Anatoly Petrovich Ktorov (30 September 1980; born Viktorov) was a

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

n stage and film actor.

People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. The term is confusingly used to translate two Russian language titles: Народный арти ...

(1963).

Early years

He was born Anatoly Petrovich Viktorov on April 24, 1898, in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

. His grandfather was a successful merchant, his father, named Pyotr Viktorov, was an industrial engineer. His mother was a pianist and singer. Young Ktorov was brought up in artistic environment of Moscow's cultural milieu. He attended Classical Gymnasium in Moscow, and was fond of acting in school drama class. In 1916, at age 18, Ktorov became a student at the Acting School of Fyodor Komissarzhevsky, a stern acting coach who was critical of Ktorov's stuttering. But Ktorov, who was a shy person in real life, demonstrated his remarkable persistence and determination; he practiced his lines several hundred times. In 1917, Ktorov made his acting debut on stage of Komissarzhevsky Theatre. Ktorov's stuttering was noticeable only in his real life off-stage, but he never stuttered on-stage. However, director Komissarzhevsky did not believe in Ktorov, and his career seemed to be limited to cameo roles. Ktorov's fate was changed by Illarion Pevtsov who believed in Ktorov's talent and took him as protégé. In 1919, Pevtsov introduced Ktorov to Vera Popova. She was an established actress and experienced acting coach, she also recognized Ktorov's talent and took him under her wing. Eventually Popova became Ktorov's partner on stage and in life.

Career in cinema

From 1920 to 1933, Ktorov was a permanent member of the troupe at Korsh Theatre in Moscow. There he played leading roles in classic dramas and comedies, as well as in contemporary plays, with Vera Popova as his permanent stage partner. In 1925, Ktorov shot to fame with the leading role in the silent movie ''

The Tailor from Torzhok ''The Tailor from Torzhok'' () is a 1925 Soviet silent comedy film directed by Yakov Protazanov and starring Igor Ilyinsky. The picture was commissioned as publicity for the State Lottery Loan. Plot The film takes place in Soviet Russia during ...

'' (1925) by director

Yakov Protazanov Yakov Alexandrovich Protazanov (; 4 February (Old Style, O.S. 23 January ) 1881 – 8 August 1945) was a Russian and USSR, Soviet film director and screenwriter, and one of the founding fathers of cinema of Russia. He was an Honored Artist of the ...

. He also gave an impressive performance in Protazanov's ''

St. Jorgen's Day ''St. Jorgen's Day'', (''Holiday of St. Jorgen'', ''The Feast of St. Jorgen'', ) is a 1930 Soviet, partly silent comedy film by Yakov Protazanov and starring Igor Ilyinsky. Uncredited are the original novel by Harald Bergstedt, and the cues ...

'' (1930). The highlight of Ktorov's career was his brilliant performance as Paratov in '' Without a Dowry'' (1936), a classic film by Yakov Protazanov. From 1933 to 1980, Ktorov was a permanent member of the troupe at

Moscow Art Theatre The Moscow Art Theatre (or MAT; , ''Moskovskiy Hudojestvenny Akademicheskiy Teatr'' (МHАТ) was a theatre company in Moscow. It was founded in by the seminal Russian theatre practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski, together with the playwright ...

Later years

Anatoly Ktorov was designated People's Artist of the USSR (1963), was awarded the Stalin Prize (1952), and received numerous decorations for his contribution to the art of film and theatre. He gave remarkable performances in his last film roles, which are considered to be his best works, one as Prince Bolkonsky in ''

War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work comprises both a fictional narrative and chapters in which Tolstoy discusses history and philosophy. An ...

'' (1967) by director

Sergei Bondarchuk Sergei Fyodorovich Bondarchuk (25 September 192020 October 1994) was a Soviet and Russian actor and filmmaker of Ukrainian origin who was one of the leading figures of Soviet cinema in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He is known for his sweeping p ...

, and then as the King in '' The Ambassador of the Soviet Union'' (1969). Anatoly Ktorov died of natural causes on September 30, 1980, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in

Vvedenskoye Cemetery Vvedenskoye Cemetery ( rus, Введенское кладбище, p=vʲːɪˈdʲenskəjə) is a historic cemetery in Lefortovo District of Moscow in Russia. Until 1918 it was mainly a burial ground for the Catholic and Protestant communities ...

in Moscow, Russia.

Filmography

*'' The Ambassador of the Soviet Union'' (1969) as King *''

'' (1965-1967) as Prince Nikolai Andreyevich Bolkonsky *'' Shkola zlosloviya'' (1952) as Joseph Surface *'' Without a Dowry'' (1936) as Sergei Sergeyevich Paratov *''

Marionettes A marionette ( ; ) is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a marionettist. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by ...

'' (1934) as "Do" - The Prince *'' Zheleznaya brigada'' (1931) *''

'' (1930) as Kokris *'' Kto ty takoy?'' (1927) *'' Krug'' (1927) *''

The Three Million Trial ''The Three Million Trial'' () is a 1926 Soviet silent comedy film starring Igor Ilyinsky and directed by Yakov Protazanov based on the play ''The Three Thieves'' () by Umberto Notari. It was also released as ''Three Thieves'' in the United Stat ...

'' (1926) as Cascarilla *''

Chess Fever ''Chess Fever'' () is a 1925 Soviet silent comedy film directed by Vsevolod Pudovkin and . ''Chess Fever'' is a comedy about the Moscow 1925 chess tournament, made by Pudovkin during the pause in the filming of '' Mechanics of the Brain''. The f ...

'' (short) (1925) as Tram Passenger *''

His Call ''His Call'' () is a 1925 Soviet silent drama film directed by Yakov Protazanov. It was also released as ''23 January'' () in the Soviet Union and as ''Broken Chains'' in the United States.The Tailor from Torzhok ''The Tailor from Torzhok'' () is a 1925 Soviet silent comedy film directed by Yakov Protazanov and starring Igor Ilyinsky. The picture was commissioned as publicity for the State Lottery Loan. Plot The film takes place in Soviet Russia during ...

'' (1925) as young man

Awards and honors

Honored Artist of the RSFSR Honored Artist of the RSFSR (, ''Zasluzhenny artist RSFSR'') was an honorary title granted to Soviet artists, including theatre and film directors, choreographers, music performers, and orchestra conductors, who had outstanding achievements in the ...

(1938) *

Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" The Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" () was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union awarded to military and civilians who had participated in the Battle of Moscow. History The Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" was established on May ...

(1945) *

Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" () was a World War II civilian labour award of the Soviet Union established on June 6, 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to recognise the valian ...

(1946) *

Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow" The Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow" () was a state commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on September 20, 1947 and bestowed to prominent Sovie ...

(1948) *

People's Artist of the RSFSR People's Artist of the RSFSR (, ''Narodnyj artist RSFSR'') was an honorary title granted to Soviet Union artists, including theatre and film directors, actors, choreographers, music performers, and orchestra conductors, who had outstanding achiev ...

(1948) * Stalin Prize, 1st class (1952) – for his role as Coco in the play "The Fruits of Enlightenment" *

(1963) *

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...

(1967) * Two Orders of the Red Banner of Labour (1973, 1978)

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ktorov, Anatoly 1898 births 1980 deaths 20th-century Russian male actors Male actors from Moscow Honored Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the USSR Recipients of the Stalin Prize Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Russian male film actors Russian male silent film actors Russian male stage actors Soviet male film actors Soviet male silent film actors Soviet male stage actors People with speech disorders Burials at Vvedenskoye Cemetery Soviet people with disabilities Russian people with disabilities