Janis Grantins

Janis Grantins was a Latvian actor of film and theatre known for his portrayal of the Latvian writer Janis Rainis in biopic Rainis (1949) He was born on June 7, 1909, in Riga, Latvia. From 1931 to 1934 he studied acting at the Drama Studio of Latvian Worker's Theatre. From 1935 to 1938 he was member of Riga Drama Theatre. In 1938 he moved from Riga to Liepaja, and was an actor with the local Drama Theatre. During the Second World War he worked in Daugavpils and Jelgava. From 1950 to 1974 Grantins was a member of the Latvian troupe at the Theatre for Youth in Riga. There, during the 60s and 70s he worked under directorship of Adolf Jakovlevich Shapiro. At that time the Theatre for Youth was a popular stage company in Riga. Janis Grantins was designated Honorable Actor of Latvia (1949). He was awarded the State Prize of the USSR (1950) for his portrayal of the famous Latvian writer Janis Rainis in biopic Rainis (1949) by director Yuli Raizman. Outside of his acting profession Grantins taught seminars on history of Latvian theatre. He died on October 25, 1974, and was laid to rest in Riga, Latvia.