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Viktor Pavlov, a leading Russian actor of the 1970s and 1980s, appeared in over 150 films and portrayed more than 100 stage roles.
Born Viktor Pavlovich Pavlov on October 6, 1940, in Moscow, Russia, his mother persuaded his father to move from Siberia to Moscow just before her delivery, seeking a better future for their son. After completing eight grades, young Viktor worked as an industrial metalworker and participated in an amateur acting class at the House of Teachers. From 1959 to 1963, he studied acting at the Schchepkin School of Maly Theatre alongside classmates like Oleg Dal, Vitali Solomin, Mikhail Kononov, and Sergey Nikonenko. He graduated in 1963 under the tutelage of Nikolai Annenkov. Between 1962 and 1965, Pavlov was part of the renowned "Sovremennik" Theatre troupe in Moscow, later joining other Moscow theatre companies.
While still a student in 1961, Pavlov debuted on the big screen in Lev Kulidzhanov's When the Trees Were Tall (1962). He gained widespread recognition after a supporting role in Leonid Gaidai's popular comedy Operation 'Y' & Other Shurik's Adventures (1965). Throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, he was among the most celebrated actors in Soviet and Russian cinema. His notable film and television roles include Trial on the Road (1986), Major Vikhr, Dauriya (1972), 12 stulev, Adyutant ego prevoskhoditelstva (1970), Ukhodya - ukhodi (1979), and several other acclaimed Russian productions. Pavlov’s genuine individuality, gentle humor, and natural style earned him the admiration of millions.
From 1976 to 1985 and again from 1990 to 2006, Pavlov was a permanent member of the Academic Maly Theatre troupe in Moscow. His stage colleagues included stars such as Yelena Gogoleva, Elina Bystritskaya, Rufina Nifontova, Mikhail Zharov, Mikhail Tsaryov, Igor Ilyinsky, Nikolai Ryzhov, Vitali Solomin, and Yuriy Solomin. He received accolades for his outstanding portrayal of Arkasha Schastlivtsev, a charming character in Aleksandr Ostrovskiy's play Les. Besides acting, Pavlov was a devoted pigeon fancier, keeping homing pigeons in the attic of the Maly Theatre since 1984. He named these pigeons after famous Maly Theatre actors and shared amusing stories about them.
In 1994, Viktor Pavlov was honored as People's Artist of Russia and received the prestigious Stanislavsky Prize for his stage achievements. He passed away at home on August 24, 2006, from heart failure following stroke complications. He was buried at Kuntsevskoe Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.
