The film " Only Old Men Are Going to Battle " in 1974 was watched by 44 million viewers. Monuments were erected to the heroes of the film in Kharkov and Kiev. Their phrases instantly scattered into quotes. The actors of the film " Only Old Men Go to Battle " will be discussed in today's article.
In 1974, at the box office, this film took fourth place. For many years, it has become the most popular of those that narrate the Great Patriotic War. In the movie " Only Old Men Go to Battle " the actors played wonderful. The story about them should be started with a short but vivid biography of a man who since childhood dreamed of becoming a pilot , but was able to realize this dream only on the screen.
Leonid Bykov
The talented director and actor in the film " Only Old Men Go to Battle " played the main role. Until 1970, Bykov worked in Leningrad. When I moved to Kiev, I decided to create a picture about the pilots . The script helped him write Alexander Sack and Evgeny Onoprienko. Today it’s hard to believe that the movie “ Only Old Men Go into Battle ” (1974), movie officials didn’t miss for a very long time. In their opinion, the picture was not heroic enough. But first things first. First, it is worth talking about an outstanding Soviet actor and director .
Leonid Bykov was born in 1928 in the Donetsk region. He graduated from school in Kramatorsk. He twice tried to enter a flight school. In 1943, the fifteen-year-old Bykov added himself several years, but this did not help. He was not accepted to school. The next attempt he made in 1945. But the flight school was closed due to the end of the war.
Leonid Bykov graduated from the Kharkov Theater Institute. He made his film debut in 1952. He worked for ten years at the Leningrad film studio. Bykov played in the films Alyoshkina Love, Volunteers, Tiger Tamer, Maxim Perepelitsa and others. His directorial debut took place in 1961.
Leonid Fedorovich Bykov died in a car accident five years after the release of the movie " Only Old Men Are Going to Battle " . The actor is buried in Kiev at the Bike cemetery.
Alexey Smirnov
Filming a movie about the singing squadron for Bykov was a serious test. Difficulties arose at each stage of the creation of the film. The director saw in the role of the mechanic Makarych exclusively Alexey Smirnov. But officials rejected this candidacy. The fact is that Smirnov was known primarily as a comedian and, in their opinion, could not play in military drama. They changed their decision after Bykov spoke about Smirnov’s military exploits.
The actor, known primarily to the audience for his role as a parasite in Shurik's Adventures, had a sad fate. Alexey Smirnov in the war accomplished many feats. He was awarded two orders. He managed to get to Berlin Smirnov: he was seriously wounded, was sent to a hospital, and then commissary. The actor did not like to talk about war. Few knew about his orders.
Smirnov as a result of severe concussion lost the opportunity to have children. Returning home, he ended his relationship with his bride. The woman found out about the true cause many years later. Smirnov spent his whole life with his mother in a communal apartment. In recent years, he was very ill - frontal wounds affected. The news of the death of Leonid Bykov crippled the actor . Alexey Smirnov died in May 1979.
Sergey Podgorny
In the film of Leonid Bykov, this actor played Smuglyanka. However, initially he was preparing for a different role. Filming began, and suddenly Anatoly Mateshko , who was supposed to play Smuglyanka, refused. He was involved in the filming of another film. Combining work in two films was impossible. Suddenly, Bykov came up to Sergei Podgorny and said: "With a single star, you will play Smuglyanka. " Beginner actor, this news was shocked. However, he quickly came to his senses and was still able to create the image of a cheerful and charming pilot .
Podgorny starred a lot. But he played mainly secondary or episodic roles. Films with his participation: " Hatred " , " Fate " , " Quagmire " , " My General " , " Drops " , "The Night is Short " , " Two Hussars " . The actor passed away in 2011.
Vladimir Talashko
Initially, Bykov wanted Skvortsova to play Leonid Filatov. But Vladimir Talashko , who played this role, claims that during the filming he had never heard of anything like this from the director . It is worth saying that Bykov was never guided by such indicators as popularity, friendships in the selection of actors . For him, only one thing was important: suitable or not suitable.
Vladimir Talashko was born in 1946. He worked in the theater for several years before receiving an acting education. Young Talashko participated in the Moscow amateur competition. There, the director of the Donetsk Theater drew attention to him. The actor graduated from the Theater Institute in Kiev. He made his film debut in 1969. Recently removed a little.
Other actors
Vladimir Konkin could play in the film. Bykov planned to invite him to the role of the Grasshopper. However, the actor at that time starred in the film " How Steel Was Tempered. " The role of Lieutenant Alexandrov, nicknamed the Grasshopper, was played by Sergey Ivanov. Evgenia Simonova in the film of Leonid Bykov made her debut. Rustam Sagdullaev (Romeo) combined shooting in this film with work in Tashkent.
O. Mateshko , V. Miroshnichenko, Yu. Sarantsev , A. Fedorinsky , A. Nemchenko , V. Yantbelidze also played in the legendary film about Soviet pilots .