What is wrong with Galina Volchek in a wheelchair? Galina Volchek was speechless by the meanness of Chulpan Khamatova

The famous actress and artistic director of the Sovremennik Theater Galina Volchek is confined to a wheelchair and moves only with the help of special equipment. The reason for this is the woman’s back problems. On December 19, 2019, the actress celebrated her next birthday. Despite this, the 85-year-old star, known to many generations, continues to fulfill her duties and work in the cultural sphere.

Galina Volchek's health status, despite her advanced age, remains stable today

Heart problems, a rather changed appearance and constant movement in a wheelchair became the reason for numerous rumors that began to arise around the personality of Galina Volchek. Despite this, according to doctors, at the age of 85 this is a normal phenomenon.

On December 19, 2018, the actress and artistic director of the Moscow Sovremennik Theater celebrated her next birthday. The woman’s well-being remains stable, she can take care of herself independently and does not need constant medical supervision.

Having started her creative activity in the middle of the last century, Galina Volchek was able to outlive quite a few old-timers of the Sovremennik Theater. At the same time, she managed to surpass her teachers and reach the top of her career.

The deterioration of Galina Volchek’s health was the result of constant hard work in the theater

Actress Galina Volchek gave more than 60 years of her life to the Sovremennik Theater. All these years were marked by a constant creative process, painstaking work at different times of the day, and sometimes even nervous breakdowns. As a result, in old age, the artistic director began to develop diseases characteristic of an elderly person.

The woman always preferred to remain silent about her stay in a wheelchair. What exactly made her move with the help of a special means, Galina Volchek does not comment. She was first spotted in public in a stroller at an awards ceremony in the Kremlin in 2017.

Rumors began to appear in society almost immediately that the actress was paralyzed, but this information was subsequently not confirmed. In case of emergency, a woman can move freely.

An intervertebral hernia, which was diagnosed in Galina Volchek, caused severe back pain. Considering the woman’s weight and constant physical activity, she independently decided to transfer to a wheelchair in order to protect her health.

Actress Galina Volchek needs dangerous surgery due to health reasons

The situation with the actress’s health requires urgent surgical intervention. Galina Volchek understands that it is unlikely that anyone will give a guarantee that the required operation will be carried out successfully. It is for this reason, as well as because of problems with the lungs and heart, that the operation is postponed indefinitely each time.

Despite the rather considerable list of diseases that Galina Volchek is successfully fighting at the age of 85, the actress also continues to work. The talented actress and artistic director of Sovremennik continues to delight the Russian audience.

Childhood

Young Galina spent her childhood reading books. She read a lot, learned to speak with intonation. In fact, she was a “gray” mouse. Galina had eternal two braids on her head. From school she brought only certificates. Her parents were proud of her. Especially mom. She bragged to everyone about how great her daughter was. In view of this, a conflict was brewing with my mother. She didn’t quite understand, or simply didn’t want to understand, that a person’s personality and essence are formed much earlier.

That is why Galina Borisovna soon changed her last name and became Volchok. But after many, many years I realized that this was all nonsense and idiocy. She regained her previous surname.

Of course, a childhood spent reading books yielded results in choosing a profession. Father wanted Galina to study at the Literary Institute. But only Volchek herself knew that she wanted to study only at the Moscow Art Theater. Galina Borisovna finally made her dream come true by graduating from the Moscow Art Theater School.

Theater

Galina Volchek. "Alone with everyone"

“Two on a Swing” is Volchek’s first work, which she directs. This performance was doomed to success. For thirty years, the play has been included in the theater program because it is a huge success among the audience.

This is followed by directorial works: “At the Lower Depths”, “The Cherry Orchard”, “Three Sisters”, “Steep Route”, Pygmalion”, “An Ordinary Story”, it will later be called one of the best performances by director Volchek. For him she received the USSR State Prize. The work “Three Comrades” became a real breakthrough on the Russian stage.

There were wonderful works: “The Princess and the Woodcutter”, “An Island of One’s Own”, “Weather for Tomorrow”, “The Scaffold”, “Stars in the Morning Sky”, “Death and the Maiden” and not only these, but also many other performances staged by the legendary Galina Borisovna Volchek.

The young director Galina Borisovna was the first to combine the cultures of the USA and the USSR. She is directing the play Echelon in Houston. The premiere took place at the Alley Theater.

Galina Volchek on video

When the Goodwill Games were held in Seattle, Volchek showed two performances: “Steep Route” and “Three Sisters.”

Volchek tours the world with his works. The director spends a lot of time in New York with his troupe. They show their performances on Broadway. These theater tours became the most prestigious awards in the field of drama theater, the Drama desk award. Moreover, this prize has never been awarded to an American theater.

Galina Borisovna is especially popular abroad. She is invited to stage plays in theaters in Germany, Finland, the USA, Hungary, and Poland.

Volchek also taught for many years abroad.

Movie

Personal life of Galina Volchek

Volchek’s second husband was Professor of the Construction Institute, Doctor of Technical Sciences Mark Yurievich Abelev.

Afterwards there was a civil marriage in which she lived for ten years. Galina Borisovna made a conclusion for herself: “My whole life I brought myself to the point that a family became impossible for me. This is the natural state of a person who sold himself into slavery to the theater. The theater ground me in its meat grinder so much that it was impossible to connect it with something It would still be unnatural." Galina Borisovna lives and works in Moscow.

Awards

Volchek Honored Artist of the RSFSR, People's Artist of the USSR, RSFSR. She was awarded the USSR State Prize for the play “Ordinary History”. He has the “Own Track” award, two “Olympia” awards, and “Theater Star”. Volchek is an academician of the Russian Academy of Cinematographic Arts "Nika".

Galina Borisovna has staged more than thirty performances.

An actress and director in one person, she was a member of the KVN jury more than once, and the chairman of the Kinotavr-2005 jury.

Galina Volchek is a Soviet and Russian theater director, actress and teacher, who in 1989 received the title of People's Artist of the USSR. In the theatrical environment, for example, she is called the “Iron Lady” - she is idolized and feared, respected and worshiped. Galina has done a lot in her life to raise culture to a high level, for which she became a holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland.

Galina Volchek was born in the early 30s in Moscow, into a family that was directly related to the stage and cinema. Galina’s mother, Vera Maimina, is a Soviet film screenwriter, and her father, Boris Volchek, is a famous director and cameraman who shot Soviet film hits “Pyshka”, “Thirteen”, “Lenin in October” and others.

As a child, Galya loved reading, so the girl’s free time rarely passed without her favorite book in her hands. Seeing his daughter’s interest, the father pushed Galina to enter the only Literary Institute in the Union named after. But it is unlikely that a child who has absorbed the life of an actor and director from the cradle would have chosen a different path. Galina entered the Moscow Art Theater School, where she studied until 1955.

Theater

The theatrical biography of Galina Volchek is full of significant events from the very beginning. A year after graduation, Galina Volchek, together with Liliya Tolmacheva, founded the new “Studio of Young Actors”, which will soon turn into the cult Sovremennik Theater.

And if in the late 50s Volchek appeared on stage as an actress, then in 1962 Galina Borisovna began her directorial career, which will go down in the history of Soviet and Russian art. Looking ahead, we note that in 10 years Galina will become the main director of the theater, and in the late 80s she will head the theater as artistic director.

In 1984, Galina Volchek plays Martha in the production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, and this role becomes Volchik's last appearance in the theater as an actress. From this moment on, the artist focuses on her directorial career.

Volchek’s first directorial experience brings tremendous success. This was a production of William Gibson's play “Two on a Seesaw,” which has not left the Sovremennik stage for more than 30 seasons. Two more significant works of the director are “An Ordinary Story” based on the novel and the play “Three Comrades” based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque. The first of them brought Galina Volchek the USSR State Prize, and the second in 1999 “raised the ears” of Moscow and created a real sensation.

Galina Volchek was the first Soviet director to break the cultural blockade between the Soviet Union and the United States. She staged several performances of Russian classics in American theaters, including the famous Broadway, where a Russian troupe played for the first time since 1924. And these were not just performances “for show”. Volchek's tours were marked by one of the most prestigious US national awards in the field of dramatic theater - the Drama Desk Award, which for the first time in the long history of this award was awarded to a non-American theater.

The famous director shared her experience with the new generation, and taught mainly not in Russia, but abroad. For example, Galina Volchek recently conducted a course of lectures and practical classes at New York University.

Galina Volchek’s last production to date was William Gibson’s play “Two on a Swing” in 2015. This is the same work with which Volchek’s directorial career began. Fans see a mystical and cyclical meaning in this and note with sadness that the first work may be chosen by the director for production specifically in order to become the last.

Movies

Galina Volchek made her screen debut in 1957 in the film adaptation of the Spanish classic novel Don Quixote, playing the role of the strong maid Maritornes. Then there were roles in the films “The Sinful Angel”, “A Bridge is Being Built”, “King Lear” and others.

Sometimes the actress appeared only in episodes, but she also made them bright and unforgettable. For example, in the tragicomedy “Beware of the Car,” she simply played a tape recorder buyer in a store, but managed to attract the attention of the audience in ten seconds.

In the fairy tales “About Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Little Mermaid”, Volchek has negative roles of the wolf mother and the sea witch, but in them the actress perfectly realized her own talent. The films “Autumn Marathon”, “Unicum” and “Tevye the Milkman” were also successful.

In 1996, the actress stopped acting in feature films, but began to appear annually in documentary projects.

In the new millennium, Galina Volchek starred in a number of films dedicated to the actress’s colleagues: “The Life of Desdemona. ", "Unknown", ". Furious actor", "Three Loves", ". From hatred to love", ". A man with a past" and others.

The actress also starred in multi-part documentary projects “To Be Remembered”, “Idols” and “Film About a Film”, where she also talked about her colleagues, and not about herself. So far only books have been written about Galina Borisovna herself: “Galina Volchek. In the absurd and tragic mirror" by Gleb Skorokhodov, "Galina Volchek. As a rule, outside the rules" and "Galina Volchek. By itself” by Marina Raikina.

Galina Volchek tried herself in cinema and as a director. True, for a long time she simply filmed her best theatrical productions “An Ordinary Story”, “Hurry to Do Good”, “The Cherry Orchard” and many others. But she also had experience filming original scripts, for example, the heavy psychological dramas “Echelon” and “Steep Route”.

In 2015, Galina Volchek suddenly returned to television screens as an actress in a feature series. The actress played herself in the drama “Mysterious Passion,” a film adaptation of the novel of the same name. The series tells about real creative people of the last century, who, for the sake of artistic storytelling, wear fictitious, but easily decipherable names.

Personal life

Officially, Galina Volchek was married twice. The actress's first husband is the famous actor Evgeny Evstigneev, with whom she lived for 9 years and gave birth to a son. The son of Volchek and Evstigneev also could not leave the world of cinema and became a director. The child did not save the acting marriage; Volchek and Evstigneev separated.

Volchek claims that she was the initiator of the divorce from Evgeniy Alexandrovich. Despite subsequent relationships, the actress did not have any more children; the son from Evstigneev remained the only child of Galina Volchek.

Galina's second husband is the Soviet scientist Mark Abelev, Doctor of Technical Sciences, who taught at the Moscow Institute of Civil Engineering. Their union also did not last long, and the couple divorced.

Galina Volchek’s third marriage was civil and lasted almost 10 years, but the director prefers not to remember this period. In her own words, she “had two husbands, several affairs and one misunderstanding.” After this relationship, she no longer tried to start a family, considering that it was impossible to completely devote herself to theatrical activities and at the same time be a happy family man.

Galina Volchek’s main hobby, as the director likes to say, is “making stars.” Of course, you can’t argue that thanks to Galina Borisovna, the world learned about a huge number of artists. But if we talk about hobbies, it is worth noting that Volchek is a good fashion designer and has created a number of memorable outfits.

In 1995, Galina Volchek agreed to nominate her own candidacy for elections to the State Duma and entered the federal list of the electoral association “All-Russian socio-political movement “Our Home is Russia”.

For four years, the director sat in the State Duma and worked as a member of the Culture Committee, but in 1999, by her own decision, she left the walls of parliament.

Galina Volchek now

Recently, the 83-year-old star’s health has begun to fail. The director often ends up in hospitals; the last time Galina Volchek was on March 21, 2016, was with suspected pneumonia. After Galina Borisovna’s health condition stabilized, the director returned home.

Today Galina Volchek uses a wheelchair, but details about the director’s health are not disclosed. The press has not come to a consensus on this matter: some claim that Galina Borisovna is confined to a wheelchair and no longer walks, others adhere to the optimistic theory that the director is simply trying not to burden himself and give the body rest.

At the same time, a wheelchair does not prevent Galina Volchek from organizing creative evenings, meeting with friends and attending social events.

On April 28, 2017, Galina Volchek received the title of Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation with the wording “for special labor services to the state and people.” Also in 2017, Galina Borisovna celebrated a double theatrical anniversary: ​​60 years of working at Sovremennik, 45 of them as chief director.

Filmography

• 1970 - “King Lear”
• 1975 - “Waves of the Black Sea”
• 1977 - “About Little Red Riding Hood”
• 1979 - “Autumn Marathon”
• 1983 - “Unicum”
• 1983 - “Black Castle Olshansky”
• 1985 - “Tevye the Milkman”
• 1992 - “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
• 2008 - “Contemporary”
• 2010 - “Catherine III”
• 2015 – “Secret Passion”

Putin came to Sovremennik to congratulate Galina Volchek on her anniversary.

Today, December 19, theater and film legend Galina Volchek celebrates her 85th birthday, 60 of which she gave to her beloved Sovremennik Theater. Among his many friends and acquaintances, Russian President Vladimir Putin stopped by to personally congratulate Volchek on his anniversary.

The Russian leader arrived at the historical theater building on Chistoprudny Boulevard, which is opening after reconstruction. Volchek answered the president that there was no need for congratulations, but he did not agree with her.

“It’s definitely necessary, because it’s an opportunity intkbbach and sum up some results, and say words of gratitude to you for your contribution to national culture and to world culture,” the president said, handing her a bouquet of flowers, a painting and a book.

Putin also asked if there were any comments regarding the reconstruction of the building. The artistic director noted that there are no comments so far, but first we need to move and get comfortable. Volchek also invited Putin to watch the performance at Sovremennik.

Let us note that today in the play “Two on a Swing” at the Sovremennik Theater, Kirill Safonov plays with Kristina Orbakaite, who replaced Chulpan Khamatova. As Volchek shared, she was dumbfounded by the behavior of the actress, because of which the play, which was drawing full houses, almost closed, writes Kommersant.

The thing is that some time ago Chulpan approached Volchek and said that “trouble had happened” to her and she was temporarily unable to continue working in the theater for medical reasons for at least six months. At the same time, she vowed not to act anywhere, asking permission only for concert activities in order to somehow survive.

“But not even a month had passed since I found out that Chulpan was rehearsing in a theater in Moscow, then I found out that she was rehearsing in Riga at the same time, and somewhere else...” said Volchek.

The director was simply speechless from such deceit on the part of the famous actress.

“It didn’t just offend or hurt me. I realized that I had to say goodbye to this performance, that’s all. Then I thought: “No, I don’t have the right, since the audience believed so and went like that... And Kirill... Well, how in general... No, this is impossible." But who will play? I understood that replacing Chulpan Khamatova is not just difficult, that it is very difficult..." concluded Volchek.

It is noteworthy that, unexpectedly for everyone, the performer showed such strong acting talent that Galina Borisovna herself, who had seen everything on stage, was moved to tears.

“This was the first time in my theater... Suddenly I burst into tears and couldn’t stop,” admitted Volchek.

Galina Borisovna Volchek. Born on December 19, 1933 in Moscow. Soviet and Russian theater and film actress, theater director, teacher. Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1969). People's Artist of the RSFSR (1979). People's Artist of the USSR (1989). Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation (2017).

Father - Boris Izrailevich (Ber Izrailevich) Volchek (1905-1974), famous Soviet film director, screenwriter, cameraman, professor, Honored Artist of the RSFSR, laureate of three Stalin Prizes, as well as the USSR State Prize. Originally from Vitebsk, his neighbor was a famous artist; in his youth he even mixed the paints of the great master.

Mother - Vera Isaakovna Maimina (1908-1989), graduate of VGIK, screenwriter.

Galina is from a Jewish family, although, according to her, she always felt like a person of Russian culture. I’ve never seen my Jewish grandparents, and I don’t speak Yiddish. She was raised by a Russian nanny. Although she never hid her origin - for a long time she bore her middle name Berovna. And only when the father changed the name Ber to Boris, then she made changes to the documents.

Galina's parents separated when she was a schoolgirl. The girl decided to stay with her father. As a teenager, she showed her difficult character, started smoking early (which even brought her father to tears), tried to appear older than her age, bleached her hair and actively used cosmetics.

From an early age I plunged into a creative atmosphere not only thanks to my father and mother, but also to my friends. So, one of her neighbors studied at VGIK on the same course with and. Despite Galina’s young age, the students allowed her to visit them and communicated as equals.

At the age of 14, she first clearly showed her acting talent - for the sake of the guy with whom she was then in love - she agreed to play his aunt. And in this capacity I came to his school. She recalled: “I was about 14 years old. I put on my mother’s heels, found a hat - my mother probably got it from my grandmother. The hat was quite old-fashioned, with a veil. I covered my eyes with this veil, painted my lips to look more mature. And the head teacher believed me! ".

In 1955 she graduated from the School-Studio named after. V.I. Nemirovich-Danchenko at the Moscow Art Theater of the USSR, course A.M. Kareva.

Then she became one of the founders - together with - the Moscow theater-studio "Sovremennik". From a young age she played age-related roles. Volchek's acting works are always large characters, growing into a type, a symbol, but without losing their earthly basis.

Theatrical works of Galina Volchek:

1956 - Nyurka the Bread Slicer - “Forever Alive” by V. Rozov;
1957 - Klavdia Vasilievna - “In Search of Joy” by V. Rozov;
1959 - Nina - “Two Colors” by A. Zak and I. Kuznetsov;
1959 - Zoya - “Five Evenings” by A. Volodin;
1959 - Mother - “Burglars of Silence” by O. Skachkov;
1960 - First Maid of Honor - “The Naked King” by E. Schwartz;
1960 - Mother - “The Third Wish” by V. Blazhek;
1961 - Kistyakova - “According to Moscow time” by L. Zorin;
1962 - Actress - “Elder Sister” by A. Volodin;
1962 - Petra - “The Fifth Column” by E. Hemingway;
1963 - Mother - “Assignment” by A. Volodin;
1963 - Rook - “Without a cross!” according to V. Tendryakov;
1965 - Saleswoman, Ch. Intellectual - “Always on sale” by V. Aksenov;
1967 - Miss Amelia Ivens - “The Ballad of the Sad Zucchini” by E. Albee;
1967 - Trader - “People's Volunteers” by A. Svobodin;
1967 - Lida Belova - “Traditional Gathering” by V. Rozov;
1972 - Larisa’s Mother - “Don’t part with your loved ones” by A. Volodin;
1972 - Actress - “From Lopatin’s Notes” by K. Simonov;
1983 - Anna Andreevna - “The Inspector General” N.V. Gogol;
1984 - Martha - “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf” by E. Albee.

Being the youngest graduate of the Moscow Art Theater School, she, together with her classmates, created the Sovremennik Theater, which was headed by the young Oleg Efremov, under his leadership she came up with amazing performances that became symbols of Khrushchev’s “thaw”, and when Efremov left for the Moscow Art Theater, she became the main director, and then the artistic director of the famous theater.

Since 1972 - chief director of the theater, since 1989 - artistic director of Sovremennik.

As Volchek said, she herself did not intend to become a theater director. Oleg Efremov pushed her to this. Moreover, at first she herself was even offended, deciding that this humiliated her acting talent. However, then she was able to reveal herself as a brilliant theater director and artistic director.

She recalled: “Neither during my studies, nor in the first years of work at Sovremennik, did I intend to be a director. Although Oleg Efremov gave each of us such an opportunity: Igor Kvasha, Lilya Tolmacheva, Oleg Tabakov, and even Evstigneev directed !.. For some of the “contemporaries” one director’s test was enough, but in my case Oleg insisted that I stage one performance, then another... And then he called me and said: “Gal, don’t be upset. But We will transfer you from the acting staff to the directing staff. This will be more convenient for us for all." How I cried then! Although what kind of an actress was I? Especially in films. I played some small roles, mostly half-monsters. But I felt so It’s terrible to part with the fate that I “prescribed” for myself since childhood. But it turned out that I prescribed it for myself in vain.”

Theatrical productions of Galina Volchek:

1962 - “Two on a Seesaw” by William Gibson;
1964 - “On the Wedding Day” by Viktor Rozov (together with Oleg Efremov);
1966 - “Ordinary History” based on I.A. Goncharov, dramatization by Viktor Rozov;
1967 - “Bolsheviks” by M. Shatrov (together with Oleg Efremov);
1968 - “At the Bottom” by Maxim Gorky;
1969 - “The Princess and the Woodcutter” by Margarita Mikaelyan (together with Oleg Dahl);
1971 - “Own Island” by Raymond Kaugver;
1973 - “Climbing Fuji” by Chingiz Aitmatov, Kaltai Mukhamedzhanov;
1973 - “Weather for Tomorrow” by Mikhail Shatrov (produced together with Joseph Raikhelgauz, Valery Fokin);
1975 - “Echelon” by Mikhail Roshchin;
1976 - “The Cherry Orchard” by A.P. Chekhov;
1977 - “Feedback” by Alexander Gelman;
1978 - “UFO” by Vladimir Malyagin;
1980 - “Hurry to do good” by Mikhail Roshchin;
1981 - “Search-891” by Yulian Semenov (together with Valery Fokin, Mikhail Ali-Husein);
1982 - “Three Sisters” by A.P. Chekhov;
1983 - “Contemporary” talks about itself” (together with Galina Sokolova);
1984 - “Risk” by Oleg Kuvaev (production carried out jointly with Valery Fokin);
1986 - “Twin” by Mikhail Roshchin;
1988 - “The Scaffold” by Chingiz Aitmatov;
1989 - “Stars in the morning sky” by Alexander Galin;
1989 - “Steep Route” by Evgenia Ginzburg, staged by Alexander Getman;
1990 - “Murlin Murlo” by Nikolai Kolyada;
1991 - “Anfisa” by Leonid Andreev;
1992 - “Difficult People” by Yosef Bar-Yosef;
1992 - “Death and the Maiden” by Ariel Dorfman;
1993 - “Title” by Alexander Galin;
1994 - “Pygmalion” by Bernard Shaw;
1996 - “We are going, going, going...” by Nikolai Kolyada;
1997 - “The Cherry Orchard” by A.P. Chekhov;
1999 - “Three Comrades” by Erich Maria Remarque, staged by Alexander Getman;
2001 - “Three Sisters” by A.P. Chekhov;
2003 - “Anfisa” by Leonid Andreev;
2007 - “Hare love story”;
2008 - “Three Sisters” by A.P. Chekhov;
2009 - “Murlin Murlo” by N. Kolyada;
2013 - “The Gin Game” by D. L. Coburn;
2015 - “Two on a Swing” by W. Gibson.

Volchek became the first Soviet director to break the cultural blockade between the USA and the USSR. In 1978, in Houston, at the Alley Theater, M. M. Roshchin staged “Echelon.” In 1990, in Seattle, as part of the cultural program of the Goodwill Games, two performances by G. Volchek were shown: “Three Sisters” by A.P. Chekhov and “Steep Route” based on the book by E.S. Ginsburg.

A special place in the touring history of Sovremennik is occupied by the tour in New York in 1996-1997. For the first time since the famous tour of the Moscow Art Theater, which took place in 1924, a Russian troupe played on Broadway. “Three Sisters” and “The Cherry Orchard” by A. P. Chekhov and “Steep Route” by E. S. Ginzburg were received with great success by the American audience. The Broadway tour of Sovremennik was awarded one of the most prestigious US national awards in the field of dramatic theater - the Drama Desk Award, which for the first time in the long history of its existence was awarded to a non-American theater, and with an absolute majority of votes.

She always believed that the life of the theater lies in the change of generations, and therefore she assembled a young troupe and invited young directors.

"Who am I - an actress or a director? A director!", - said Volchek.

She has been repeatedly invited to perform in theaters in Germany, Finland, Ireland, the USA, Hungary, Poland and other countries.

Galina Volchek in the cinema

She made her screen debut in 1957 in the film “Don Quixote” directed by Grigory Kozintsev, playing the role of Maritornes.

Galina Volchek in the film "Beware of the Car"

In 1969, she played her first leading role - in Leonid Agranovich’s detective story “Own”. Her heroine is the wife of a convicted swindler Zoya Mamonova.

In 1975, she played the main role in the comedy “Mayakovsky Laughs” - based on the play “The Bedbug” and the script “Forget About the Fireplace” by V. Mayakovsky. On the screen she appeared in the images of Madame Renaissance and a hack actress.

Galina Volchek in the film "Mayakovsky Laughs"

The actress showed herself to be a master of the episode and showed talent in typical supporting roles. It is worth noting her work in the films “King Lear” (Regan), “My Destiny” (anarchist Olga Nefedova), “Waves of the Black Sea” (Madame Storozhenko), “Simply Sasha” (Nina Petrovna), “About Little Red Riding Hood” (She-Wolf) ), “Autumn Marathon” (Varvara), “Unicum” (Emma Fedorovna).

Galina Volchek in the film "Autumn Marathon"

In October 1995, she was included as a candidate in the federal list of the electoral association “All-Russian socio-political movement “Our Home is Russia””. She was elected as a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the second convocation, and was a member of the Committee on Culture. In 1999 she left the walls of parliament.

She did a lot of theater teaching abroad. Recent invitations include a course of lectures and practical classes, as well as a performance at the New York University Tish School of the Arts. Galina Volchek is one of the few women who was invited to the jury of the KVN Major League, and was also the chairman of the jury of the open Russian film festival “Kinotavr-2005”.

Galina Volchek. Alone with everyone

Galina Volchek's disease

Since 2014, the actress’s spinal disease, namely an intervertebral hernia, began to progress. She appeared incl. due to excess weight, which puts pressure on the intervertebral discs, creating unbearable pain.

Galina Volchek was observed by Dr. Ilya Pekarsky, one of the most famous vertebrologists and spinal surgeons in Israel. However, Galina Borisovna refused the operation. A bad heart also prevented him from undergoing surgery.

Lung problems and hypertension were also reported in the media.

In March 2016, Volchek was hospitalized at the Botkin Hospital after suffering from the flu.

In 2017, Galina Volchek appeared in public for the first time in a wheelchair - when the Russian President presented her with the “Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation” award in the Kremlin.

Galina Volchek's height: 163 centimeters.

Personal life of Galina Volchek:

About her personal life, Volchek said that she “had two husbands, several affairs and one misunderstanding.”

About her marriage with Evstigneev, Galina Volchek said: “I was attracted by his inner insecurity. I also experienced in some way something maternal, because he was torn away from his parental home, from his mother, whom he loved, but who, due to circumstances, gave him only that , that she could give, and Zhenin’s intellectual and spiritual potential was much richer. And the most important thing for me was that I immediately saw in him a great artist, and therefore a personality... Despite all sorts of conversations, we got married. At first it was psychologically difficult period in relations with my father, his new wife and my nanny (and we all lived together in the same apartment). At some point, when the situation had already become tense, I declared with my characteristic maximalism: “We are leaving and will live separately!" And we practically went out onto the street. For a while we even had to spend the night at the station. We moved eight times because we rented one room or another until we got a separate one-room apartment. Because of such homeless life, we did not have "no furniture, no belongings. Over time, dad fell in love with Zhenya, respected him and starred him in all his films, at least in a small episode."

She filed for divorce from Evstigneev when she caught her husband cheating. “I don’t know how to be second. And I don’t even know how to be first. Only the only one,” she explained. Having learned that her husband was cheating on her, she packed Evstigneev’s things, called the woman with whom, as she was informed, her husband was dating, and sent him away with the words: “Now you won’t have to deceive anyone.”

However, they were able to maintain a good relationship after the divorce. Later, when Galina Borisovna staged the play “At the Lower Depths”, and Evstigneev was no longer working at Sovremennik, but at the Moscow Art Theater, she invited him to her production and he agreed.

Second husband- Mark Yuryevich Abelev (born 1935), Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor at the Moscow Institute of Civil Engineering, USSR State Prize laureate, taught at the Moscow Institute of Civil Engineering. Were married in the period 1966-1976.

The second husband was very jealous of Galina, tried to control her every step, and often caused scenes. According to rumors, their marriage broke up when Mark Abelev suspected Galina of having an affair with director Georgy Tovstonogov.

The actress was credited with a number of other novels, in particular, with actor Gennady Pechnikov.

The actress’s friends told reporters that Galina Volchek was always liked by men and there were always many fans of the opposite sex around her.

Galina Volchek. Wife. Love story

Filmography of Galina Volchek:

1957 - Don Quixote - Maritornes, woman at the inn
1958 - Soldiers were walking... - nurse in a restaurant (uncredited)
1958 - Vasisualiy Lokhankin (short film) - Varvara
1962 - Sinful Angel - Aphrodite, wife of Stavridi
1963 - Cheka employee - wife of an arrested speculator
1965 - A bridge is being built - Rimma Borisovna Sinaiskaya
1966 - Theatrical meetings of the Bolshoi Drama Theater in Moscow (film-play)
1966 - Beware of the car - tape recorder buyer
1967 - First courier - Aunt Nusya from Moldavanka
1969 - Ours - Zoya Ivanovna Mamonova, wife of a convicted swindler
1970 - King Lear - Regan, daughter of Lear
1973 - My destiny - Olga Dmitrievna Nefedova, anarchist
1974 - Dombey and Son (film-play) - Skewton
1975 - Mayakovsky laughs - Madame Renaissance / hack actress
1975 - Waves of the Black Sea - Madame Storozhenko
1976 - The Little Mermaid - Innkeeper / Witch
1976 - Simply Sasha - Nina Petrovna, Lena’s mother
1976 - Forever Alive (film-play) - Nyura
1977 - About Little Red Riding Hood - She-Wolf
1979 - Autumn Marathon - Varvara, “Thumbelina”, Buzykin’s classmate
1983 - Black Castle Olshansky - episode
1983 - Unicum - Emma Fedorovna, head of the research institute laboratory
1985 - Tevye the Milkman (film-play) - Golda
1987 - Oleg Efremov. For there to be a theater (Oleg Efremov. For The Theater To Be...) (documentary)
1992 - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (film-play) - Martha
1996 - Twenty minutes with an angel (film-play)
1996 - Broadway of Our Youth (documentary)
2002 - To be remembered. Galina Sokolova (documentary)
2002 - The Life of Desdemona. Irina Skobtseva (documentary)
2005 - Unknown Oleg Efremov (documentary)
2007 - A film about a film. Autumn Marathon (documentary)
2007 - Three loves of Evgeny Evstigneev (documentary)
2007 - Mikhail Ulyanov. The Man Who Was Believed (documentary)
2007 - Everyone chooses for themselves... (documentary)
2007 - Evgeny Lebedev. The Furious Actor (documentary)
2007 - Eternal Oleg (documentary)
2007 - Big, big baby. Yuri Bogatyrev (documentary)
2008 - I am a seagull... Not that. I'm an actress. Tatyana Lavrova (documentary)
2008 - Mikhail Kozakov. From hate to love (documentary)
2008 - Alexander Vampilov. I know I won't be old... (documentary)
2010 - Equal to one Gaft (documentary)
2010 - Natalya Selezneva. Eyes Wide Open (documentary)
2010 - Lydia Smirnova. A Woman for All Seasons (documentary)
2010 - “Idols” with Valentina Pimanova. Tatiana Lavrova. Didn't like it, didn't live long enough... (documentary)
2010 - Konstantin Raikin. High Security Theater (documentary)
2010 - Catherine III (documentary)
2010 - Gaft, who walks by himself (documentary)
2011 - Three lives of Evgeny Evstigneev (documentary)
2011 - Elena Yakovleva. InterLenochka (documentary)
2013 - Sergey Garmash. A man with a past (documentary)
2013 - Unknown Mikhalkovs (documentary)
2013 - Igor Kvasha. Against the Current (documentary)
2013 - Igor Kvasha. Personal pain (documentary)
2013 - Another Andrey Myagkov (documentary)
2013 - Garik Sukachev. Everything is fair (documentary)
2014 - Yankovsky (documentary)
2015 - Mysterious passion - Galina Volchek

Director's works of Galina Volchek:

1970 - An Ordinary Story (film-play)
1971 - Your Island (film-play)
1972 - At the Bottom (film-play)
1974 - Dombey and Son (film-play)
1976 - Forever Alive (film-play)
1982 - Hurry to do good (film-play)
1987 - Bolsheviks (film-play)
1988 - Echelon (film-play)
1992 - Difficult People (film-play)
1992 - Anfisa (film-play)
2003 - Three Comrades (film-play)
2006 - The Cherry Orchard (film-play)
2008 - Steep route (film-play)
2009 - Hare. Love story (film-play)

Prizes and awards of Galina Volchek:

USSR State Prize in the field of literature, art and architecture in 1967 (in the field of theatrical art) (November 1, 1967) - for the play “Ordinary History” at the Moscow Sovremennik Theater;
Honored Artist of the RSFSR (December 30, 1969);

People's Artist of the RSFSR (05/30/1979);
People's Artist of the USSR (08/18/1989);
Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 1st degree (2008, December 17);
Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree (2003, December 19);
Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree (1996, April 15);
Order of Friendship of Peoples (1993, December 17);
Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1976);
Order of Merit, III degree (Ukraine, 2004, April 19);
“Own Track” Award (2001);
Two Olympia awards from the Russian Academy of Business and Entrepreneurship - 2002 and 2003;
Prize of the President of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art 2001 (2002, January 30);
International K. S. Stanislavsky Prize (2002);
Georgy Tovstonogov Prize “for outstanding contribution to the development of theatrical art” (2006);
Theater Star Award (2011);
Golden Mask Award for outstanding contribution to the development of theatrical art (2013);
Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (2013) - for great services in the development of national culture and art, many years of fruitful activity;
Insignia “For Services to Moscow” (Moscow, 2006) - for services to the development of theatrical art, great contribution to the cultural life of the capital and many years of creative activity;
Gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation (2006) - for his great contribution to the development of theatrical art and many years of creative activity;
Moscow City Prize in the field of literature and art (theater art category) (2013) - for preserving the traditions of the theater and fruitful work with young directors, actors and artists;
Theater Award "Golden Mask" (Moscow, 2014) - for outstanding contribution to the development of theatrical art;
Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation (2017) - for special labor services to the state and people. The award was presented on April 28, 2017 in the Kremlin by the President of Russia.