Soviet Latvian actress Dzidra Ritenberga 1928-2003

The image from the popular in the USSR magazine ‘Soviet Screen’, 1957. Soviet Latvian actress Dzidra Ritenberga. (August 29, 1928 – March 9, 2003)

Soviet Latvian actress Dzidra Ritenberga
Born August 29, 1928 in Latvia, Soviet Latvian actress, film director Dzidra Arturovna Ritenberga was the winner of the prize of the Venice Film Festival for the performance of the main role in the film “Malva” directed by Vladimir Braun (1957).
She graduated from the Liepaja evening high school, the studio of the State Drama Theater and the director’s department of the theatrical faculty of the Latvian State Conservatoire (1974).
She was an actress of the Liepaja Drama Theater (1948-1957), the Riga Theater of Russian Drama (1957-1962), and the Moscow Drama Theater of KS Stanislavsky (1962-1975). And later, Director of the Riga Film Studio (1975-1990).
Member of the Union of Cinematographers of Latvian SSR since 1958. Honored Artist of the Latvian SSR (1960).
Was married to the actor Evgeny Urbansky, tragically died on November 5, 1965 on the shooting of the film “Director”. After his death, she gave birth to her daughter Yevgenia.

Happiness must be protected. (1958)

Urbansky and Rittenberg was a stunningly beautiful couple. He – the idol of millions, who played the main role in the films “Communist” and “Pure Sky”, and she – one of the most beautiful actresses of the 1950s.

Evgeny Urbansky met his third wife Dzidra at the film festival in 1960. Dzidra was at that time thirty years old. With Evgeny they met by chance, on one of the social parties. Three weeks later, Dzidra was taken to the hospital for examination before surgery on the heart. And he visited her almost every day. Immediately after she had left the hospital, he proposed to her and took her to the registry office, fearing that she would leave and he would lose her forever.

Soviet Latvian actress Dzidra Ritenberga

1956 film ‘Malva’. USSR (Soviet screen 7-1957)

According to friends, Urbansky was explosive, noisy, and very sociable. But at home with his wife he transformed completely, and was very attentive and affectionate to his wife. According to his colleagues, Evgeny Urbansky dreamed of a son. However, his and Dzidra’s children were two girls Alyona and Yevgenia. Unfortunately, the second daughter was never able to see her father, born a few months after his death. In fact, Ritenberga named her daughter Yevgenia in memory of her beloved husband.

Urbansky died on November 5, 1965 at the age of thirty-three. The tragedy occurred during the shooting of the film “Director”.

She passed away on March 9, 2003, after a long illness, buried at the Riga Forest Cemetery.