Anatoliy Papanov

In a 1995 national poll in Russia, 'Brilliantovaya ruka' was voted the best Russian comedy ever.

Anatoliy Papanov is often remembered as part of a cinematic comic duo with Andrey Mironov. They acted together in 12 stulev (1977), Watch Out for the Automobile (1966), Brilliantovaya ruka (1969), and others. They died within one day of each other in August of 1987, on the 15th and 16th.

He was designated People's Actor of the USSR (1973) and was awarded the USSR State Prize (1989, posthumously).

His satirical character - a gangster chief Lyolik in 'Brilliantovaya ruka' (The Diamond Arm, 1968) became one of the most popular characters in the Russian cinema. Papanov made an excellent acting ensemble with his film partners Andrey Mironov, Yuriy Nikulin, Nonna Mordyukova, Nina Grebeshkova, Svetlana Svetlichnaya, Leonid Kanevskiy, and other remarkable actors. 'Brilliantovaya ruka' was the all-time box-office leader with over 76,000,000 admissions in theaters of the Soviet Union.

Anatoli Papanov was awarded the Russian State Prize of Brothers Vasilyev (1966).

Papanov became really famous after his impressive work in the role of General Sepilin in 'Zhivye i myortvye' (1963), for which he was awarded the Brothers Vasilyev State Prize in 1966. Anatoli Papanov is best known for his roles in the comedies of director Leonid Gaidai.

He played supporting roles in comedies by director Eldar Ryazanov - 'Chelovek niotkuda' (1961), where his partner was Sergey Yurskiy, and in 'Beregis avtomobilya' (1966), where his partners were Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Oleg Efremov, Andrey Mironov, Georgi Zhzhyonov, Donatas Banionis, Evgeniy Evstigneev, and others.

In 1948 Papanov was invited to the Moscow Theatre of Satire by director Andrei Goncharov. He became permanent member of the troupe and worked on stage for almost 40 years. His regular stage partners were Andrey Mironov, Tatyana Pelttser, Spartak Mishulin, Aleksandr Shirvindt, Mikhail Derzhavin, Vladimir Kozel, Olga Aroseva, Georgi Menglet, and other renown Russian actors.

Papanov was admitted to the acting class of the Moscow Theatre Institute (GITIS), from which he graduated in 1946. While a student, Papanov married his classmate actress Nadezhda Karataeva.

From 1946-1948 he worked on stage at the Klaipeda Drama Theatre in Latvia.

He was severely wounded in his legs in 1942, and spent six months in hospitals. At age 21, he became permanently disabled and used a cane for the rest of his life.

In 1941 Papanov was drafted in the Red Army and served as an Artillery Sergeant.

After graduation from a secondary school in 1939, he worked as a metal worker at the 2nd Moscow Ball-bearing Factory. There Papanov was an amateur actor at the Worker's Club Theatre-studio named "Kauchuk".

Papanov made his film debut as an extra in 'Lenin v Oktyabre' (1937) by director Mikhail Romm.

Young Papanov moved to Moscow with his parents in 1929.

Anatoly Dmitrievich Papanov was born on October 31, 1922, in Vyasma, Smolensk region, USSR. His father, named Dmitri Filippovich Papanov, was a Russian industrial worker. His mother, named Elena Bronislavovna Roskovskaya, was of Polish ancestry.