Friends and relatives who have the good fortune to know Andrei Alekseevich Popov closely, spoke of his human qualities only in superlatives, marveling at his kindness, spiritual generosity, and ability to sympathize. The actor himself was a man unprotected and vulnerable.
There is such an expression: the eyes are the mirror of the soul, and so, just look at the artist’s face on the screen and understand what is said about Andrei Popov.
Andrei Alekseevich Popov - An actor with a capital letter, and these are not just words, he very clearly defined why he needed an acting profession, why he needed a theater and why art was needed in principle - to help a person live. And through this he built acting, and directing, and leadership, and pedagogy. He helped people live, the director Vitaly Maximov believes, and this is true.
Biography of the People's Artist of the USSR
Andrey Popov was born on April 12, 1918 in Kostroma. Father, Alexei Dmitrievich Popov, was a theater director, and my mother worked as a doctor, but after the birth of her son, she devoted herself entirely to the family and raising a child.
The boy grew up mischievous, but still obedient, to the question of adults: “What do you want to become when you grow up?” the answer was unchanged - a chimney sweep. However, having matured, the young man decided to build his life, following in his father's footsteps, the latter was categorically against this. My father was afraid that he did not have enough talent to become an interesting actor who completely surrendered to the audience.
In 1939, the young man graduated from the studio at the Central Theater of the Red Army and entered the theater of the Soviet Army, the main artistic director of which was his father, Alexei Popov. For a fairly long period, Andrei Alekseevich went on the stage, playing only in episodes. Over time, his talent grew and manifested that his father could not help but notice, professional relations between them changed. Finally, he entrusted his son with interesting and even main roles, he became proud of Andrey, and the roles followed each other.
Andrey Alekseevich Popov. Family and Theater
In the theater of the Soviet Army, Andrei Alekseevich met his future wife - actress Irina of Macedon, with whom he happily lived until the end of his days. He was upset by only one thing - they did not have children …
Later, becoming a teacher of GITIS, where he was awarded the title of professor, he paternally treated students, and he called his beloved student Vitaly Maximov his son.
And in 1960, the father of Andrei Popov, without compromising with the leadership of the Main Political Directorate, left the post of artistic director of TsTSA of his own free will, after which A.L.Dunaev took the leading position, and after ten years - Andrei Alekseevich Popov.
Shakespearean Hero
Andrei Popov was enormous growth, handsome, charming, possessed, according to the People's Artist of the Soviet Union Lyudmila Kasatkina, a charm of intelligence. She was happy that she got to the theater where Andrei Alekseevich played, who became a very expensive partner for her, together they were involved in the production of “American Tragedy” by Dreiser, in “The Taming of the Shrew” by Shakespeare, in “Elegy” Pavlovskaya, where he played Turgenev.
Petruccio in his performance was irresistible. American actor Richard Burton, who plays the same role in the American film The Taming of the Shrew, did not look at all compared to Andrei Popov. It was impossible to beat the actor, he was a real Shakespearean hero.
And in life, Andrei Alekseevich Popov, whose photo can be seen in this article, was a very homely person, appreciated comfort and calm atmosphere. Possessed soft humor, without this feeling he did not exist at all, humor helped him and those around him to live.
Chekhov in the life of an actor
In addition to Shakespearean heroes, Chekhov’s characters were close to him. Director Leonid Kheifets invited the actor to play Chekhov himself in his film "Ionych", the entire crew went to Melikhovo to the house-museum of the great writer. Andrei Popov in the makeup of Anton Pavlovich, along with the director went to the museum. All museum employees ran to look at the actor and were so amazed by the resemblance to the writer that the museum director gave him the main relic of the museum - pince-nez and Anton Pavlovich Chekhov's cap.
Touching the things of one of the great Russian writers, Andrei Alekseevich could not play. Inside, everything instantly died, and he asked Chekhov's things to be replaced with fake ones. When this was done, he calmed down and played already detached.
In leadership positions
Having become the head of the theater of the Soviet Army, Andrei Alekseevich Popov continued to go on the stage as an actor, staged his own performances - “Pebbles on the palms”, “Brandenburg Gate”, “Unknown Soldier”. In addition to serious productions, he was directed by the musical comedy “Rinaldo goes into battle” and the fairy tale “Soldier and Eve”.
Andrei Popov invited many talented and novice directors to his theater. B.V. Erin, D.V. Tunkel, M.M. Butkevich, and then Maria Knebel staged performances in the theater of the Soviet Army. One of the brightest theater and film directors was Leonid Kheifets - a student of Andrei Popov and Maria Knebel.
The role of Ivan the Terrible
It was Kheifets, a pupil of Andrei Alekseevich, who in 1966 was eager to stage the play "Ivan the Terrible", where Popov was supposed to play the tsar himself. At first, Andrei Alekseevich for a long time refused the role, believing that this was not his type, but eventually agreeing, he played one of the best roles in his life. Even after the departure of Alexei Popov from the theater, the role of Ivan the Terrible pursued him, he played and played …
Then there was Voynitsky directed by Uncle Vanya, Epikhodov in The Cherry Orchard. Having served faithfully in this theater for 35 years, Andrei Alekseevich Popov is forced to leave it because of disagreements with the military leadership of the theater.
Moscow Art Theater Oleg Efremov
After a while, he was invited to the Moscow Art Theater Oleg Efremov and immediately gives the role of Galileo based on the play of Galileo by Bertold Brecht. In the Moscow Art Theater, the actor was involved in many performances, especially according to Chekhov. But Andrei Alekseevich was not allowed to be in the same demand as in the Theater of the Soviet Army.
For one period, Andrei Popov devoted himself to the Stanislavsky Theater, invited his students to stage performances, and the theater really came to life for a short time. But the students left the theater one by one, and soon Andrei Alekseevich was forced to leave there.
The filmography of the actor
Andrei Alekseevich Popov also acted in films, his work in the film “Big Trouble”, filmed in 1930, became his debut in this genre, then, after a break, he played Novikov in the film “The Chamber”, Adamov in the “Seventh Satellite”, Logunova in the film “ The Taming of Fire ”and so on. In the film adaptation of Chekhov’s short story “The Swedish Match”, the actor played Dyukovsky, Nazansky in “Duel” by Kuprin.
