In 1941, on June 14, the well-known People’s Artist of the RSFSR was born in Moscow. Photo by Alexander Potapov is now in front of you. Unfortunately, fans of his talent can now see their idol only on television and in pictures, since in the fall of 2014 the artist’s heart stopped beating.
He had acting talent from God. The son of the military, Alexander had to overcome the disagreement of his parents with his choice of profession and to overcome a strong stutter, all in order to achieve his goal and conquer the theatrical stage. Potapov served 50 years at the Maly Theater. In addition to acting, he was an avid car enthusiast, his experience in this matter is as long as 40 years. Music and literature also occupied a significant place in Alexander's life. He especially liked Russian romances and Russian classical works. Actor Potapov Alexander Sergeyevich left a bright mark both in the theater and in the cinema, his life was not in vain, you can read the biography of the artist by reading this article.
Parents of the actor
Little Sasha was born in the family of a military pilot, whose fate cannot be called easy. At first, the life of Sergei Stepanovich Potapov was going well, he had a faithful wife, son, his military career was gaining momentum. He happened to fight in Spain, then serve in the secretariat of the USSR Marshal Mikhail Tukhachevsky. As a result, Sergey Potapov received the rank of general. But after all these achievements he became a victim of the “military case”, he was arrested and almost sentenced to death. Alexander’s father avoided such a tragic end, but he had to serve many years in prison.
The biography of Alexander Potapov also tells us about his mother, who was for him the dearest person in the years when he tried to overcome all the obstacles on the way to the glory of a theater artist. Kalinina Raisa Alekseevna, like her husband, was familiar with the heights of heaven firsthand. Alexander’s mother studied and successfully graduated from the Moscow Aviation Institute. After her studies, she worked at Ilyushin Design Bureau and was the keeper of the Potapov family home.
Childhood
Potapov Alexander remembered for his whole life how the columns of German prisoners were carried through his hometown, how the end of the Great Patriotic War was celebrated on Red Square, and how the salute sparkled in the sky in honor of the victory. After all, the actor’s childhood passed in the post-war difficult years for the country. As the son of a pilot, Sasha also wanted to become a military man, like his father, so that the craving for the scene appeared later. He studied at the Suvorov School, his teachers were officers who returned from the front. These people were able to protect honor and dignity, they tried to pass it on to their students. Suvorovets Alexander Potapov studied well and always strived for more so that his father could be proud of his son.
Student
Alexander Potapov, a graduate of the Suvorov Military School, continued to confidently move towards becoming a warrior of the Soviet Army. Now he enters the Military Academy. Zhukovsky. Studying is easy for a guy, he manages to do sports in all subjects, except for science. By swimming, Alexander even earned the title of master of sports. It seemed that the fate and future of the guy was predetermined, no one could think about what a sharp turn awaits him in life.
Alexander’s plans changed when Nikita Khrushchev began to rule the country. In the sixties, Soviet people breathed in the spirit of freedom, which also affected the cadet of the Military Academy. Sasha began to actively participate in student performances. The small stage of the academy attracted him like a magnet. He soon realized that the life of a military man was not at all for him. The guy was read by classical literature and dreamed of playing many heroes of these works.
Despite the indignation of the parents and their arguments that the actor is not a profession, Alexander Potapov began to prepare intensively without anyone's help for entrance exams to the theater school. Shchepkina at the Maly Theater. It was hard for the guy, because he suffered from stuttering from nature and tried to overcome it. The first two rounds went well, but in the third, his opening “operation” in the theater world almost failed. Seeing Igor Ilyinsky on the commission , Sasha simply was speechless. It is not known how this applicant’s silence would end if Leonid Volkov did not support him . It was he who first saw the actor’s talent in a slightly shy boy and took him on his course.
Alexander Potapov - theater actor
The path to the fame of a theater actor was very long and thorny. After graduating from the theater school in 1962, aspiring artist Potapov Alexander Sergeevich became a member of the Maly Theater troupe. For ten long years, he tried to achieve significant roles, but instead he only had to play in extras. Alexander did not regret that he devoted himself to the Maly Theater. In the end, his patience and efforts were rewarded, Potapov began to give good roles, he had enough experience at that time, and God did not deprive him of talent, the actor was noticed by the audience who appreciated his work.
The first serious role went to Alexander Sergeyevich in 1968. In the play, staged on the basis of Gorky's "Old Man", the actor played Jacob. Elina Bystritskaya and Peter Konstantinov helped him to fully reveal his talent in this play, these artists played together with Potapov and supported him as much as they could.
The role of Jacob was significant in the future theatrical career of Alexander, he was noticed, and there was no shortage of proposals. Slowly but surely, he climbed the ladder of glory right to the top. Soon, Alexander Sergeyevich was already on the list of leading theater actors, on whom the entire repertoire was held. His characters were both negative and positive, Potapov in any case made them very interesting and memorable to the audience.
Theatrical works of Alexander Potapov:
- The mayor is the “Examiner”.
- Ivan - The Little Humpbacked Horse.
- Mamaev - "For every sage, quite simplicity."
- Ilyin - "Russian people."
- Vosmibratov - “Forest”.
- Krayukhin - “The Challenge”.
- Aristarchus - “Hot Heart”.
- Lopakhin - The Cherry Orchard.
The works listed above are far from a complete list of performances in which Alexander Sergeyevich managed to play for his life. In addition, this talented person did not stop at the stage of the theater; he was remembered by the audience for many works in the cinema.
Potapov Alexander Sergeevich - a talented film actor
In the cinema, Alexander took his first steps in episodes, but in 1965 he was lucky to take part in the filming of the film fidelity “Fidelity”, where he played cadet Senya Murgu. After this work, filmmakers noticed a rustic-looking guy, more and more often he began to receive offers to act in films. Actor Alexander Potapov makes his on-screen heroes, as well as theatrical ones, vivid and memorable, films with his participation are becoming very popular.
In the seventies and eighties, Alexander Sergeevich plays only ordinary simple people from the people. With age, the actor begins to trust more important roles, his appearance allows you to create images of responsible workers and important leaders, he even happened to play the role of Khrushchev more than once. Potapov was well remembered by the audience in the epic created by Yevgeny Matveev, “To Love in Russian,” in this film he played Egorov, the cunning collective farm chairman. Also an interesting image of the optimist Anatoly went to the actor in the film "Crew". Comedic roles are also on the shoulder of Alexander, for example, Uncle Albert in the comedy film "The Ancient Duck." We will not list all the works, but each of them is unique in its own way.
Teaching activities
Potapov is a diverse personality, besides playing on stage and on set, he spent the last 15 years every year in Yalta in Chekhov’s house “Chekhov Nights”.
In addition, Alexander Sergeyevich transferred his knowledge and shared his experience with young people, being an assistant professor at the Higher Theater School. Schepkina. He taught at the department of acting.
Awards
The merits of such a talented person as Potapov Alexander Sergeyevich did not go unnoticed, during his life he was awarded various awards and titles:
- Honored Artist of the RSFSR - 1974.
- State Prize of the Vasilyev Brothers - 1984 ("Order: Cross the Border").
- People's Artist of the RSFSR - 1990.
- Order of Honor - 1999.
- Order of Friendship - 2006.
- Commemorative Medal of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation - 2011.
- White marble star on the Yalta embankment - 2014.
The personal life of the actor
In his student years, Alexander was married to Lyudmila Cherepanova. It was a student marriage, and the husband and wife were creative personalities, each of them strove to make a career, this was in the first place for them, family warmth could not be kept in this union. Lyudmila did not give birth to her children, and did not want to turn into an approximate quiet housewife.
The second time, Alexander married Elena Vladimirovna Shestakova, who was eight years younger than her husband. Lena was a philologist; she graduated from the University of Warsaw. At first she worked as an editor of the magazine, but after giving birth to Potapova two sons, she began to deal only with them. She created home comfort and was a good wife and mother. Only this did not save her from a divorce, the family broke up.
At an advanced age, Alexander Sergeyevich decided to marry the one whom he had known for more than 20 years and with whom he once wanted to connect his life. But at that time, Natalya Lvovna Kashina was married to another Potapov and raised her daughter. Alexander did not dare to take such a sharp turn, only at the age of seventy he realized that he never needed to be afraid to do something that would make you happy. The widow of the actor Natalya fondly recalls that in recent years she spent all her time with Alexander. The couple traveled a lot, toured, the famous actor was active and was happy to give interviews.
Children of Potapov Alexander Sergeevich
The eldest son of Alexander Sergeyevich was born in 1978 and was named after his grandfather. Sergey has become a talented restoration artist; he is engaged in restoration of churches. He has a wife who bore him four children.
The youngest son of Alexander Sergeyevich was born in 1980 and was named Vladimir. He received a diploma from Moscow State University, studied there at the Faculty of Law. Currently working as a civil servant, created a family, brings up two children. Potapov can be proud of his sons, he left behind him worthy heirs and successors of the clan.
The death of people's artist Alexander Sergeevich Potapov
Potapov Alexander until the last day was on a military post. On November 8, 2014, at noon, he was supposed to play in a play in his native Moscow Maly Theater, but on the morning of that day, at 7 o’clock, he suddenly died at the age of 73.
Death occurred in a dream due to cardiac arrest. Alexander Sergeyevich was buried with honors at the Troekurovsky cemetery.