Savely 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, Savely’s mother also passed away. He was raised by his uncle. Kramarov dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but…2 photos

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Children of “enemies of the people” were not admitted to these institutions, so after finishing school, he entered the Leshotekhnicheski Institute.
Savely’s acting career began in 1954 at the theater studio attached to the Central Dramatic Institute, where he enrolled while still in college. Soon after, he met students from the VGIK, who invited him to appear in their film “Kids from Our Neighborhood” (1959). That experience convinced Savely to abandon his original career and dedicate himself fully to filmmaking.His first successful role was in the film “My Friend, Kolyka!” (1961), which he later considered one of his best performances. However, true fame came with the film “The Elusive Avenger” (1966), and the line spoken by his character—“Along the road stand the dead with their scythes! And—silence!”—became instantly iconic.
Offers of work poured in one after another. Many famous directors began inviting him to star in their films. In the 1960s, several movies were released each year featuring him: “The Adventures of Kroshek,” “Fearless and Blameless,” “A Tale of Lost Time,” “The City of Masters,” and many others. Roles were often written specifically for Kramarov. He became one of the most popular comedy actors in the country, appearing in films like “Gentlemen of Fortune,” “Big Change,” “12 Chairs,” “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Careers,” “Afonya,” and “Mimino.”Despite his success, trouble began to arise. Officials viewed him as someone with questionable connections, since Savely’s uncle had emigrated to Israel. Additionally, Kramarov practiced yoga and became more religious, attending synagogue services. As a result, he was increasingly rarely cast in films, and some even accused him of damaging the image of the Soviet citizen through his comedic roles.The actor decided to immigrate, but the authorities were reluctant to let him leave—the majority of his films (over forty) would then have to be withdrawn from circulation. In 1981, he wrote a letter to U.S. President Reagan, complaining about his situation and requesting the opportunity to work in his field in the United States… Soon after, Kramarov left the Soviet Union and moved to 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,” “2010,” and “Red Heat.” Back in the Soviet Union, his films continued to be released (though Kramarov’s name was removed from the credits).He returned to his homeland in 1992 as a guest at the “Kinotavr” film festival and soon began acting again. Directors like M. Kokshenov gave him leading roles in comedies such as “Russian Business,” while G. Danelyia cast him in three episodes of “Nastya.” He visited Russia again in 1994.His career in the United States was going well—he was offered a lead role in a new film—but he never got to portray it. Savely was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery in spring 1995. However, complications arose, and in his final months, suffering from two strokes, he lay paralyzed, blind, and unable to speak. Until his last day, his wife Natasha read thousands of letters from fans back home.Savely Viktorovich Kramarov passed away on June 6, 1995, at a clinic in San Francisco and was buried in a Jewish memorial cemetery near the city.