Leonid Kuravlyov

Leonid Vyacheslavovich Kuravlyov (; 8 October 1936 – 30 January 2022) was a Soviet and Russian film actor. He became a People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1976.

Early life Kuravlyov was born in Moscow into a working-class family. His father Vyacheslav Yakovlevich Kuravlyov (1909–1979) worked as a locksmith at the Salyut Machine-Building Association and his mother Valentina Dmitriyevna Kuravlyova (1916–1993) was a hairdresser. In 1941, with the start of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union (known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War) his mother was arrested on a false report, accused of counter-revolutionary activity (Article 58) and exiled to Karaganda, Kazakh SSR to work at the local plant. In five years, she was freed without a right to live in Moscow and sent to Zasheyek, Murmansk Oblast in the Russian far north where she continued working as a hairdresser. In 1948, she managed to get permission to see her son who spent a year with her at Zasheyek, and in 1951 she finally returned to Moscow.

Career In 1955 Kuravlyov entered VGIK to study acting under Boris Bibikov. He graduated in 1960 and joined the Theater Studio of Film Actors. He made his first movie appearances while still a student. In 1960, he was noted by Vasily Shukshin and took part in his diploma film Reported From Lebyazhye.

The role of Shura Balaganov in Mikhail Schweitzer's comedy The Little Golden Calf based on the book by Ilf and Petrov was one of his first successful roles: he managed to create an image of a brash yet charming petty thief. His other notable roles of that period include Khoma Brut in one of the first Soviet horror movies Viy (1967), antagonist Sorokin in a psychological melodrama Not Under the Jurisdiction (1969),

In the 1970s, he appeared in three to four films per year. Even though Kuravlyov was adept at playing serious dramatic roles, he is still best known for his leading roles in top-grossing comedy movies such as Afonya (1975) by Georgiy Daneliya (11th highest-grossing Soviet film, highest-grossing film of the year, Leonid Gaidai's Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future (1973, 17th highest-grossing film, 60 mln viewers) and others.

According to Russian actress Lidiya Fedoseyeva-Shukshina, after being tipsy, Kuravlyov openly spoke about his negative attitude towards the leadership of the Soviet Union. In 2012, he was awarded the IV class Order "For Merit to the Fatherland".

Kuravlyov was a devoted Christian, a member of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In 2014, Kuravlyov along with 100 other Russian members of culture signed an open letter in support of Vladimir Putin's position regarding Ukraine and Crimea. In his last years Kuravlyov lived in a nursing home where he was diagnosed with dementia.

Death Kuravlyov died from pneumonia on 30 January 2022, at the age of 85.

Selected filmography

All that Jam (Весь этот джем, 2015) as Father Leonty The Book of Masters (Книга Мастеров, 2009) The Heirs (Наследники, 2008) Streets of Broken Lights (Улицы разбитых фонарей, 2005) as Ershov, police colonel Brigada (Бригада, 2002) as MVD general Shirli-Myrli (Ширли-мырли, 1995) as US Ambassador to Russia Weather Is Good on Deribasovskaya, It Rains Again on Brighton Beach (На Дерибасовской хорошая погода или на Брайтон-Бич опять идут дожди, 1992) as President of USSR Mikhail Gorbachev' The Stairway (Лестница, 1989) as Uncle Misha Private Detective, or Operation Cooperation (Частный детектив, или Операция "Кооперация", 1989) as editor in chief Yolki-palki (Ёлки-палки!, 1988) as electrician The Left-Hander (Левша, 1987) as Emperor Alexander I Pavlovich The Twentieth Century Approaches (Двадцатый век начинается, 1986) as Von Bork The Most Charming and Attractive (Самая обаятельная и привлекательная, 1985) as Misha Dyatlov Dangerous for Your Life! (Опасно для жизни!, 1985) as Spartak Molodtsov The Trust That Has Burst (Трест, который лопнул, 1984) as Farmer Ezra Plunkett Copper Angel (Медный ангел, 1984) as Larsen, professor We Are from Jazz (Мы из джаза, 1984) as Samsonov Look for a Woman (Ищите женщину, 1983) as Inspector Granden Vitya Glushakov - A Friend of the Apaches (Витя Глушаков — друг апачей, 1983) Simply Awful! (Просто ужас!, 1982) as Ruslan Ivanovich Ladies Invite Gentlemen (Дамы приглашают кавалеров, 1980) The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed (Место встречи изменить нельзя, 1979) as "Kopchyony", thief Incognito from St. Petersburg (Инкогнито из Петербурга, 1977) as Shpekin, postmaster Mimino (Мимино, 1977) as Professor Khachikyan Timur and His Team (Тимур и его команда, 1976) as Georgiy Garaev, Timur's uncle Seventeen Moments of Spring (Семнадцать мгновений весны, 1973) as Kurt Eismann Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future (Иван Васильевич меняет профессию, 1973) as George Miloslavsky, burglar Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (Жизнь и удивительные приключения Робинзона Крузо, 1972) as Robinson Crusoe Liberation (Освобождение, 1970) as Chuikov's signaler Shine, Shine, My Star (Гори, гори, моя звезда, 1970) The Beginning (Начало, 1970) as Arkady The Little Golden Calf (Золотой телёнок, 1968) as Shura Balaganov Time, Forward! (Время, вперед!, 1968) as Korneyev Viy (Вий, 1967) as Khoma Brutus Michman Panin (Мичман Панин, 1960) as stoker Pyotr Kamushkin There Will Be No Leave Today (Сегодня увольнения не будет ... , 1959)