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Andrei Popov (I) More at IMDbPro »

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Andrei Popov was a Russian film and stage actor and director, best known as a co-star in several Soviet films, such as Iago in Otello (1955) by director Sergei Bondarchuk, and as Zakhar in Neskolko dney iz zhizni I.I. Oblomova (1980) by director Nikita Mikhalkov

He was born Andrei Alekseevich Popov, on April 12, 1918, in Kostroma, Russia. His father, Aleksei Popov was a film and stage actor. Anderi Popov made his film debut in 1930, as a schoolboy in silent film 'Krupnaya nepriyatnost'; that film was eventually lost or destroyed. From 1935 - 1939 Popov studied acting at the Drama Studio of the Red Army Theatre in Moscow, graduating in 1939, as an actor. From 1940 - 1974 he was a permanent member of the troupe at the Central Theatre of the Soviet Army (aka.. The Red Army Theatre). From 1941 - 1945, during the Second World War, Andrei Popov was member of Army Theatre, who entertained soldiers at the front-lines, having such stage partners as Mikhail Gluzsky, Vsevolod Larionov, and other Russian actors. From 1963 - 1974 he was artistic director of the Central Theatre of the Soviet Army. There he shone as Ivan the Terrible in the popular play 'Death of Ivan the Terrible' by A.K. Tolstoy. Popov continued playing the role as Ivan the Terrible though the 1970s, even after he joined the troupe of the Moscow Art Theatre.

He shot to fame with the role as Iago opposite Sergei Bondarchuk in the 1955 Soviet adaptation of the Shakespeare's tragedy 'Othello'. Over the course of his career Andrei Popov played leading and supporting roles in over 40 films and on television. He was also known for his readings of classical Russian literature on the Moscow radio. From 1974 - 1983 Popov was member of the troupe at Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT). There his stage partners were such stars as Innokenti Smoktunovsky, Oleg Yefremov, Oleg Tabakov, Anastasiya Vertinskaya, and other notable Russian actors. Among Popov's best known stage performances at the Moscow Art Theatre were his appearances as Ivanov in the eponymous play by Anton Chekhov, and his performances as Sorin opposite Anastasiya Vertinskaya as Chaika in 'The Seagull'.

Andrei Popov was designated People's Actor of the USSR (1966). He was awarded the State Prize of the USSR. From 1960s to 1982 he taught acting at Moscow State Theatrical Institute (GITIS). He died of natural causes on June 14, 1983, and was laid to rest in Vvedenskoe Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.

Trivia

Son of Aleksei Popov.

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