Saveliy Viktorovich Kramarov was born on October 13, 1934, in Moscow, into a family of lawyers. In the 1930s, his father was arrested and labeled as a “enemy of the people”; he died in a labor camp, and shortly thereafter, Saveliy’s mother also passed away. Saveliy was raised by his uncle. He aspired to become a lawyer, but…2 Fotos

In corresponding institutions, children of “enemies of the people” were not admitted, and after graduating from school, he enrolled at the Lesotho Technical Institute.

In 1954, Saveliy’s acting career began at the theater studio affiliated with the Central Drama Institute, where he had enrolled while still in college. Soon thereafter, he met students from the VGIK, who invited him to appear in their film “Kids from Our Neighborhood” (1959). This experience convinced Saveliy to abandon his original profession and dedicate himself entirely to cinema.

His first successful role was in the film “My Friend, Kolyka!” (1961), which he later considered one of his best performances. Even greater success came with the film “The Invincible Avengers” (1966) – the phrase spoken by his character, “Along the road lie dead men with their scythes! And—silence!” became instantly famous.

Offers of work poured in one after another. Many renowned directors began inviting him to star in their films. In the 1960s, several films were released each year featuring his participation, such as “The Adventures of Krosch,” “Without Fear or Regret,” “A Tale of Lost Time,” “The City of Masters,” and many others. Roles were often written specifically for him, and he became one of the most popular comedy actors in the country, appearing in films like “Gentlemen of Success,” “The Big Change,” “12 Chairs,” “Ivan Vasilevich Changes Careers,” “Afonya,” and “Mimino.”

Despite his popularity, trouble began to arise for Saveliy. Officials viewed him with suspicion because his uncle had immigrated to Israel. Moreover, Saveliy practiced yoga, became increasingly religious, and attended synagogue services. As a result, he received fewer and fewer film offers, and people demanded that he abandon his religious beliefs. He was even accused of damaging the image of the Soviet citizen through his comedic roles.Deciding to emigrate, Saveliy found himself unable to leave the country since all his films with him in the main role had to be withdrawn from circulation. In 1981, he wrote a letter to U.S. President Reagan, complaining about his fate and requesting the opportunity to work in his field of expertise in the United States. Soon after, he departed for the United States.

In Los Angeles, he initially appeared in commercials and television shows before getting small roles in films such as “Moscow on the Hudson” and “2010.” Meanwhile, in the Soviet Union, his films continued to be shown, but his name was removed from the credits. In 1992, he returned to Russia as a guest at the “Kinotavr” film festival and later began acting again, with director M. Kokshenov giving him the lead role in the comedy “Russian Business” and G. Danelia offering him three episodes in the series “Nastya.” He returned to Russia a second time in 1994.His career progressed well at first, but he was subsequently diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery in spring 1995. However, complications arose, and he spent the final months of his life hospitalized, paralyzed and unable to speak. Until his last day, his wife Natasha read him letters from home.

Saveliy Viktorovich Kramarov passed away on June 6, 1995, in a clinic in San Francisco and was buried in a Jewish memorial cemetery near the city.