Lev Prygunov is an actor who has earned the title of Soviet James Bond, as he has repeatedly starred in foreign films, playing "Russian villains." By his 76 years, this man managed to take part in the creation of more than 100 films and series. In recent years, he rarely manages to be seen in the frame, because the lion's share of the time the lyceum eats up another hobby - painting. What is known about his past and present?
Lev Prygunov: childhood
The actor was born in 1939, his hometown is Alma-Ata. At the age of 10, Lev Prygunov faced the first serious grief in his life. The family lost their father, who was the victim of an accident during a scientific expedition in which he participated as a botanist. The maternal grandfather of the boy was a village priest. Mother taught literature to high school students.
Remembering the first years of his life, Lev Prygunov describes himself as an uncommunicative child. He was indifferent to school life, he was not interested in boyish games either. The passion of the future actor at that time was the world of birds, which he enthusiastically explored, constantly running away into the forest. Interestingly, the son of the school teacher was absolutely not interested in reading.
Student
The attempt to become a biology teacher Lev Prygunov made primarily in memory of his father, with whom he was very friendly until his death. To fulfill his intention, the guy became a student at a local pedagogical institute. Gnawing at the granite of science, the young man gradually became disillusioned with his choice, realizing that he was busy with an inappropriate business.
From the isolation inherent in the future actor in his school years, there was not a trace left. The student was open to new acquaintances, never missed the opportunity to chat with an interesting person. Well-read well-trained philologists became his friends, in whose society Prygunov gradually realized his lack of education. The conclusions made him for some time plunge into the world of books. The guy absorbed any literature that came in his way: the works of Bunin, Chekhov, Balzac. His favorite musical direction was jazz.
It is interesting that it was during the student years that Lev Georgievich Prygunov became interested in what would become the second thing in his life — painting. However, the desire to become an actor that appeared at the same time won, he entered one of the theatrical universities of St. Petersburg (then Leningrad).
First roles
Lev received an invitation to star in the movie as a third-year student. To pass the casting, he had to go to the capital, on samples he met Vladimir Vysotsky. The debut for Prygunov was the film “Sailing to the Shore,” in which he eventually got the role. The actor to this day with pleasure recalls the first experience of filming.
To star in the film "They Goed East", directed by Giuseppe De Santis, the star managed after the end of the university. This was a project in the creation of which the Italian and Soviet sides participated. It is not known how Leo's career could have developed after the success of his first serious work, if it were not for the will of chance. Prygunov on the set of the drama "They Went East", where he tried on the image of an Italian soldier, there was a conflict with a KGB officer, as a result of which he was ordered to travel abroad for many years.
The most famous paintings
When an actor is asked to recall his favorite film project, in which he took part, Lev Prygunov invariably calls “The Heart of Bonivur”. The biography of the star contains a story about how he doubted his ability to play an honest Komsomol member Vitaly, given his attitude to everything Soviet. However, the image of a positive character was a success for the actor.
Also, it is impossible not to note the roles that the actor received in film projects created by the director Fayzimer. After watching the drama “Without the Right to Mistake”, which was released in 1975, the audience remained impressed for a long time. The character of Prygunov in this tape was a scoundrel, whom the actor made unlike the classic negative characters, whose images were actively used at that time. The drama “Tavern on Pyatnitskaya”, also created by Fayzimer, was also successful.
Personal life
The actor entered into a marriage twice. His first wife was called Ella, it was this woman who gave birth to his only son Roman. Unfortunately, Ella was the victim of a car accident. The personal life of Lev Prygunov was far from always cloudless. After the death of his wife, the widowed man was forced to identify his son in a boarding school, taking the offspring of the stars of domestic cinema, as he was unable to combine care of him with the shootings.
Olga is the second wife of Leo, whom he met 6 years after the death of his first wife. Despite the fact that there is a 16-year age difference between them, family happiness has been preserved for more than two decades. He is sincerely proud of his matured son, assuring that he did not at all help him achieve everything. The novel has already managed to try his hand as a director, for example, you can see his picture "Duhless".
Hobbies
Lev Prygunov, whose photo at different periods of his life is presented in this article, was still interested in painting as a student. The first picture, which is the subject of his pride, was painted in 1971, when the actor was in Germany. In 1983, an exhibition of his works was already organized, which was successfully held in Moscow. Connoisseurs are happy to purchase Prygunov’s paintings in his collections; he has Russian and foreign fans. The actor is paying more attention to painting than filming in films.