Nikolay Lavrov

Nikolai Lavrov was a Russian character actor who is best remembered for his screen presence in a supporting role in Upyr (1997), as well as in the Russian TV crime series Uboynaya sila (2000). He was born Nikolai Grigoryevich Lavrov on April 8, 1944, in Russia (at that time the Soviet Union). In the 1960s he began his acting career in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia. There, from 1967 - 1973, he was a permanent member of the troupe at State Theatre for Young Audience. At that time he studied acting and directing under Zinovi Korogodsky at the Institute of Theatre and Cinematography in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), graduating in 1973, as director. From 1973 - 2000 he was a permanent member of the troupe at Maly Drama Theatre - Theatre of Europe under directorship of Lev Dodin. Nikolai Lavrov made his film debut while being a student, in criminal Dela davno minuvshikh dney... (1972). He gave impressive film performances as a supporting actor in Solyonyy pyos (1974), in Detskaya ploshchadka (1986), and in a powerful criminal drama Upyr (1997). Nikolai Lavrov was also a notable stage actor. During the 1980s he shot to fame in Russia with his powerful performances on the stage of Maly Drama Theatre - Theatre of Europe in St. Petersburg, Russia. There Nikolai Lavrov created leading roles in such award-winning productions as 'Dom' (aka... Home), and 'Bratya i sestry' (aka... Brothers and sisters) based on the eponymous books by 'Fyodor Abramov' under directorship of Lev Dodin. Nikolai Lavrov was awarded the State Prize of the USSR, and was designated Honorable Artist of Russia in 1984. He was a sensitive and sophisticated person who was struggling under pressures of reality and suffered from alcohol dependency, until his life and career were interrupted by a severe emotional breakdown. He died on August 13, 2000, in Sestroretsk, near St. Petersburg, and was laid to rest in Necropolis of The Masters of Art "Literatorskie mostki" at Volkovskoe Cemetery, in St. Peterburg, Russia.