Oleg Strizhenov could well have become a magnificent painter. But he, being a diversified person, chose the craft of an actor for himself. Having played many notable roles in the theater, Oleg Alexandrovich eventually concentrated on working in the cinema. In this field, he achieved maximum success in life.
From the biography of Oleg Alexandrovich Strizhenov
The future actor was born on August 10, 1929 in Blagoveshchensk. His father was an officer of the Red Army, went through the Civil War, had military awards. When he met his future wife Xenia, she was married. The husband gave her a divorce. After that, the fate of Oleg’s parents united. Strizhenov had a brother, Gleb.
In the mid-30s, the Strizhenov family moved to Moscow. Here they found war. Gleb and Oleg and his mother remained in the capital, and the father and eldest son of Ksenia Boris went to the front.
Soon Gleb also went to fight: he added the missing years to the documents, which gave him the right to become a volunteer. However, soon Gleb was seriously shell-shocked, after which he was commissioned.
Oleg in those difficult war years studied in high school. A student, he was not only gifted, but also diligent. Teachers immediately noted his desire for creativity. Oleg excellently read poetry, perfectly painted. He devoted a lot of time to painting, honing his skills. No one doubted that Strizhenov Jr. would eventually become a famous artist.
After the war, Gleb, who had long dreamed of becoming an actor, persuaded Oleg to submit documents to the famous Pike. Oleg successfully passed the exams. The years of college began. Even then, Oleg proved to be a diverse actor. Here are just a few of his roles:
- Romeo in the famous tragedy of Shakespeare;
- Zhadov in the "Profitable Place";
- Imposter in Boris Godunov.
In 1953, Oleg graduated from college and received a distribution at the Russian Drama Theater in Tallinn. He was immediately offered the role of Neznamov in Ostrovsky's play Guilty Without Guilt. The production was a resounding success. The main role Strizhenov, no doubt, was a success. Oleg was waiting for a brilliant theatrical career. However, he chose cinema as his field.
The beginning of Oleg Strizhenov’s creative career
In 1952, work began on the film version of the novel Ethel Lilian Voynich "Gadfly". Director A. Fainzimmer was looking for the main role of a handsome young man who had not previously acted in films. One of the assistant directors visited the Shchukin School and attended a play based on the play of Shakespeare, where Oleg Strizhenov played the main role. Soon, the photo of the young actor was in front of Fainzimmer. However, this candidacy did not impress the director.
Meanwhile, the filming of the Gadfly was postponed until next year. By that time, Strizhenov had already conquered the public in the capital of Estonia. The production of the play “Guilty Without Guilt” impressed another assistant Fayncimer, who shared his thoughts with the director. Hearing a familiar surname, Faynzimmer invited Oleg to sample in Leningrad.
Strizhenov did not harbor any particular illusions about his candidacy. His competitors were many talented actors. It was assumed that Oleg was eliminated on the first test. But something incredible happened. Having gathered, Strizhenov was able to demonstrate all his acting talent at the screening. Feinzimmer was delighted with the young actor. Oleg Alexandrovich was immediately approved for the role of Arthur in Gadfly.
Almost immediately, filming began. This project has been extremely successful. After the release of the picture, Strizhenov immediately became famous. Oleg Alexandrovich's debut in the cinema coincided with another important episode in his life. On the set, the actor first saw his future wife Marianne: she was the performer of the role of Gemma. In this marriage, the Strizhenovs had a daughter, who was named Natasha.
Interesting offers from directors soon rained down on the performer of the role of Gadfly. The actor perfectly coped with the main role in the film "Mexican" based on the works of Jack London. In parallel, in 1955, Strizhenov starred with Grigory Chukhrai in the film "Forty-first." This work impressed both the audience and film critics: the film was awarded a prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
