Alexander Kaidanovsky Pics

Alexander

Kaidanovsky

23 July 1946

Leonidovich

Average

Blue

Blonde

Rostov-na-Donu, Russia

Cancer

03 December 1995

Moscow

3d infarction

White

Russian Orthodox

His best known roles are in films such as At Home Among Strangers (1974), Telokhranitel/The Bodyguard (1979) and Stalker.

Russian

Female

Alexander Kaidanovsky primarily appeared in classic Russian films such as The Golden River (1973) and Nikita Mikhalkov`s At Home Among Strangers, a Stranger at Home (1975). Internationally, he is best-known for playing the title role in Andrei Tarkovsky`s classic sci-fi/thriller Stalker (1979). During the 1980s, Kaidanovsky attempted to become a director but returned to acting in the `90s. Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation, 1992. A native of southern Russia, Kaidanovsky studied his craft at the Rostov Theater School and at the Schukin Institute. He then spent 1969 to 1971 performing with the Vakhtangov Theater and 1971 to 1972 with the Moscow Arts Theater before making his film debut in 1973. In 1973 Alexander was conscripted into the military service. He served in the unique cavalry regiment, the only one in the Soviet Army. (This unit was created especially to film battle scenes for Russian movies). There he was noticed by film directors for his "belogvardeets" (white army officer) look. So then Alexander excelled in movies about the Civil War 1917-1920. By the late 1970s Kajdanovsky had had credits in some noted films, including adventure stories Propavshaya ekspeditsiya (1975) (The Lost Expedition), Zolotaya rechka (1976) (Golden River), a fantasy Test pilota Pirxa (1978) (Pilot Pirks Tested). At his peak Kaidanovsky was among Soviet Russia`s most popular actors during the `70s, but in 1980, he turned his back on performing to study directing at the Institute of Cinema in Moscow. This greatest twist in his career came with Andrei Tarkovsky giving him the lead in Stalker (1979). Kajdanovsky attended Tarkovsky`s writing seminar and under his teacher`s influence he wrote and directed Prostaya smert (1985) (An Ordinary Death) - an adaptation of one of Leo Tolstoy`s stories - the film won honour at the Malaga film festival. Kaidanovsky`s most acclaimed film is The Kerosene Seller`s Wife (1988). In addition to directing films, Kaidanovsky has held special workshops for aspiring directors in which he acts as a mentor and guides them through the filmmaking process. In 1993, Kaidanovsky directed a video about the life of Sergei Paradjanov, Maestro. He then returned to acting, appearing in international productions such as Secrets Shared With a Stranger (1995). Kajdanovsky`s starring role in Spanish film El aliento del diablo (1993) (The Devil`s Breath) and in Hungarian Buvos vadasz (1994) (Magic Hunter) made him an international celebrity and resulted in him having been invited to become the juryman of the 1994 Cannes Film Festival.Unfortunately alcohol ruined his life, he could hardly maintain his career between the bouts of drinking, he died on December 3, 1995, 3 months short of 50.

Rostov Theatre School, 1965, Moscow Shchukhin Institute, 1969

Alexander Leonidovich Kaidanovsky

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