Vladimir Gulyaev did not happen to play a single major role in the movie. But the audience will forever remember the vivid images of simple Soviet children created by him. Not all fans of his acting talent know that during the war, Gulyaev, being at the controls of an airplane, ruthlessly smashed the fascist invaders.
From the biography of Vladimir Leonidovich Gulyaev
The future theater and film actor was born in Sverdlovsk on October 30, 1924. Vladimir's father was a candidate of historical sciences, he worked in the political department of the aviation school. Mom Gulyaeva was a teacher.
Volodya dreamed of the sky from childhood. At 15, he enrolled in an aero club. The passion for flying came in handy for Gulyaev during the war. After the treacherous attack of the Nazis on the USSR, Gulyaev, together with his peers, went to the draft board. But he was turned back there, since Volodya was not yet 17 years old.
Then Gulyaev went to work as a simple mechanic in an aviation workshop. A year later, he put on the uniform of a cadet of an aviation school. Vladimir got to the front in 1943 with the rank of junior lieutenant.
At the front, the attack pilot Gulyaev became one of the best pilots of his formation. On his account sixty sorties on the IL-2. During the fighting, the pilot was wounded and shell-shocked more than once.
Injuries made themselves felt: after the end of the war, the pilot was commissioned. Gulyaev had to say goodbye to a military career. Ahead was the career of an actor.
Creativity of Vladimir Gulyaev
Having completed his military service, Gulyaev thought about the future. In search of his place in life, Vladimir entered the VGIK. He studied in the workshop of Mikhail Rum and Sergey Yutkevich.
During his career in cinema, Gulyaev has never received a leading role. But he did great in supporting characters. The actor very frankly and sincerely portrayed ordinary people in the movies. The images created by Gulyaev forever remained in the memory of the audience. Examples are the roles of Gulyaev in the films "Alien Relatives", "Country Doctor", "Test of Fidelity."
All-Union fame for Vladimir brought a role in the cult Soviet film "Spring on Zarechnaya Street" (1956). The couplets that the dashing driver Yurka sang in the frame are Gulyaev's improvisation.
In the piggy bank of the creative achievements of the actor - the role of a policeman in the famous comedy "The Diamond Arm". He had to play military and police more than once. Gulyaev managed to convince the audience that charming people serve in the army and law enforcement agencies.
The heyday of Gulyaev’s career fell on the 50s. In the following decades, he was offered mostly modest roles in episodes.
Over the years of work in the cinema, Vladimir Leonidovich was fortunate enough to play along with illustrious actors. Among them: Oleg Basilashvili, Yuri Nikulin, Alla Larionova.
