Leningrad has always had its own famous school of actors. Such artists as Nikolai Cherkasov, Yuri Tolubeyev, Efim Kopelyan, Bruno Freindlich and many others, with their talents increased the glory of Soviet art. This generation of great artists also includes Igor Gorbachev.
Sign role
A wonderful actor who was born (1927), worked and died (2003) in the Northern capital, was very famous at the time. Millions of Soviet television viewers, not looking up from the screens, watched the 4-episode historical film Operation Trest (1967).
The series is based on real events and tells about the fate of the head of the underground monarchist organization, which gradually and difficultly, but took on a new government. At first, the ardent counter-revolutionary, and then the real patriot of the country,
Alexander Yakushev, was perfectly played by Igor Gorbachev.
Blue blood
A talented actor can play both the tsar and the homeless, but in the image created by Igor Olegovich, the breed was striking. Hereditary nobleman by father and mother, the actor absorbed the best features of his ancestors - intelligence, become, the desire for improvement. His father was a civil engineer who took part in the design and construction of one of the bridges across the Neva. Mother, who graduated from the Smolny Institute, taught foreign languages. According to the testimony of Igor Olegovich himself, it was his mother who instilled in him love for everything beautiful and the theater.
Childhood and adolescence
Igor Gorbachev went to school No. 9 in 1934, and after finishing the 6th grade, remaining in the besieged Leningrad, he survived the worst winter of 1941-1942. The boy, who received severe dystrophy, still worked as hard as he could at the defense enterprises of the city. In 1942, the family was evacuated to Krasnouralsk. The Gorbachevs returned to their hometown in 1944. In 1945, Igor Olegovich graduated from high school No. 79 and entered the Leningrad University (Faculty of Philosophy), where he studied for three years.
Bright start to a career
The University of the city on the Neva was also famous for its student theater, which was organized by actress E.V. Karpova in 1944, immediately after the lifting of the blockade. The significance of this theater studio is evidenced by the names of the theater masters who studied there.
Studied in it are S. Jurassic, N. Podgornaya, I. Krasko, A. Tolubeev,
L. Kharitonov and many other masters. Igor Gorbachev, an actor of tremendous talent, first appeared on the stage of the studio in 1948 and in the same year won first place at the All-Union show-competition, acting as Khlestakov. And the hero of The Inspector General was so good in his performance that director V. M. Petrov, who directed a film on this famous play in 1951, invited I. Gorbachev, a student at the Leningrad Theater Institute, to play the main role.
The first stage
His second major theatrical role was the sailor Shvandya in the play "Love Spring", filmed on film and shown in the cinemas of the country. Shvandyu Igor Gorbachev played on the stage of the BDT then to them. A. M. Gorky, whose troupe was adopted in 1952. He was also noticeable in The Ruy Blaze and The Servant of Two Masters. The famous actor received a special theater education only in 1959.
Favorite Theater
However, his native theater becomes LATD them. Pushkin (now the theater was returned to its pre-revolutionary name - the famous "Alexandrinka"), into which it was accepted in 1954, and to which the actor will give the best years of his life, will replay many famous roles, in 1975 he will become its artistic director and chief director. He will retain this post until 1991. He carried out grandiose productions, which were included in the Golden Fund of Theater Arts of Russia - “Maria Tudor”, “While the Heart Beats”, “Veranda in the Forest”, “Field Marshal Kutuzov”.
Talented, sought after, lucky
It so happened that it was he who first played some roles in Leningrad. For example, Ostap Bender in "12 Chairs" or the servant Matti in a play by Bertold Brecht. These plays were then staged in the city on the Neva for the first time. He is known as a talented teacher.
He taught at the current Academy of Theater Arts from 1958 to 1975 and from 1979 to 1991. Hero Social. A labor actor becomes in 1987. For some time, he has been the deputy chairman of the Soviet Peace Fund. The establishment of a theater institute in 1992, the first rector of which he was the School of Russian Drama, is an undoubted achievement.
54 great movie roles
Igor Gorbachev, whose films are known no less than the performances, starred in 54 films. The roles played by him were remembered forever, because he played beautifully, for sure, his game always had a subtle sense of humor. He was so original that there wasn’t even anyone to compare him at once with. Of the films, in addition to the series already mentioned, the most famous were the roles in the films “Two Tickets for a Day Session” and its continuation, “Circle”. The artist is good and accurate in Sveaborg, Taming the Fire, and in all the others - he did not have bad roles.
Enmity Friendship
It is impossible to ignore the friendship that has turned into enmity between Yuri Tolubeev and Igor Gorbachev. The story is not very beautiful, it is difficult to find the culprit - Yu. Tolubeev blames I. Gorbachev for the authoritarian style of managing the theater, which is why he left. Nobody drove him out. Obviously, two talents of this magnitude were closely on the same site. But Tolubeyev forbade to allow I. Gorbachev to his coffin, which was done. One died, and the second remained to live with this insult. But there is no need to talk about envy, gossip and filth in theatrical circles.
Leaving life
Blame Igor Olegovich and his love for the “Golden Tsatsk”. This is the name of the state awards envious who do not see them. Indeed, Igor Gorbachev had plenty of them - he was awarded the highest state awards. But they are not given for no reason, because the person loves them.
The artist held high posts and always coped with the tasks. Igor Gorbachev, whose biography ended in 2003, is buried on the Literary bridges of the Volkovsky cemetery, where all the great artists of the Russian Federation, who lived, worked and died in St. Petersburg, rest. He had one wife - Honored Artist of the RSFSR L.I. Gorbachev, and he lived with her for more than 50 years.