Uldis Dumpis is a famous Soviet and Latvian actor. He became famous both in the theater and in the cinema. He played several dozens of roles in the cinema, has the title of People's Artist of the Latvian SSR. He became famous for his roles in the paintings "Shield and Sword", "Long Road in the Dunes."
The origin of the actor
Uldis Dumpis was born in 1943. He was born in the city of Bauska in the territory of modern Latvia.
His father was a student who during the years of World War II was called to serve in the Latvian volunteer legion, which was under the patronage of the SS. Theodors Reinis, so his name was, was killed in one of the battles.
Mom, Lilia Ramane-Dumpe, had a philological education.
Uldis Dumpis himself received his initial education at the Islitsky school. He was awarded a secondary education diploma in Bausk. Since childhood, he dreamed of an acting career, so after school he applied to the Latvian State Conservatory at the Theater Department.
A promising freshman was noticed immediately, inviting him to the troupe of the Academic Drama Theater, which bore the name of A. Upit.
Big screen debut
The first movie roles were not long in coming. For the first time on the screen in a full-length picture, he appeared in 1964. It was a children's adventure film by Alexander Leimanis “Army of the Wagtail.” Actor Dumpis Uldis played the role of adjutant of the colonel.
This work was followed by the role of the navigator Nordekis in another film of Leimanis, this time the detective “Tobago” changes course, the historical and adventure film of Nikolai Rozantsev about the conspiracy of Western countries against the USSR “Conspiracy of ambassadors”, the military drama of Ravil Batyrov “In the 26th do not shoot".
In 1968, he performed one of his most striking roles at the dawn of a film career. In the military drama of Vladimir Basov, "Shield and Sword" recreated on the screen the image of a German officer, ace Luftwaffe.
Theater work
In Latvia, Uldis Dumpis was well-known not only as a film actor, but also as a theater artist. He spent almost 40 years on the stage of the Latvian national theater. During this time, he performed several dozen vivid and memorable roles.
If in 1965 he made his debut with the image of Salenieks in the play of Arvid Grigulis “You Can’t Hear Your Bullet”, then in 2003 he left, playing Wilhelm Putns in Inga Abel’s play “Iron Grass”.
In these years, even a large number of successful roles fit. It is worth noting Koshkin in the play by Konstantin Trenev “Love of Spring”, Lord Arthur Goring in “The Perfect Husband” by Oscar Wilde, Mitch in “Tram” Desire by “Tennessee Williams, Zilov in“ Duck Hunt ”, Alexander Vampilov, Rakitin in“ Month in the Village ” Ivan Turgenev, Gorodnichny in “The Examiner” by Nikolai Gogol, Claire Quilti in “Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov, Sarafanov in another Vampilov’s play “The Eldest Son”.
Movie success
Nevertheless, the hero of our article deserves the main awards and titles in his creative career for his role in the cinema. Films with Uldis Dumpis were widely known, loved and popular.
In 1969, he co-starred in Imants Krenbergs' drama Rays in Glass. This is a story about a worker at a glass factory, Asya Rituma, who, under the influence of her friends, decides to dramatically change her life and goes to work as an apprentice in the art glass workshop. Dumpice is played by her husband, who only thinks about a career and is not inclined to support his wife in her unexpected choice. Long-term mutual insults result in a divorce.
In 1971, Dumpis played the main role in the drama of Eric Latsis "Reed Forest" about a small wreck, from which only one of the four crew members escapes. Because of this, everyone around him begins to suspect him of cowardice.
In 1977, in the drama by Andris Rosenbergs, “Gleam in the Water”, the hero of our article appears in the image of Bratkus. About the complex relationships of doctors in a hospital. After a long absence, a talented surgeon returns to his hometown, who without hesitation takes for the most difficult cases, for operations whose outcome is completely unclear. As a result, when the case ends with the death of the patient, hospital statistics are severely affected. Because of this, he begins conflicts with the management of the hospital.
Dumpis was also noted for his work in the famous multi-part drama Alois Branch "The Long Road in the Dunes." In this Latvian series, he played Manfred.
Soviet Stirlitz
Not many people know, but there is a movie with Uldis Dumpis, in which he plays the role of Stirlitz. This, of course, is not the legendary “17 Moments of Spring”, but Eric Lacis’s military drama “The Spanish Version”. It was shot based on the novel of the same name by the literary father of Shtirlits Julian Semenov.
One of the characters in the film is called Walter Schulz, and he is played by Doompice. In the text of the original novel, instead of Walter, Stirlitz acts. The novel is included in the so-called Shtirlitsianu writer.
Events in it unfold in the late 30s during the Civil War in Spain. At the center of the story is an anti-fascist journalist from Latvia, who collaborates with Soviet intelligence. It is being introduced into the upper circles of the German command in order to find out the technical characteristics of the latest aircraft used by the fascist army.