Tamara Makarova - the first lady of the Soviet cinema

Her role evoked the desire to imitate the millions of Soviet women. The images embodied by her on the screen made the hearts of many men beat more often, but her love was given only to Sergei Gerasimov alone . She was with him in life, in thought, and in creativity.

The first lady of Soviet cinema Tamara Makarova

Soviet Greta Garbo called Tamara Makarov's contemporaries. Her image inspired new creative achievements of the brilliant director S. Gerasimov. After filming in the paintings "Stone Flower" and "Masquerade" she was invited to Hollywood for the role of the main character in the film "War and Peace", but refused to shoot. Actresses of the USSR did not fit to appear in the West, and to nothing, because she - an actress, wife and companion - very often received major roles in the pictures of the genius director S. Gerasimov.

Tamara Makarova. Biography

The future star of Soviet cinema was born in St. Petersburg in 1907 in the family of a Russian military doctor. Since childhood, the girl has developed creative inclinations, and already in adolescence, Tamara Makarova seriously took a great interest in ballet and theater. In 1924, after graduation, he entered the creative Foregger Workshop, later called GITIS Workshop No. 2. It is here that she meets Sergey Gerasimov, with whom her whole future life will be connected.

Debut in the movie took place in 1927, Makarova gets the role of typist Dudkin in the movie "Another's jacket." On the set, she was literally out of the street due to her acquaintance with the assistant director. But, apparently, it was a lucky chance, and it is here that for the second time in her life it intersects with Sergei Gerasimov, who also starred in this film. Young people fell in love, so the marriage and creative union of two great people - T. Makarova and S. Gerasimov - was formed. The whole subsequent life of the young actress was devoted to her husband.

By the time of appearance in the paintings of Gerasimov, Tamara Makarova-actress was already held in the profession of a man. She managed to work with the outstanding directors of the time IA Pyriev and V.I. Pudovkin, very often acted in film together with the spouse. Their first joint work as a director and actress appeared on the screens of the country in 1934. This was the movie "Do I Love You?", Unfortunately, not preserved until our days. The real furor produced tape "Seven brave" in 1936. In the war years, Tamara Makarova worked as a nurse, sandwich and instructor of the Political Administration, remaining until 1943 in Leningrad.

Tamara Makarova. Personal life of a star

In 1943 the family of Makarova and Gerasimov was evacuated to Tashkent. Here they have a foster son Arthur, who subsequently receives from his foster parents the mother's surname, and his father's middle name. Arthur was the nephew of the actress, his parents were repressed. The spouses had no native children.

Outwardly, the family looked quite a happy and happy couple. A great actress and talented director, both VGIK teachers, laureates of many awards, outstanding public figures, People's Artists of the USSR. But friends and acquaintances say that behind the screen mask of a reserved, secular lady, insults, disappointments and tears were often skillfully concealed. The hobbyist Gerasimov with unbridled temper often gave reasons for jealousy. Before him could not resist neither his student, nor the actress, starring in his films. But Tamara Makarova was a wise woman and she never took emotion to the public. All this remained at the level of gossip and gossip. They always kept shoulder to shoulder. Later, after the death of her husband, Tamara Makarova wrote in her book "Afterword": "Everything I've lived is interesting to me. If a miracle were possible, I would repeat it all again and marry Gerasimov ... "

Pedagogical activity

Since 1944 Makarova has been working at VGIK, and in 1968 she became a professor. Many outstanding actors of our time remember Tamara Makarova as an outstanding teacher with an inexhaustible personal charm and a sense of tact. Ten issues VGIK, where Makarova was a professor, consider her and Sergei Gerasimov their second parents. Among their students were Inna Makarova, Natalya Belokhvostikova, Lyudmila Gurchenko, Evgeny Zharikov, Lydia Fedoseyeva-Shukshina, Sergei Nikonenko, Zhanna Bolotova, Sergei Bondarchuk, Natalya Fateeva, Nikolay Eremenko, Jr.. All of them later became famous actors and always remember their mentors with warmth and love.

A graduate of Makarova's class, People's Artist of Russia L. Luzhina says that Tamara Fyodorovna baked about her students not only within the walls of the institute, but also beyond. The leaders of the creative workshop have always cared for their students to have work, and very often care was manifested not only in creative issues, but also in everyday life. Tamara Fedorovna spent her time hiking with students in the shops, helping to make a choice in clothes or shoes, and often still herself and paid for the purchases.

Memory on film

In the filmography of the great actress about thirty roles. The last joint work of the creative couple was the film "Leo Tolstoy" (1994), where the role of Tolstoy was played by S. Gerasimov, and Tamara Makarova embodied the image of the wife of a great writer and thinker. At the international film festival in Karlovy Vary, the ribbon was awarded the "Crystal Globe" prize.

Gerasimov died in 1985, and Tamara Makarova did not appear anywhere else. She preferred to be fewer in public and led a practically reclusive way of life. The great actress died on 20.01.1997.