Leonid Alekseyevich Filatov (Russian: Леони́д Алексе́евич Фила́тов; [lʲɪɐˈnʲit əlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ fʲɪˈlatəf]; 24 December 1946 – 26 October 2003) was a Soviet and Russian actor, director, poet, pamphleteer, who shot to fame while a member of troupe at Taganka Theatre under director Yury Lyubimov. Despite severe illness that haunted him in the 1990s, he received many awards, including the Russian Federation State Prize and People's Artist of Russia in 1996.

Biography

Filatov was born on 24 December 1946, in Kazan. His father was Aleksey Yeremeyevich Filatov (1910 - 1980s), his mother - Klavdia Nikolaevna Filatova (b. 1924). The family frequently moved around, because father was a radio operator and spent much time in field expeditions. When the boy was seven years old his parents divorced, and Leonid moved along with his mother to Ashkhabad to join his mother's relatives. While a schoolboy, he had his first publications made in the Ashkhabad press.

In 1965, after finishing school he arrived in Moscow, and tried to become a film director, but failed the entrance exam at the State Institute of Cinematography - VGIK . However, LeonidFilatov was persistent, so on one of his classmate's advice he took entrance exams to the actor's department of the Shchukins’s Theatrical school. In 1965 he was admitted to the course of B.K. Lvova and L.N. Shikhmatov, and graduated from Schchukin Theatrical school as an actor in 1969.

In 1969 Filatov became an actor with the troupe of Moscow Taganka Theatre. His first main role was a lead in the play "What is to be done?" His career developed with the roles he played in "Master and Margarita", "Cherry Orchard", "House on the Embankment", "Fasten Belts", "Pugachev", "Antiworlds", "Comrade, believe", a role of Horatio in "Hamlet", Kul'chitskiy in "Fallen and Living", Federtsioni in the "Live of Galileo", "Players -21" - work with (Sergey Yursky’s creative association of artists.

From 1985 through 1987, while "Taganka" was under Anatoly Efros, Leonid Filatov at that time worked at the Sovremennik Theatre, then he returned to "Taganka". In 1993 Filatov joined Nikolai Gubenko, Natalya Sayko, Nina Shatskaya and other actors in founding a creative association named "Cooperation of the actors of Taganka" (Russian: "Содружествo актеров Таганки").

Author of several plays, such as "Artist from the Sherwood Forest" and "Sukiny deti" among his other works.

From 1970 Filatov worked in cinema. His most important roles were in such films as City of the first love, Ekipazh (aka.. "Crew"), Golos (aka.. "The Voice"), Women joke in earnest, Rooks, Success, Chicherin, Forgotten melody for the flute, City Zero, Charitable ball.

In 1990 he directed the film Sukiny deti (known in Russian as Сукины дети, the unofficial English title being Sons of Bitches), based on his own scenario, and also played a supporting role. It was entered into the 17th Moscow International Film Festival.

Since 1970 Filatov was writing songs in the co-authorship with Vladimir Kachan.

Leonid Filatov was married to the actress of the "cooperation of the actors of Taganka" Nina Shatskaya. The couple had a son and granddaughters.