It is impossible to imagine Soviet cinema without the Russian actor Lapikov. Both viewers and colleagues in the cinema, considered him a unique person and a talented artist. Lapikov proved to the world that even without a full theatrical education, you can play on stage masterfully.
Origins and biography
Ivan Gerasimovich Lapikov was born into a family of peasants. His mother gave birth to him while working on the field on July 7, 1922 at the Zayachiy farm (Volgograd Region). From childhood, he was fascinated by creativity, the main dream was the scene. Parents did not approve of his hobbies due to extreme piety. Despite their discontent, he enrolled at the Palace of Culture. Lenin in Stalingrad. In an orchestra consisting only of stringed instruments, Lapikov enjoyed playing the balalaika, a little later he entered a drama club and went to Kharkov. The outbreak of the war forced him to interrupt his studies, he spent only 2 courses at the school.
Family and career
In 1941, he began work at the Drama Theater in Stalingrad and dedicated 20 years to it. 6 years after the start of work, he met his life partner there - the noblewoman Julia Friedman. In 1950, they had a daughter, Elena, who was taken care of by her grandmother, because Lapikov and Fridman constantly disappeared at work. When Elena was 29 years old, she gave the parents of her grandson Alexei. Lapikov did not look for a soul in him, he was constantly engaged with him. By the way, thanks to Lapikov, by the age of ten, Alex had read all of Gogol’s works. Fate gave love and happiness to Lapikov in his personal life.
The scene was part of the life of Ivan Gerasimovich, where he worked not for prosperity. The family always lived modestly, despite his fame. In each of his roles, he literally “dissolved”, in the cinema he was nicknamed “The King of Episodes”. Surprisingly, the main roles in his creative career were few. Sometimes the role was so secondary that his participation was not even noted in the credits. But this did not upset Lapikov, but only motivated him to work harder.
