Oleg Yankovsky

1.1. Early Life and Family

Oleg Ivanovich Yankovsky was born on 23 February 1944, in Jezkazgan, then part of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (now Kazakhstan). His family boasted a noble background with Russian, Belarusian, and Polish ancestry. His father, Ivan Pavlovich, served as a Stabskapitän in the Life-Guards Semenovsky regiment. Tragically, his father was arrested during the purges within the Red Army following the Tukhachevsky case. He was subsequently deported with his family to Kazakhstan, where he ultimately perished in the camps of the Gulag system.

1.2. Early Activities and Education

Following the death of Joseph Stalin, the Yankovsky family was permitted to leave Central Asia and relocate to Saratov. Oleg's eldest brother, Rostislav, after completing his studies at the Saratov Theater School, moved to Minsk to pursue an acting career at the Russian Theater. Due to financial constraints, Rostislav took 14-year-old Oleg with him, as the middle brother, Nikolay, was the family's sole breadwinner at the time. It was in Minsk that the youngest Yankovsky made his theatrical debut, stepping in to substitute for a sick actor in the episodic role of a boy in the play The Drummer. After finishing school, Oleg returned to Saratov, where he formally completed his acting education at the Saratov Theater School in 1965.

2.1. Theatre Career

Upon his graduation in 1965, Oleg Yankovsky was accepted into the troupe of the Saratov Drama Theater. He spent eight years there, performing numerous leading roles that established his reputation as a formidable stage actor. His notable success in the role of Prince Myshkin in the play The Idiot in 1973 led to a significant invitation to join the prestigious Lenkom Theatre in Moscow. Since 1975, he remained a leading actor at the Lenkom Theatre, under the direction of Mark Zakharov. His stage performances were often adapted for television, with the TV versions of the theatre's productions, An Ordinary Miracle (1978) and The Very Same Munchhausen (1979), standing out as particularly notable.

2.2. Film Career

Yankovsky's film career began with his casting in two significant movies released in 1968: The Shield and the Sword, a World War II drama directed by Vladimir Basov, and Two Comrades Were Serving, a film about the Russian Civil War by Yevgeny Karelov. Throughout his prolific screen career, Yankovsky frequently appeared in film adaptations of classic Russian literature, including acclaimed performances in A Hunting Accident (1977) and The Kreutzer Sonata (1987). His role in Roman Balayan's Flights in Dreams and Reality (1984) earned him the prestigious USSR State Prize. Internationally, he gained recognition for his collaborations with renowned director Andrei Tarkovsky, starring as the father in Mirror (1975) and in the main role in Nostalghia (1983). In the early 1990s, Yankovsky showcased his versatility by taking on diverse roles, such as in Georgiy Daneliya's tragic comedy Passport (1990) and Karen Shakhnazarov's historical and psychological drama The Assassin of the Tsar (1991). His final film appearance was in Tsar, released in 2009, where he played the complex role of Metropolitan Philip. This film was notably demonstrated at the Cannes Film Festival on 17 May 2009, just three days before his passing.

2.3. Directing and Festival Involvement

Beyond his acting, Oleg Yankovsky ventured into directing and played a significant role in film festivals. In 1991, he served as the president of the jury at the 17th Moscow International Film Festival. From 1993 onwards, he took on the leadership of the Kinotavr Film Festival in Sochi. His directorial debut, Come Look at Me (2001), earned him a Nika Award from the Russian Film Academy. He also received a Nika Award for his role in Valery Todorovsky's Lyubovnik (2002). Later in his career, he continued to take on prominent roles, appearing as Count Pahlen in Poor Poor Paul (2004) and as Komarovsky in a television adaptation of Doctor Zhivago (2006), directed by Oleg Menshikov.

3.1. Family Relationships

Oleg Yankovsky's immediate and extended family included:

• Wife: Lyudmila Zorina (born 1 May 1941), an accomplished actress and Merited Artist of the Russian Federation.
• Son: Filipp (born 10 October 1968), who followed in his parents' footsteps as an actor and film director.
• Daughter-in-law: Oksana Fandera (born 7 November 1967), also an actress.
• Grandchildren: Ivan (born 30 October 1990), an actor; and Elizaveta (born 1 May 1994).
• Brothers: Rostislav Yankovsky (5 February 1930 - 26 June 2016), a renowned actor and People's Artist of the USSR; and Nikolai Ivanovich Yankovsky (26 July 1941 - 25 May 2015), who served as the deputy director of the Saratov Puppet Theater "Teremok".
• Nephew: Igor Yankovsky (29 April 1951 - 26 January 2025), an actor and media manager.

4.1. Circumstances of Death

On 20 May 2009, Oleg Yankovsky died in Moscow at the age of 65, succumbing to pancreatic cancer. A civil funeral service was held at the Lenkom Theatre, a venue where he had spent many years as a leading actor. His burial took place on 22 May 2009, at Novodevichy Cemetery, attended exclusively by his close relatives.

5.1. Soviet and Russian Government Awards

Oleg Yankovsky was honored with several state-level awards and titles for his artistic contributions:

• 1977 - Honored Artist of the RSFSR
• 1984 - People's Artist of the RSFSR
• 1987 - USSR State Prize for his role in the film Flights in Dreams and Reality.
• 1989 - Vasilyev Brothers State Prize of the RSFSR for his role in The Kreutzer Sonata.
• 1991 - People's Artist of the USSR.
• 28 December 1995 - Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class, recognizing his services to the state and many years of fruitful work in the arts and culture.
• 1996 - State Prize of the Russian Federation for his leading role in Anton Chekhov's play The Seagull at the Moscow State Theatre (Lenkom).
• 2002 - State Prize of the Russian Federation for his leading role in the play Jester Balakirev of the Moscow State Theatre.
• 11 August 2007 - Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class, for his significant contribution to the development of theatrical art and extensive fruitful activity.
• 23 February 2009 - Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class, for his outstanding contributions to the development of domestic theatrical and cinematic arts.

5.2. Cinematic and Public Awards

Yankovsky's performances were also recognized with a multitude of prestigious film and theatre awards:

• 1977 - Lenin Komsomol Prize for "talented contemporary incarnation of the images in the movie".
• 1983 - Best Actor of the Year for his starring role in the film Love by Request, as determined by a poll conducted by the magazine "Soviet Screen".
• 1983 - Winner of the "Best actor" category at the All-Union Film Festival.
• 1988 - Prize for Best Actor for his performance in the film Filer at the Valladolid International Film Festival.
• 1989 - Award "for outstanding contributions to the profession" at the "Constellation" (Sozvezdie) film festival for his role in To Kill a Dragon.
• 1991 - Nika Award for Best Actor for his roles in both The Assassin of the Tsar and Passport.
• 2001 - Award for Best Actor at the Sochi Open Russian Film Festival Kinotavr for the film Come Look at Me.
• 2001 - Prize of the Russian Cultural Foundation at ORFF Kinotavr in Sochi.
• 2001 - Grand Prix "Gold" Listapad at the Minsk International Film Festival "Listapad" for his role in Come Look at Me.
• 2001 - First place in the competition "Vyborg Account" at the film festival "Window to Europe" in Vyborg for the film Come Look at Me.
• 2001 - Stanislavsky Theatre Prize for the main role in the play Jester Balakirev of the Moscow State Theatre, Lenkom.
• 2002 - Nika Award for Best Actor in the film The Lover.
• 2002 - The "Golden Aries" award for Best Actor in the film The Lover.
• 2002 - Award for Best Actor at the ORFF "Kinotavr" in Sochi for his role in The Lover.
• 2002 - Award for Best Actor at the "Constellation" festival for his role in the movie The Lover.
• 2002 - Winner of "Idol" in the "Idol of the Year" category for his main role in the play Jester Balakirev of the Moscow State Theatre, Lenkom, and for his role in Come Look at Me.
• 2003 - Golden Eagle Award for Best Supporting Actor in the film Poor, Poor Pavel.
• 2003 - Special Award from the Administration of Krasnodar Krai at ORFF "Kinotavr" in Sochi.
• 2005 - Theatre Prize "Hit of the Season" for the play Tout payé, also known as Paid by all.
• 2006 - Golden Eagle Award for Best Actor on Television for his performance in the miniseries Doctor Zhivago.
• 2006 - Prize of the Russian Television Academy TEFI for best actor on television for his role in the miniseries Doctor Zhivago.
• 2007 - Award "Triumph".
• 2008 - Public award - the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, "For Fatherland and work".
• 2009 - Award "Triumph".
• 2009 - Stanislavsky Award (posthumously given to his son Filipp).
• 2009 - Prize "long-term President" Kinotavr for "outstanding contribution to Russian cinema" (posthumously).
• 2009 - Award for Best Actor at the "Constellation" (Sozvezdie) film festival for his starring role in Anna Karenina (posthumously).
• 2010 - Golden Eagle Special Prize for his contribution to the development of national cinema (posthumously).
• 2010 - Nika Award for 2009 - "Best Actor" (posthumously), for the combination of roles in the films Anna Karenina and Tsar.