Lidia Nikolaevna Smirnova (1915-2007) - famous film and theater actress, People's Artist of the USSR, winner of the USSR State Prize. Most Soviet viewers remember such films by Lidia Smirnova as “Village Detective”, “My Love”, “Carnival”, “The Return of the Son”. No less popular were such paintings as “The Marriage of Balzaminov”, “The Shelter of Comedians” and many others.
Childhood
Lidia Smirnova, whose biography will be described in this article, was born in Tobolsk in 1915. The mother of the future actress died when the girl was barely 4 years old. This event was preceded by another tragedy: the 9-month-old brother of Lida fell to the stone floor, hit his head, which led to the death of the boy. Mother could not survive this and went crazy, and then died. Then Lidia Smirnova lost her father. When the civil war began, he went to the front and fought on the side of the whites. The girl remained in the care of Peter (brother of his father) and his wife Marusya. Then the news came about the death of his father, and Lida was left an orphan. Here is how she herself recalls those events: “I found out that I was step-mother only after graduation. Uncle and aunt had two children. Peter worked as an accountant, and Marusya led the economy and was engaged in our education. Then we moved to Moscow, but life in this city was difficult. ”
Youth
At school, Lidia Smirnova studied not very diligently. Her incorrect behavior was constantly discussed by teachers. Once a girl was playing with the guys in the classroom and accidentally threw a stool out the window. She fell on the head of a man passing by. The injury was serious, and a passerby filed with the police. A pedagogical council was urgently convened, at which they decided to expel Lida from school. However, later this decision was canceled, and the girl remained at school. After graduating from seven classes, the future actress decided to go to college, and after graduation she became a laboratory assistant at the Aviation Industry Administration. In the evening, Lida attended lectures at the Aviation Institute. She could not enter full-time because of a lack of funds.
Adulthood
In 1932, Lidia Smirnova, whose biography is known to all fans of her work, leaves home. The reason for this was, it would seem, a trifle - the future actress dropped a can of millet on the floor. Seeing this, the aunt pounced on Lida with her fists, and the girl’s cup of patience was full. The next day, she told her boss about this situation. He went to Lydia's meeting: he ordered three hundred rubles to be given to her and procured a small room for Smirnova. Thus began her adult life.
Marriage
In the same year, Lidia Smirnova married the 27-year-old journalist Sergei Dobrushin. The future actress met him on a ski trip. According to the memoirs of Smirnova, she returned in the company of friends to a ski base. Another group of skiers was walking towards them, which was closed by a young handsome guy. Lida caught his eye on herself, then they looked back and went straight to each other. A month later, a happy couple played a wedding.
Theater University
Unexpectedly for all, Lidia Smirnova, whose biography can serve as an example to follow, left the 2nd year of the Aviation Institute and applied to three theater universities: Vakhtangov School, VGIK and the Studio School at the Chamber Theater. She was accepted everywhere, but Smirnova chose the latter option because of her proximity to the house. The school was led by Alexander Tairov. When Lida graduated, he offered her a place in his theater. It should be noted that only two students from the entire course received such an invitation. The chamber theater was very popular at that time, and Smirnova was offered a leading role in the film “My Love”. And Lydia chose the movie. In the theater, the girl managed to play only in the play "Aristocrats". After that, Kamerny went on tour, and Lidia Smirnova, whose photo is here, began her acting career.
Carier start
"Nastya Ustinova" is the first film in which the actress played a cameo role in 1934. The real career began for Lida with the picture “My Love”. After the film was released, the charming Shurochka sunk into the hearts and minds of a large number of viewers. We can say that the actress played herself. Shurochka, like Lida, was full of optimism, energy and faith in a brighter future. After the premiere of the film, Smirnova recalled: “It was the happiest day. My portraits hung everywhere in Leningrad and Moscow. From the yards came songs written for the film by Dunaevsky. They recognized me on the street and called Shurochka, and not Lida. They took autographs and wrote many letters. ” Lidia Smirnova, whose personal life underwent changes at that time, was happy. She began a romantic relationship with the composer of the picture, Isaac Dunaevsky. The lovers met in Isaac’s three-room suite at the Moscow Hotel. This continued throughout the filming period, which lasted several months. Then Lydia had an abortion. Unfortunately, after this, the girl was no longer able to become pregnant. Therefore, we inform those fans of the actress who are looking for information on the topic "Lidia Smirnova, Children" - she did not have them.
New hobby
At the beginning of 1940, the actress left for Yalta to shoot the film “Case in the Volcano”. Every day, Dunaevsky sent Lydia telegrams and letters. And while Isaac yearned for her, Smirnova had a new hobby. She fell in love with Valery Ushakov, who held the position of captain on the ship "Kuban". Their dates were held in strict secrecy and were kept secret from Eugene Schneider (director of the film). About this novel knew only a few actors who helped the lovers. However, one day Lydia’s room came without warning from the inspection committee, and Ushakov had to go down from the window on bound sheets. Dunaevsky continued to yearn for Smirnova and send her telegrams, and after the actress returned, he offered her a hand and a heart. Lydia refused.
War years and the death of a spouse
When the war began, Sergei Dobrushin (husband of the actress) went to the front. Meanwhile, Lidia Smirnova, whose filmography includes more than a dozen paintings, lived in Moscow and was busy filming in military movie compilations. At night, she extinguished incendiary bombs. After a while, thanks to her fame, she managed to come to her husband to the front and spend 3 days with him. Soon, Sergei died near Smolensk. The actress was shocked by the death of her husband. Her place of work - the Mosfilm film studio - was evacuated to Alma-Ata. There, Lydia's favors began to be sought by Vladimir Rapoport (cameraman) and Friedrich Ermler (director). Actresses had to starve. Once, when Lidia Smirnova and Vera Maretskaya were sitting in the same room, Ermler came to them. He brought 2 boiled eggs and a smokehouse. Rapoport came next and gave out 30 eggs from his ration. Maretskaya said: “And you still think? Frederick will carry 2 eggs all the time, and Vladimir will give everything he has! ”
Disease and New Marriage
In Alma-Ata, Smirnova Lydia (theater and film actress) almost died of typhus. When she got better, Rapoport surrounded her with care and attention: he took him out to the mountains and confessed his love. Over the years, Lydia recalled: “So many people looked after me, tried to achieve reciprocity, and only one really cared, realizing how defenseless and lonely I was.” Soon, the actress married him and lived with Vladimir until his death in 1975.
War movies
The war period was very fruitful in Smirnova’s creative career. The theme of the tests in wartime, female heroism, the irreplaceability of losses and the persistence in the performance of her heroines appealed to all Soviet moviegoers. In 1941, two films were released with her participation: "Two Friends" and "We are waiting for you with a victory." And in 1942 she got a key role in the film "The guy from our city." In 1943, three more films appeared: “Native Shores”, “Missing” and “She Defends the Motherland”. “Sea Battalion” is another military picture of 1944, in which Smidnova Lydia managed to play. The actress looked great in her.
Post-war years
After the war, Lydia continues to regularly act in films in the roles of heroic women. In addition, characteristic roles, in particular negative ones, were not alien to her. For example, in 1953 she played the prostitute Flossy Beit in the film "Silver Dust." I would also like to note the painting "Sisters" by Lydia Smirnova, shot in 1957. The role of Nastya Bugs has become one of the most beloved for the actress. In 1964, she got the role of matchmaker in the famous "Marriage of Balzaminov." In the same year, Lydia played a doctor in "Welcome" and saleswoman Duska in a series of films about Aniskin. An interesting fact - in the early 1950s, when the cinema was in crisis, Smirnova wanted to change her profession, and even began to master the position of chairman of a collective farm. However, the love of cinema was stronger.
Regular novels and new roles
In 1953, on the set in Kislovodsk, the actress fell in love with director Mikhail Kalatozov. He offered her a role in his film “Faithful Friends”. Lydia refused to act, and her place was taken by Lilia Gritsenko. The failure of the actress did not affect the relationship with the director, and they continued to meet. Kalatozov fell in love without memory, and even suggested that Smirnova legalize the relationship, after leaving for Georgia. However, another man appeared in the life of Lydia - director Konstantin Voinov. It was he who offered the actress a key role in his film "Sisters." Their romance lasted almost 40 years. However, this did not prevent the actress from starting a new relationship. Another elect of Smirnova was directed by Lev Rudnik. It was the most tumultuous novel of Smirnova, which was learned far beyond the boundaries of the acting environment. Because of this, the mine was expelled from the CPSU. Meanwhile, Voinov gave the actress the opportunity to work in a new role for her, and Smirnova began to play age-old heroines. In her book, Lidia Nikolaevna wrote: “I loved Konstantin very much, but I had a husband (unofficial marriage) who was waiting at home. I had to rent a room and live a double life. Voinov left his wife and daughter for me, and I betrayed him, saying that I could not leave my terminally ill husband. Rapoport was lying in a cancer center with stomach cancer. Doctors gave medicines, conducted radiation sessions, but in the end they were prescribed because they were no longer able to help. ”
And again the widow
Rapoport was diagnosed in 1962 at the Sklifosovsky Institute, where he was in a general ward with 17 patients. Then Smirnova asked for help from senior colleagues, but received no answer. Then Lydia went to the Central Committee of the CPSU, but this did not help either. Officials did not seem to hear her request. Then Lidia Nikolaevna decided to hand over her party card to one of the Central Committee leaders. Rapoport was immediately transferred to the hospital of the CPSU MK. Thanks to the care and efforts of his wife, Vladimir lived another 13 years and died in June 1975. A year before his death, he gave Smirnova a gift for his 60th birthday - a role in the second film from the series of paintings about Aniskin.
Lydia recalled: “Vladimir always loved and protected me, like dad or mom. I only gave him troubles, anxieties and reasons for jealousy. I think he chose what he needed more - to lose me or to be with me and put up with some restrictions. People around me insisted that I was a bitch and tormented this holy man. And about the one who felt better ... The one who lives with his beloved or the one who continues to live with his unloved? However, he was too sick, and I could not leave him. That would have killed him right away. ”
Despite everything, the actress Lidia Smirnova, whose personal life was very stormy, continued to act in films in the 70-80s. In 1981, her character took an exam with Irina Muravyova in the film "Carnival".
Post-soviet period
Smirnova is one of the few Soviet movie stars who was lucky enough to appear in post-Soviet films. In the 1990s, she took part in five films, and in the 2000s - in four more. Even in old age Smirnova was unusually active and active. She was a member of the Board of the Union of Cinematographers and the National Academy of Motion Picture Arts, engaged in social activities and traveled extensively in Russia.
Hobbies
Lidia Nikolaevna was a very responsive and keen person, and because of this, she was often asked for help. Smirnova had a collection of dolls in national costumes, occupying the entire wall of her apartment. She loved showing her to guests. Another actress was fond of tennis, horse riding, kayaking slalom, listened to classics and went to ballet.
Death
Lidia Smirnova died in Moscow in 2007 after a long illness. She was buried next to her husband at the Vvedensky cemetery. A documentary was shot about the life of the actress.