Viktor Antonovich Avdyushko (

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

: ''Виктор Антонович Авдюшко''; January 11, 1925 – November 19, 1975) was a Soviet actor and a

People's Artist People's Artist is an honorary title in the Soviet Union, Union republics, in some other Eastern bloc states (and communist states in general), as well as in a number of post-Soviet states, modeled after the title of the People's Artist of the U ...

of the

Russian SFSR The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR or RSFSR), previously known as the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and the Russian Soviet Republic, and unofficially as Soviet Russia,Declaration of Rights of the labo ...

Biography

Early life

Avdyushko was born to a father who worked as a weight inspector in the

Kiyevsky Rail Terminal Kiyevsky railway terminal (, ''Kievskiy vokzal,'' ) also known as Moscow Kiyevskaya railway station (, ''Moskva-Kievskaya'') is one of the nine railway terminals of Moscow, Russia. It is the only railway station in Moscow to have a frontage on the ...

and to a housewife mother, who also raised one older daughter. Initially a student in the

Moscow Aviation Institute Moscow Aviation Institute () is an engineering research university in Moscow, Russia. It is designated a National Research University. Since its inception the institute has been spearheading advances in aerospace technology both within Russia a ...

, he left it and was admitted into the

All-Union State Institute of Cinematography The Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, officially the S. A. Gerasimov All-Russian University of Cinematography (, meaning ''All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography named after S. A. Gerasimov''), a.k.a. VGIK, is a film school in Moscow, ...

, where he studied under

Yuli Raizman Yuli Yakovlevich Raizman (; December 15, 1903 – December 11, 1994) was a Soviet and Russian film director, screenwriter and Pedagogy, pedagogue. People's Artist of the USSR (1964) and Hero of Socialist Labour (1973). Career In 1924 he became a ...

. He graduated from the academy in 1949, and joined the regular cast of the

Mosfilm Mosfilm (, ''Mosfil’m'' , initialism and portmanteau of Moscow Films) is a film studio in Moscow which is among the largest and oldest in the Russian Federation and in Europe. Founded in 1924 in the USSR as a production unit of that nation's fi ...

studio.

Breakthrough

He made his debut on screen with a minor role in Sergei Gerasimov's 1948 film '' The Young Guard''. Avdyushko continued to play supporting characters during the following years, in pictures such as ''

Cossacks of the Kuban The Cossacks are a predominantly East Slavic Eastern Christian people originating in the Pontic–Caspian steppe of eastern Ukraine and southern Russia. Cossacks played an important role in defending the southern borders of Ukraine and Russ ...

'' and ''

Hostile Whirlwinds ''Hostile Whirlwinds'' () is a 1953 Soviet historical film directed by Mikhail Kalatozov based on a screenplay by Nikolai Pogodin. Plot summary Film portrays the first years of Soviet government, biography of Felix Dzerzhinsky in 1918–1921. ...

''. He was given his first major appearance in the 1955 ''

Heroes of Shipka Heroes or Héroes may refer to: * Hero, one who displays courage and self-sacrifice for the greater good Film * ''Heroes'' (1977 film), an American drama * ''Heroes'' (2008 film), an Indian Hindi film Gaming * '' Heroes of Might and Magic'' ...

'', when he depicted the Russian soldier Osnobishin. In 1957, Avdyushko was cast for the leading role in

Mikhail Schweitzer Mikhail (Moisei) Abramovich Schweitzer (, 16 February 1920, Perm, Russia, Perm – 2 June 2000, Moscow) was a Soviet and Russian film director and screenwriter. People's Artist of the USSR (1990). Biography Mikhail Schweitzer graduated from the ...

's '' Tight Knot'', adapted from a story by Vladimir Tendryakov. He portrayed Pavel Mansurov, an idealist

Kolkhoz A kolkhoz ( rus, колхо́з, a=ru-kolkhoz.ogg, p=kɐlˈxos) was a form of collective farm in the Soviet Union. Kolkhozes existed along with state farms or sovkhoz. These were the two components of the socialized farm sector that began to eme ...

general secretary who is corrupted by the power of his office. The film had to be heavily censured in order to be released, and its title was changed to ''Sasha Comes to Life''. The full version was only released in 1988.

Summit

The actor starred in many films during the 1960s and early 1970s, and performed in fifty until the end of his career, including the 1961

Biennale In the art world, a biennale ( , ; ), is a large-scale international contemporary art exhibition. The term was popularised by the Venice Biennale, which was first held in 1895, but the concept of such a large scale, and intentionally internationa ...

Jury Prize The Jury Prize () is an award of the Cannes Film Festival bestowed by the jury of the festival on one of the competing feature films. According to American film critic Dave Kehr, the award is "intended to recognize an original work that embodies t ...

winning ''

Peace to Him Who Enters ''Peace to Him Who Enters'' () is a 1961 Soviet war drama film written and directed by Aleksandr Alov and Vladimir Naumov. Set in World War II, it tells the story of three Soviet soldiers who try to rescue a trapped pregnant German woman by taki ...

'' and the 1964 ''

The Alive and the Dead ''The Living and the Dead'' () is a 1964 Soviet World War II drama film directed by Aleksandr Stolper and produced by Mosfilm based on the 1959 novel ''The Living and the Dead'' by Konstantin Simonov. Plot The film spans the period from the ...

'', based on

Konstantin Simonov Konstantin Mikhailovich Simonov, born Kirill Mikhailovich Simonov (, – 28 August 1979), was a Soviet author, war poet, playwright and wartime correspondent,Константин Михайлович Симонов // " Литературна� ...

's novel. He also worked with foreign studios, mainly

East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...

DEFA DEFA (''Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft'') was the state-owned film studio of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) throughout the country's existence. Since 2019, DEFA's film heritage has been made accessible and licensable on the PR ...

: He played in

Konrad Wolf Konrad Wolf (20 October 1925 – 7 March 1982) was an East Germany, East German film director. He was the son of writer, doctor and diplomat Friedrich Wolf (writer), Friedrich Wolf, and the younger brother of Stasi spymaster Markus Wolf. "Koni" ...

's 1958 '' Sun Seekers'' and in

Frank Beyer Frank Paul Beyer (; 26 May 1932 – 1 October 2006) was a German film director. In East Germany he was one of the most important film directors, working for the state film monopoly DEFA (film studio), DEFA and directed films that dealt mostl ...

's 1963 '' Naked among Wolves''. In 1972, he appeared in ''

The Dawns Here Are Quiet The Dawns Here Are Quiet may refer to: * The Dawns Here Are Quiet (novel), a 1969 novel by Boris Vasilyev * The Dawns Here Are Quiet (1972 film), a Soviet war drama film, based on the novel * The Dawns Here Are Quiet (2015 film) ''The Dawns He ...

'', which was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Film An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

. On 26 November 1965, Avdyushko was awarded the title

Meritorious Artist Merited Artist, Honored Artist, etc., is an honorary title in the Soviet Union, Russian Federation, Union Republics, and autonomous republics, also in some other Eastern Bloc states, as well as in a number of post-Soviet states. In Russian language ...

of the Russian SFSR. On 28 March 1974, he was granted the title of a

of the RSFSR He was married to

Estonian Estonian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe * Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent * Estonian language * Estonian cuisine * Estonian culture See also

...

actress Liina Orlova, with whom he had one daughter, future actress Marija Avdyushko-Taska. In early 1975, as he was working on a picture in

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( ; , ) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area o ...

during winter, Avdyushko entered the cold ocean water for a scene. He developed severe

Pleural empyema Pleural empyema is a collection of pus in the pleural cavity. It is caused by microorganisms, usually bacteria. It often happens in the context of a pneumonia, injury, or chest surgery. It is one of the various kinds of pleural effusion. Pleural ...

, of which he died seven months later. He is buried in the

Vagankovo Cemetery Vagankovo Cemetery () is located in the Presnensky District of Moscow, Russia. It was established in 1771, in an effort to curb 1770–1772 Russian plague, an outbreak of bubonic plague in Central Russia. The cemetery was one of those created ou ...

.
Viktor Avdyushko
'. necropol.ru.

Selected filmography

*'' The Young Guard'' (1948) as worker *''

'' (1950) as stableman *''V mirnye dni'' (1951) as Stepn Matveyev - vodolaz *''Admiral Ushakov'' (1953) *''

'' (1953) as Kovalyov *''Bogatyr idyot v Marto'' (1954) as inzhener Aleksey Kolos *''

'' (1955) as Osnobishin *''Urok zhizni'' (1955) as Vasya *''Doroga'' (1955) as Vasya *''Solovyov in Prolog'' (1956) as Fyodor - bolshevik *''Oni vstretilis v puti'' (1957) as Makar Semyonov *''Sasha vstupayet v zhizn'' (1957) as Pavel Mansurov *''Vosemnadtsatyy god'' (1958) as Ivan Gora *''

Hard Happiness ''Hard Happiness'' () is a 1958 Soviet drama film directed by Aleksandr Stolper. Plot The film takes place during the civil war. The film tells about a gypsy named Kolya, who ended up in a Russian village, where he was forced to fight his freedo ...

'' (1958) as Seryoga Gvozdenko *'' Sun Seekers'' (1958) as Sergei Melnikow *''Khmuroe utro'' (1959) as Ivan Gora *'' Fathers and Sons'' (1959) as Yevgeniy Bazarov *''Vsyo nachinayetsya s dorogi'' (1960) as Stepan Bokov *''Russkiy suvenir'' (1960) as Spikhnulin *''Chudotvornaya'' (1960) as Kushchin - sekretar raykoma *''V nachale veka'' (1961) as Prokhor Baskakov *''

'' (1961) as Ivan Yamshchikov *''Nash obshchiy drug'' as Prokhor Korniyets *''Gde-to est syn'' as Matros *'' Naked among Wolves'' (1963) as Leonid Bogorski *'' Introduction to Life'' (1963) as Bobrov *''

'' (1964) as Sergeant Shestakov *''Gorod - odna ulitsa'' (1964) as Demidov *''Strogaya igra'' (1964) *''

Thirty Three 33 may refer to: *33 (number) * 33 BC *AD 33 *1933 * 2033 Science * Arsenic, a metalloid in the periodic table * 33 Polyhymnia, an asteroid in the asteroid belt Music * La 33, a Colombian salsa music band Albums * ''33'' (Luis Miguel album) ( ...

'' (1965) as Misha *''Poka front v oborone'' (1965) as kapitan Shaternikov *''Gde ty teper, Maksim?'' (1965) as Grigorich *'' An Ordinary Miracle'' (1965) as innkeeper *''Rabochiy posyolok'' (1966) as Grisha *''Puteshestvennik s bagazhom'' (1966) as Nikolay Chistov *''Proshchay'' (1967) as Matvey Podymakhin *'' The Red and the White'' (1967) as sailor *''Zhitiye i vozneseniye Yurasya Bratchika'' (1967) *''V den svadby'' (1969) as Nikolay SAlov - brat Nyury *'' Subject for a Short Story'' (1969) as Krestyanin *''Zasada'' (1969) as Pirozhenko (narrator) *'' Liberation I: The Fire Bulge'' (1970) as Major Maksimov *''Den i vsya zhizn'' (1970) as Fedor *'' Strange People'' (1970) as predsedatel kolkhoza (segment "Rokovoj vystrel") *''Pesn o Manshuk'' (1970) as Sukov *'' Liberation III: Direction of the Main Blow'' (1971) as Maksimov *''Konets atamana'' (1971) as Nikolay Suvorov *''Serdtse Rossii'' (1971) as Aleksey Vedernikov *''Kogda raskhoditsya tuman'' (1972) as Pyotr Dyakonov *''

'' (1972) as assistant platoon commander *''U nas na zavode'' (1972) as Anikov *''Januskopf'' (1972) as Slatkow *''

A Man at His Place ''A Man at His Place'' () is a 1972 Soviet drama film directed by Aleksey Sakharov. Semyon Bobrov goes to work at the plant and works there for three years, after which he returns to his native village, where he offers his candidacy for the post ...

'' (1973) as Vasiliy Serov *''Nam nekogda zhdat'' (1973) as Fyodor *''The Great Battle'' (1973) as Major Maksimov *''I na Tikhom Okeane...'' (1974) as Nikita Yegorovich Vershinin *''The Rider with Lightning in His Hand'' (1975) as Andrey Dmitrievich *''

Jarosław Dąbrowski Jarosław Żądło-Dąbrowski (; 13 November 1836 – 23 May 1871), also known as Jaroslav Dombrowski, was a Polish nobleman (szlachta member) and military officer in the Imperial Russian Army, a Polish nationalist and radical republican for ...

'' (1976) as Wladislaw Ozierow *''

When September Comes ''When September Comes'' () is a 1976 Soviet children's drama film directed by Edmond Keosayan. The film tells the story of an elderly and sick man named Levon Poghosyan, who goes to Moscow to congratulate his grandson on the beginning of his scho ...

'' (1976) as Yevgeniy Viktorovich *''

Soldiers of Freedom ''Soldiers of Freedom'' () is a four-part 1977 film epic directed by Yuri Ozerov and starring Mikhail Ulyanov, Yevgeny Matveyev, Vasily Lanovoy. It is a World War II historical drama and the sequel to 1970-71's '' Liberation''. Plot The film ...

'' (1977, TV Mini-Series) as Marshal Ivan Konev (final appearance)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Avdyushko, Viktor 1925 births 1975 deaths Male actors from Moscow Soviet male film actors Honored Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the RSFSR Deaths from pneumonia in the Soviet Union Burials at Vagankovo Cemetery Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography alumni