Elena Maksimova
Born: 1905-11-23 in Moscow, Russian Empire
Died: 1986-09-23
Known For: Acting
Biography
Elena Alexandrovna Maksimova (23.11.1905—23.09.1986) was born in Moscow to a grocer father (he sold non-perishable goods) and a housewife mother, who was often ill. Apart from her, there were two other daughters in the family. Following her father's death in 1920, her mother was forced by poverty to send all three daughters to Orphanage No. 55, located in the Sokolniki district. Shortly after, in 1922, her mother also passed. Thus, at the age of 17, she was left completely orphaned. From an early age, Elena Maximova had dreamed of becoming an actress. When she finished schooling in 1925, she immediately went to the film studio attached to ‘Moskprofobor’ (Москпрофобр) to sit her entrance exams. There was only one free place available, and it went to Elena – as the most talented of all the applicants. From 1925 to 1927, she trained under the guidance of renowned film masters Vladimir Gardin and Konstantin Eggert. Alongside her studies at the film studio, Elena Maksimova had to work as a press operator at a button factory. She worked in film since 1927, appearing in productions by various film studios in Moscow and Leningrad. Between 1940 and 1964, she was an actress at the Soyuzdetfilm studio (now the Gorky Film Studio). Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (30 September 1958). The characters she portrayed were distinguished by their realism and attention to everyday detail. Her heroines were most often active, energetic and impetuous, yet she was equally at home with gentle, lyrical roles. She served Soviet cinema for nearly fifty years, and her work was modest and selfless — rarely in supporting roles, but more often in small cameos.
Filmography
1984
- Russia Is Young as старуха
- A Small Favor
1982
- The Secret Agent's Return as Utkin's neighbour
1981
- Carnival as visitor of the pawnshop
- The Secret of the Notebook as Glafira Petrovna
- We'll Be Waiting, Come Back as babushka
- Rebirth as домработница Дарья Алексеевна
1980
- Shot In The Back as Вера Николаевна
1977
- Without Father as Glafira
1974
- Yeralash
- Conscience as санитарка
- Fulfillment of Desires
- The Red Snowball Tree
- Birds Over the City
- Conscience
- The Last Meeting as Drenched Passerby
- Duration of the Day
1973
- The Sky Behind the Clouds
- Right to Jump
- This Merry Planet as мать Прошки
- Alkin songs as бабка Анфиса
1971
- Investigation Held by ZnaToKi as Прасковья Андреевна
- Declaration of Love to G.T. as Old Woman
1970
- New Year's Abduction as Maksimova
1969
1968
1967
- Such a Big Boy as Filippovna
- The Gypsy as Lushchilikha
1966
- The Conscience as Елена Евгеньевна
- Someone Else's Name as Babushka
- The Stars of the Day
- Afterlight
1965
- Sorcerer Island as Marya Stepanovna
- Early in the Morning as мать Жени Горохова
- Father of a Soldier as Borya's grandma
- Null kolm
- Beloved as Нина Петровна
- Они не пройдут as The passenger of the tram
- Black Business as Aunt Masha
1964
- Summer is Short in the Mountains as Praskovya Savvishna
- Meeting at the Crossing as woman in boat
- The Green House as Marfa Nikolayevna
1962
- The Judgment as woman at a court hearing (uncredited)
- No Fear, No Blame as janitor
1961
- Yevdokiya as Maryushka
- In Transit
1960
1959
- A Home for Tanya as Makarikha
- The Sun Shines to Everyone as Pelageya Ivanovna
- Strict Woman
- King of Diamonds
- In the Silence of Steppe as Anfisa
- The Song of Koltsov as Aleksey Koltsov's mother
1958
- The Volunteers as owner of the hut (uncredited)
- Rains
- "Чудотворец" из Бирюлёва as Манефа
1957
- Quiet Flows the Don as Кошевая
- Polyushko, pole
- Height as Berestova
- The Tight Knot as Sasha's mother
1956
- Other People's Relatives as Varvara Stepanovna
1955
- The Grasshopper as krestyanka iz Glukhova
- Two Captains as aunt Dasha
1954
- The Frigid Sea as Дергачиха
1953
- Admiral Ushakov as Wife of doctor Yermolaev (uncredited)
1952
1948
- First-Year Student as Woman with flowers
1941
- The Old Courtyard as жиличка
1940
- Личное дело as Vitya Surikov's mother
1939
- Stepan Razin as Woman in the crowd (uncredited)
1937
1935
- Aerograd as Mariia Kudina
1932
- Men and Jobs as Worker woman (uncredited)
- A Personal Affair
1931
- And Quiet Flows the Don as Daria Melekhova
1930
- Earth as Natalia, Vasyl's bride
1929
- Ranks and People as Modest's servant - Anna na shee
- The Other Woman as Provincial lady
- The Last Attraction as Polly
1928
- A Bright City as Marusenka
1927
- The Peasant Women of Ryazan as A soldier widow