Soviet Art

USSR Culture

Svetlana Kryuchkova – Soviet actress

Svetlana Kryuchkova in the film cannot be

Svetlana Kryuchkova in the film cannot be

Kryuchkova was born on June 22, 1950 in Chisinau (Moldova). Her father was from Belarus (he served as an investigator in the MGB, had the rank of major), her mother was a pomorie from Arkhangelsk. According to the actress, as a child, no one cared about her. Therefore, she learned to make decisions herself.

“I did not dream of being an actress, but I felt that I must have some special, unusual destiny …”
After graduating from school in 1967, Kryuchkova went to Moscow to enroll in a philologist. However, she happened to be near the Shchepkin Theater School and decided to tempt fate. However, the competition there was huge (400 people per seat), and although Kryuchkova successfully completed three rounds, she could not enter.

Svetlana Kryuchkova Dog Baskerville 2013

Svetlana Kryuchkova Dog Baskerville 2013

Svetlana Kryuchkova returned to Chisinau and got a job as an operator of a computing center.

The year passed unnoticed, and Kryuchkova again found herself in Moscow, at the Schepkin School. But last year’s story repeated itself: she did not enter again, and decided to try to get a job in Moscow. It was hard for her: she pawned things in pawnshops, slept at train stations. Finally she was lucky: she was hired as an assembly fitter at the factory. Kryuchkova could not physically withstand the work at the machine – once, before changing, she sat on the bed, but could not get up. She immediately applied for resignation.

Returning to her homeland, Kryuchkova got a job at the Chisinau Agricultural Institute and after working there until the summer, she again went to conquer Moscow. This time she was able to enter the Studio School of the Moscow Art Academic Theater.

Svetlana Kryuchkova in the movie The Marriage 1977

Svetlana Kryuchkova in the movie The Marriage 1977

Big Change was released in May 1973 and brought great success to its creators.

Kryuchkova, who played the role of Nelly Ledneva in the film, was no exception. Having become the hallmark of the actress for many years, she played a positive role in her creative destiny – she was invited by five metropolitan theaters at once: Sovremennik, Lenkom, Mayakovsky, Stanislavsky and the Moscow Art Theater. Kryuchkova chose the Moscow Art Theater, but she worked there for only about one and a half years. Her roles in the performances included: “The Last Days” by M. Bulgakov, “The Blue Bird” by M. Maeterlinck, and “The Dawns Here Are Quiet …” by B. Vasiliev.

The Marriage (1977)

The Marriage (1977)

In 1974, Kryuchkova was invited to her projects by two directors at once: Leonid Gaidai from “Mosfilm” (in “It can’t be!”) And Vitaly Melnikov from “Lenfilm” (in the TV movie “Elder Son”). The roles were different: for Gaidai, the actress had to reincarnate as a Soviet employee who was cheating on her husband, and for Melnikov, a lonely woman judge who was not averse to having an affair with a stranger. It was in the last picture that the actress met her new love – the operator of the film Yuri Veksler.

Veksler and Kryuchkova

Veksler and Kryuchkova

It so happened that the shooting of both films took place at almost the same time: “It can’t be!” filmed in the summer – in the fall of 74th in Astrakhan and Moscow, “The Elder Son” – in the fall of the same year near Leningrad. So Kryuchkova had to wander between two cities. But it was worth it – these films will add an extra bit of fame to her, turning her into one of the most popular actresses of Soviet cinema.

Svetlana Kryuchkova - Soviet actress

Svetlana Kryuchkova – Soviet actress

Sons of Svetlana Kryuchkova

Sons of Svetlana Kryuchkova

Relatives (1981)

Relatives (1981)

Odessa steamer

Odessa steamer

Liquidation (2007)

Liquidation (2007)

Eldest son (1975)

Eldest son (1975)

Courier movie 1986

Courier movie 1986

Big Change (1973)

Big Change (1973)

Veksler Yuri and Kryuchkova

Veksler Yuri and Kryuchkova