Aleksei Vladimirovich Batalov was born on November 20, 1928, in Vladimir, Russia, to a family of renowned theatrical actors. His parents, Vladimir Petrovich Batalov and Nina Antonovna Olshevskaya, were both members of the Moscow Art Theatre under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko.
Growing up, Aleksei was exposed to the acting profession at a young age, living in the actor's apartments building at the Moscow Art Theatre. His mother later married writer Viktor Ardov, who was a neighbor of Osip Mandelstam. Aleksei became close friends with poet Anna Akhmatova, who often stayed in his room during her visits to Moscow. He also befriended writers Mikhail A. Bulgakov, Mikhail Zoshchenko, and Boris Pasternak, who were colleagues of his stepfather.
Aleksei made his film debut in 1945 with a cameo in 'Zoya' and later studied acting at the Moscow Art Theatre's Acting Studio-School of Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, graduating in 1950. He was drafted into the Red Army and worked as an actor with the Central Theatre of the Soviet Army from 1950-1953.
Batalov's breakthrough role came in 'Bolshaya Semya' (The Big Family) in 1954, directed by Iosif Kheifets, for which he won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. He continued to gain international recognition for his roles in 'The Cranes Are Flying' (1957) and 'The Lady with the Dog' (1960).
Aleksei Batalov also directed three films: 'Shinel' (1960),'Tri tolstyaka' (1966),and 'Igrok' (1973). He earned the State Prize of the USSR for his leading role in '9 dney odnogo goda' (1961) and was honored with the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1976.
Batalov's later work included 'Moskva slezam ne verit' (1979),which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1981. He continued to work in film and television, teaching acting seminars in the USA and Canada, and making notable works for the Moscow Radio.
Aleksei Batalov passed away on June 14, 2017, at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy of iconic performances and contributions to the world of Russian cinema.
