Boris Khmelnitsky
Born: 1940-06-27 in Voroshilov, Primorskiy kray, RSFSR, USSR
Died: 2008-02-16
Known For: Acting
Biography
Boris Khmelnitsky was a popular Russian actor of film and theatre and a member of the legendary Taganka company under directorship of Yuriy Lyubimov. He was born Boris Alekseevich Khmelnitsky on June 27, 1940, in Ussuriisk, a small town near Vladivostok in the Far East of the Soviet Union. His father, Aleksei Khmelnitsky, was a ranking officer in the Soviet Red Army who was manager of several Army clubs in the USSR. Young Khmelnitsky was brought up in a rather privileged environment; since childhood, he studied literature, arts, and music, and enjoyed a special atmosphere of his father's circle. He studied music at Lvov College of Music, graduating in 1961 as orchestral conductor, then studied acting at Shchukin Theatrical school in Moscow, graduating in 1966 as an actor. In 1966, he made his film debut in 'Kto vernetsa - dolyubit' by director Leonid Osyka. Khmelnitsky shot to popularity with roles in _Sofiya Perovskaya (1967)_ by director Lev Arnshtam, and in _Krasnaya palatka (1970)_. In the USSR, he was best known as Robin Hood in Strely Robin Guda (1975), and later reprized the role in The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe (1983). From 1964 to 1984 Khmelnitsky was a member of the troupe under directorship of Yuriy Lyubimov at the Taganka Theatre company in Moscow. There his stage partners were Vladimir Vysotskiy, Leonid Filatov, Venyamin Smekhov, Alla Demidova, Zinaida Slavina, Ivan Dykhovichnyy, Boris Galkin, Aleksandr Porokhovshchikov, Valeriy Zolotukhin, Natalya Sayko, Nikolay Gubenko, Zhanna Bolotova, Nina Shatskaya, Leonid Yarmolnik, and other notable Russian actors. During the 60s and 70s, Khmelnitsky played leading roles in Taganka productions, such as 'Pugachev' and 'Master i Margarita', a stage adaptation of the eponymous book by Mikhail A. Bulgakov. He also wrote music for several Taganka productions. Boris Khmelnitsky enjoyed recognition in the former Soviet Union, and was part of the intellectual milieu known as "the 60s generation." He was designated People's Actor of Russia (2000). He died of a chronic illness on February 16, 2008, and was laid to rest next to his parents in Kuntsevskoe cemetery in Moscow, Russia. He is survived by his ex-wife Marianna Vertinskaya and their daughter Darya Khmelnitskaya.
Filmography
2007
- One Love of My Soul as Aleksandr Podzhio
2004
- Saga of the Ancient Bulgars: The Ladder of Vladimir the Red Sun as Svyatoslav / Erik, King of Sweden
- The Saga of the Ancient Bulgars: The Tale of Saint Olga
1995
- Jonathan of the Bears as Religious Mercenary
1993
- The Hetman's Regalia as Zagrava
1992
- Murder at Sunshine-Manor as Joe Alex
1991
- The Caravan Of Death as Mercenary leader
- Cocktail Mirage
1989
- Comedy of Lysistrata
- Tragedy, Rock Style as Dmitriy Ivanovich's Friend
- Etudes on Vrubel as Semyon Gayduk
- Sultan Beybars as Sultan Kutuz
- Beybars as Sultan Kutuz
- Savraska as Captain
1986
- Interception as хулиган
- The Life and Immortality of Sergei Lazo as Попов
1985
- In Search of Captain Grant as captain Harry Grant
- The Black Arrow as Lord Shoreby
1984
1982
- The Ballad of the Valiant Knight Ivanhoe as Robin Hood
- A Person Changes Skin as Павел Кристаллов
1981
- At the Beginning of Glorious Days as Кузьма Чермный, стрелец
- The Black Triangle as Ритус
1980
- Antarctic Tale
- A Story of the Forest: Mavka as Red (forest) Demon
1979
- Savage Hunt of King Stakh as Ales' Vorona
- A Certificate of Poverty as Геннадий, "Крест"
1978
1976
- The Arrows of Robin Hood as Robin Hood
1973
- Peterss
- Defying Everybody as Nikanor
- Sing a Song, Poet as uncle
1970
- An Ordinary History as Count Novinskiy
1969
- The Red Tent as Alfredo Viglieri
- Prince Igor as Prince Igor
1968
- The Eve of Ivan Kupalo as Petro
- Love Awaits Those Who Return
- Sofiya Perovskaya as Nikolay Kibalchich