In fact, the fate of Sergei Shevkunenko is unique and has no analogues in the annals of domestic cinema. This actor made his debut in the film "Dagger". His success was fixed in the films "Bronze Bird" and "The Missing Expedition." He was a real star of Soviet cinema. But, having achieved acting fame, he began to consolidate his authority in a different environment - in a criminal one. His name is Sergey Shevkunenko. The criminal biography of this person will be presented to the reader in the article.
Creative family
The actor's father was a rather famous playwright. His works were successfully performed in many theaters of the Soviet Union. His mother worked as an actress. Back in 1938, she decided to enter GITIS and soon became a student at this university. But she did not have time to finish her studies, since in 1941 the Great Patriotic War began. She began to serve the Theater of the Red Army. Within these walls, she met her future spouse. In those days, he was an ordinary actor of the CCCA.
The next year they already signed, and later, in the victorious 1945, the newlyweds also had their first-born - daughter Olya.
In 1953, the Shevkunenko family began working in another metropolitan troupe, and the head began writing reviews of the theater and cinema. After some time, he became a senior editor of Mosfilm. He managed to get comfortable pretty quickly in a new place. He took part in the creation of many famous films. This is an "Unsent Letter", "Duel", "Captain's Daughter", "Wind", "The Eve" and many others. Thanks to such activities, he received very good money. In addition, he was given a spacious apartment in the city center, opposite the film studio. Good husband earnings made it possible for his wife to leave the theater. She began to do exclusively household work.
The long-awaited heir
The couple dreamed of a second child. And on November 20, 1959, they had the long-awaited heir - Sergei. In honor of the birth, the father of the future actor even decided to write another play. It was called "Earring with Malaya Bronnaya." Incidentally, this work was the reason for the appearance of a musical composition with a similar name. This song has become a real hit. And Mark Bernes himself performed it.
Meanwhile, in the very beginning of the 60s, the head of the family became the director of the Second Creative Association "Mosfilm", and his daughter, having received a certificate of maturity, became a student of the editor in a film studio.
But a year later, his father was accused of extremely low efficiency of the association and demoted. He could not bear this blow in his career. He was diagnosed with cancer and soon, at the end of 1963, the head of the family was gone. He was only 43.
Mom actor had to find a job again. The brilliant director Eldar Ryazanov helped her in this. She began working as his assistant and immediately became a member of the crew of the new picture - “Give the plaintive book”. And his grandmother took up the education of four-year-old Seryozha.
Sheva
Sergey grew up as an exceptionally talented boy. So, when he was only 4 years old, he was able to master reading. At eight he mastered the Forsyte Saga in two volumes.
However, he never wanted to follow in the footsteps of his parents. Acting, as such, he did not like at all. He planned to become a military. And loved ones began to support this desire.
When Seryozha had free time, he scooted headlong into the yard. He became the informal leader of a yard company. His peers were called "Chef." True, at first his nickname was "Sheva." This is a derivative of his last name.
He was always in the spotlight. Once parents sent Sergei to a pioneer camp for the children of filmmakers near Zagorsk. Knowing his character, counselors wanted to restrain him. But Shevkunenko made another decision. He just escaped from the camp.
Elder sister
Only Olga, the elder sister, could restrain him. Sergey was very attached to her. He was 14 years younger. And this difference did not affect their relationship at all.
His sister took care of him and guided him through life.
In 1967, Olga decided to get a higher education. She quit "Mosfilm" and entered the VGIK, the scriptwriting department.
It was then that she began dating a young man from a Jewish family. His relatives were not loyal to the Soviet authorities. And therefore, from the late 1960s, they hatched plans for departure from the USSR to Israel.
In 1972, they succeeded. Moreover, together with Olga. They moved to Israel, and later moved to the United States.
Glory
Before the sister left, the future actor lost his grandmother. After these events, everything went awry. He studied poorly and, in general, got in touch with a bad company. As a result, he was registered with the police. Sergey’s mother began to look for any opportunity so that her son would not slide into the abyss.
In 1972, she brought him to the set. He was entrusted with playing a cameo role. It was about the film "Fifty to Fifty." And a little later, the writer Anatoly Rybakov, a friend of the Shevkunenko family, offered the director Nikolai Kalinin the candidacy of Sergei. He was preparing to film his book Dirk. After the trials of Sergey Yurievich Shevkunenko was approved for the main role.
Filming took place in the fall of 1973. The young actor did an excellent job. He was not at all embarrassed by famous actors, among whom were Roman Filippov, Emanuel Vitorgan, and, of course, Zoya Fedorova, who was friends with Sergei’s mother.
The film “Dirk” became a real film bestseller, and Shevkunenko himself became really famous. His fame was fixed when the continuation of the picture came out. It was called the Bronze Bird.
In the "cinema" circles firmly established a good opinion about him. Many claimed that Sergey is a very talented actor. Accordingly, he was strewed with offers to act in other films.
Last picture
The young actor could already choose proposals for future filming. He agreed to star in the movie The Missing Expedition. Sergey played the conductor Mitya there. When work began, in the frame he had to ride a horse, climb steep slopes and shoot.
Also, during the filming process, Sergei fell seriously in love with actress Evgeny Simonova. She was 4.5 years older than him. In addition, there was another boyfriend on the court - Alexander Kaydanovsky. Eugene chose Alexander. After some time, they got married. Sergey’s strong love remained completely unrequited.
Beginning of the End
Filming ended in the fall of 1974. By this time, Sergei had already graduated from eighth grade. He did not want to continue his studies and began to work. His mother made him a locksmith apprentice at Mosfilm.
At the new job, he felt more than uncomfortable. Colleagues did not take him seriously. He was nicknamed the "Artist". And that nickname sounded very sarcastic.
At the same time, it was decided to remove the continuation of the "Expedition". The picture was called "Golden River". There was no place for Sergey in this film. The director, knowing about his character, generally got rid of the character Mitya, whom he once brilliantly played.
Special school
Sergey Yurievich Shevkunenko was an impulsive person. When they tried to reeducate him, he became even more embittered with the people around him.
Seryozha continued to rule the yard dumbass. In 1975, he ended up in a police station. He participated in a group fight. The management of the film company tried to help him out. But this did not work out. The Commission on Juvenile Affairs decided to send Sergei to a special school for difficult teenagers. In fact, it was a kind of colony. Within these walls, he again became a leader.
Shevkunenko spent four months at the school. After that, he went to jail. So, we can say, the criminal biography of Sergei Shevkunenko began.
Start of camp
The fact is that in the early spring of 1976, for some reason, Sergey beat an accidental passerby. For one year he went to the colony. At the same time, the premiere of the film “The Missing Expedition” took place. This show greatly helped him in captivity. The prisoners began to respect him.
In 1977, after her release, Shevkunenko again began working at Mosfilm. He was an illuminator and took part in the filming of many films. Of course, he himself dreamed of continuing his career as an actor. But the directors were sincerely afraid of him because of his character and criminal past.
And in 1978, Sergei was again behind bars. In the company of Mosfilm workers for the sake of a snack, he hacked into a buffet. He was sentenced to four years. But after some time, thanks to his exemplary behavior in the camp, he was released ahead of schedule.
When he returned to the capital, a friend of the Shevkunenko family, Zoya Fedorova, helped him find a job. He again began working as a illuminator at Mosfilm.
And in December 1981, Fedorova was killed. Sergei began to check for involvement in this crime. Fortunately, no evidence was found against him. By and large, it was on these days that Sergei finally broke.
In January 1982, he robbed an apartment of a wealthy acquaintance and soon again ended up in prison.
The 80s
Over the next years, Sergey’s stay in prison was only increasing. So, he escaped, but he was caught. And, accordingly, to the previous term he was added another 1.5 years.
He was not afraid of either prisoners or camp authorities. Once, a thief in law appeared in the camp, who was determined to rule over the convicts. Sergey checked his ins and outs and found out that his criminal merits were more than doubtful. He reported this to everyone. As a result, they tried to kill him at night. He received six penetrating wounds. But still survived.
Sergey Shevkunenko: personal life
In 1988, Sergei was released. By this time he was already sick. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis. In addition, he was not allowed to return to the capital. Therefore, he moved to Smolensk. In this city for a year he was in the hospital because of his deplorable diagnosis.
When he was allowed to return to Moscow, he accidentally met twenty-year-old Elena. Of course, Sergey Shevkunenko made a very good impression on her. At the same time, her lover did not know at all that her fiance had acted in films at one time. She found out about this only a year after their first meeting.
As a result, the young decided to sign at the registry office. Later, children appeared in Sergei Shevkunenko. But the happiness was too short-lived. In 1989, Sergei Yurievich Shevkunenko was again arrested. They found a weapon with him. And then a new term - for the theft of icons.
The last "tour" of the artist
In 1994, Sergei Yuryevich Shevkunenko was once again at large. As it turned out, the last time. He has already gained significant authority in the criminal environment and was a member of the criminal metropolitan elite. He drove through his Moscow streets in his blue Cadillac.
He was also registered at the "Mosfilm" address of his mother. And the whole street, in fact, belonged to him. Each store in the Mosfilm area paid him a bribe. He created a “brigade” that specialized not only in racketeering, but also in drug trafficking and car theft. He also began to engage in fraud in the field of privatization. But this area was interesting to the Kazan group. By its influence and strength, it was then one of the largest in the city.
The death of Sergei Shevkunenko
For Sergey, this business took a very serious turn. In February 1995, he was forced to decide to move to his sister in the United States. He already managed to complete all the necessary documents. But on February 11th there was a tragedy.
At night, at around two o’clock, the “Artist” came to his house on Pudovkina Street. He released the bodyguards and entered the porch. Apparently, it was there that Sergei realized that they wanted to kill him. He even managed to run into the elevator. He saw a killer. The elevator car took Shevkunenko to the sixth floor, and the pursuer raced down the stairs. Sergei was able to close the door of the apartment, but forgot to pull out the key. With the help of it, the killer entered the actor’s home. In the beginning, he shot the mother of Shevkunenko, and then himself.
There could have been more deaths. The fact is that the day before, Elena Shevkunenko, the wife of Sergei Shevkunenko, had a fight with him. She decided to spend the night with her mother. This family conflict saved her life.
So the life of Sergey Shevkunenko ended sadly. The funeral took place at the Novodevichy cemetery. He was buried with his mother. A few years later there appeared a documentary film in memory of Sergey Shevkunenko - "Criminal Star". He saw the light in 2004. The directors of the documentary tape were Fedor Razzakov and Andrei Grachev. Those who watched the film claim that the story of a guy who had high expectations, and who eventually became a real thief in law, is worthy of attention.