Bradbury, better known as "Attraction of the Sun." It would seem that the viewer can remember? But no, the image he created, seemingly inconspicuous, is erased into memory for a long time. And even the very appearance of Perfilov in the frame makes you watch everything with bated breath.
Loving Ukraine, Lev Perfilov, whose biography and creative path is connected with Kiev, tried his best to help his colleagues in the scene, and even tried to fight injustice through television.
The fortitude of the famous master of the "second plan"
Actor Lev Perfilov, whose personal life was not quite successful, found his happiness, albeit briefly. And now about this in more detail.
During the Chernobyl tragedy, the actor did not stand aside from all this and often went to the infected zone to support the soldiers working there with his presence. No, he did not seek fame and did not want to play in public. As Perfilov himself recalled, it was just awful, because of fear Lev Alekseevich almost lost consciousness, but still he did not have the strength to just turn around and leave. Subsequently, Perfilov was awarded the title of Chernobyl and for health reasons, they issued the second disability group.
A little-known fact, but beloved by many, the actor helped to raise the virgin lands. After all, before they were not afraid of difficulties, but overcome them with honor and dignity. And it was after all this that Perfilov became isolated in himself so that, it seemed, only a miracle could bring him back to life. And it happened.
Love and Faith
Having fallen into a depression due to lack of roles and outgoing popularity, Lev Perfilov even tried to commit suicide. He made several attempts to this, and this impenetrable black melancholy ended completely by accident. The Moscow bridge in Kiev, pedestrians passing by, not noticing a lonely person standing at his sides ... It seems that a step, and that's all ... There, Leo will find peace and oblivion. But suddenly a gentle voice stopped him, uttering only one word: âStop!â And he stopped and saw her. The one that became his fate and muse. The actor found a savior in the form of his beloved wife, Vera. She, like an angel with a symbolic name, gave the actor not only faith in the future, but also happiness.
This was not the actorâs first marriage, even before moving to Kiev, he was married to his classmate, but the union quickly broke up and did not bring happiness to the actor. Strange as it may seem, love destroyed his wifeâs career, which at first turned out to be more successful, and the couple broke up. I want to say that from this short marriage, the actor left children: twin daughters.
Experiencing separation from the family, the actor began to abuse alcohol, and it seemed that dreams of a career in the cinema were destroyed, but no, he met his second wife, Valentina, who saw a tattoo on her arm with Leoâs name, a consequence of youthful love. And with this woman Lev Perfilov, whose family at that time consisted of three weather sons, broke up in the 80s.
At the time of the fateful meeting, Leo was 51 years old, and his beloved was half as much. Only 25. But this difference is not a hindrance for hearts in love. And life gave them happiness in every minute when declarations of love are pronounced daily. Always together, and her quivering hand in his palm. Only this way and not otherwise. But unfortunately, it did not last too long, after 17 years the actor died.
The children of Lev Perfilov, of whom five, did not continue their father's career, each of them chose his own path in this life.
The trouble came on January 24th. Winter is a significant time of the year for Lev Perfilov. And in 2000, the master did not become in the city that became his hometown - Kiev. The famous actor Lev Perfilov, whose cause of death is indicated as an infection brought during the operation on sick lungs, will remain in the memory and hearts of many.
In total, the actor starred in 120 films, the first of which was "The Cyclone Will Start at Night" (1966), and the last - "Kin-Dza-Dza" (1988).