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Artyom Bystrov was born on 19 March 1985 in Gorky, Gorky Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia]. He is an actor and producer, known for The Fool (2014), Tochka opory (2024) and Planeta.

Maksim Gorky is a pseudonym of Aleksei Maksimovich Peshkov, who was born into a poor Russian family in Nizhnii Novgorod on Volga river. Gorky lost his father at an early age, he was beaten by his stepfather and became an orphan at age 9, when his mother died. He was brought up by his grandmother, who helped his development as a storyteller.

He was blessed with a brilliant memory, but failed to enter a University of Kazan. At age 19 he survived a suicide attempt, because the bullet missed his heart. After that Gorky traveled on foot for 5 years all over Central Russia, worked as a sailor on a Volga steamboat, then a salesperson, a railway worker, a salt miller, and a lawyer's clerk. At that time he was arrested for his public criticism of the Tsar and social injustices in Russia. He started writing for newspapers and published his first 'Sketches and Stories' in 1890s. Later he wrote an autobiographic book "My Universities" based on impressions from his travels and jobs. Gorky wrote with sympathy about the simple folks, the outcasts, the gypsies, the hobos and dreamers in the context of social decay in the Russian Empire. He became friends with Anton Chekhov and Lev Tolstoy. His play 'The Lower Depths' (1892) was praised by Chekhov and was successfully played in Europe and the United States. His political activism resulted in cancellation of his membership in the Russian Academy. Anton Chekhov and Vladimir Korolenko left the Academy in protest and solidarity with Gorky. He went to live in Europe and America in 1906-13. In America he started his classic novel, 'The Mother', about a Russian Christian woman and her imprisoned son, who both joined revolutionaries under the illusion that revolution follows Christ's messages.

After the Russian revolution in 1917, Gorky criticized Lenin and communists for their "bloody experiments on the Russian people". He wrote, 'Lenin and Trotsky are corrupted with the dirty poison of power. They are disrespectful of human rights, freedom of speech and all other civil liberties". Soon Gorky received a handwritten warning letter from Lenin. Later his friend Nikolai Gumilev, ex-husband of Anna Akhmatova was executed by communists. In 1921 Gorky emigrated to Europe and settled in Capri. He became careful in his critique of communism. In 1932 after a series of brief visits, he returned to Soviet Russia. He was placed in a rich Moscow mansion of the former railroad tycoon Ryabushinsky. His return from the fascist Italy was a victory for Soviet propaganda. He was made the Chairman of the Soviet Writer's Union, and a figurehead of "socialist realism" . After the murder of Kirov in 1934 Gorky was under a house arrest. His son died in 1935. The following year Gorki Gorky died suddenly at the Lenin's dacha in Moscow.

Natalya Kudryashova was born on 12 October 1978 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, USSR. She is an actress and director, known for Pionery-geroi (2015), The Man Who Surprised Everyone (2018) and Peterburg. Tolko po lyubvi (2016).

Evgeniy Aleksandrovich Evstigneev was born on October 9, 1926, in Gorky, Russia, USSR (now Nizhni Novgorod, Russia). His father, Aleksandr Mikhailovich Evstigneev, was a metal worker. His mother, Maria Ivanovna (nee Chernysheva), was an industrial metal-miller. Young Evstigneev also worked as an industrial metal-worker in the city of Gorky.

In 1946 Evstigneev made an effort to enter the Gorky Theatrical School. There he was criticized by one of the examiners and was rejected with a comment: "We do not need short, balding actor.s" He had to return to his industrial job. However, he was able to express his creativity through music performances. Evstigneev was fond of American jazz music: he played drums with a local jazz-band in the city of Gorky. There he was scouted by Vitali Lebsky, director of Gorky Theatrical School. Vitali Lebsky immediately noticed Evstigneev's bright smile and musical virtuosity, and was impressed with Evstigneev's radiant personality and stage presence. Lebsky admitted Evstigneev to his acting class without an entrance exams. From 1946-1951 Evstigneev studied acting and graduated from the Gorky Theatrical school in 1951. From 1951-1954 he worked with the Vladimir City Drama Theatre.

In 1954 Evstigneev came to Moscow in his pursuit of an acting career. At that time the cultural revival known as the "Thaw" was initiated by Nikita Khrushchev, which opened many new opportunities for talented people. From 1954-1956 Evstigneev studied at School of Acting of the legendary Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT). There he became involved with the Moscow intellectual and artistic milieu. In 1955 Evstigneev joined Oleg Efremov, Oleg Tabakov, Igor Kvasha, Galina Volchek, and other student-actors to start an independent theatre company, named 'Studio of Young Actors'. In 1956, upon their graduation, Evstigneev and his fellow actors became co-founders of their own theatre company in Moscow which became known as "Sovremennik". In 1957 he married actress Galina Volchek, their son Denis Evstigneev was born in 1961.

Evstigneev shot to fame after he starred as Comrade Dynin in 'Dobro pozhalovat, ili postoronnim vkhod vospreshchen' (Welcome, or No Trespassing 1964) by director Elem Klimov. He made remarkable performances in films from such directors, as Grigoriy Chukhray, Eldar Ryazanov, Mikhail Shvejtser, Aleksandr Alov, Vladimir Naumov, Karen Shakhnazarov, Leonid Filatov, Stanislav Govorukhin, Vladimir Bortko, Yuriy Kara, and other Russian film directors. From 1971-1992 he was a permanent member of the troupe of Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT). His stage partners were Anastasiya Georgievskaya, Oleg Efremov, Sergey Yurskiy, Aleksandr Kalyagin, Viktor Sergachyov, Evgeniy Kindinov, Boris Shcherbakov, and other notable Russian actors.

Evgeni Evstigneev was awarded the State Prize of the USSR (1974) for his theatrical work. He was designated People's Artist of the USSR (1983) and received numerous awards and recognitions for his acting works in film and on stage. Evstigneev suffered from a chronic heart condition and complications from a heart attack. He died while undergoing preparation for a heart surgery on March 4, 1992, in London, England, and was laid to rest in the Novodevichy Convent Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.

Natalya Pavlenkova was born on 7 September 1960 in Gorky, Gorky Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia]. She is an actress, known for Zoology (2016), Conference (2020) and Ne khodite, devki, zamuzh (1985).

Vladimir Vikhrov was born on 17 January 1954 in Gorky, RSFSR, USSR [now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia]. He was an actor, known for Krasnye dipkurery (1977), Ekipazh mashiny boevoy (1983) and Den svadby pridyotsya utochnit (1980). He died on 6 September 2010 in Moscow, Russia.

Yevgeniy Yegorov was born on 30 July 1999 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. He is an actor, known for Mira (2022), Guests (2019) and The North Wind (2021).

Aleksandr Veledinskiy was born on 27 July 1959 in Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhegorodskiy kray, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a writer and director, known for The Geographer Drank His Globe Away (2013), Zhivoy (2006) and 1993 (2023).

Igor Maslennikov was born on 26 October 1931 in Nizhny Novgorod, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He was a director and writer, known for Sentimentalnyi Roman (1976), Pisma k Elze (2002) and Zimnyaya vishnya 2 (1990). He died on 17 September 2022 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Ilya Alekseev was born on 27 September 1980 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, USSR. He is an actor, known for Dark World (2010), Pretorianets (2024) and Devushka na million (2022).

Lyudmila Khityaeva was born on 5 August 1930 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia]. She is an actress, known for The Night Before Christmas (1961), Ekaterina Voronina (1957) and Evdokiya (1961).

Andrey Fayt was born on 29 August 1903 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Empire [now Russia]. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Battleship Potemkin (1925), The Great Consoler (1933) and Treasure Island (1972). He was married to Galina Kravchenko and Maria Nikolajewna Briling. He died on 17 January 1976 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Artyom Suchkov was born on 3 August 1992 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. He is an actor, known for Mafia: Game of Survival (2016), The (UN)perfect Guy (2020) and To the Lake (2019).

Sergei Desnitsky is a Russian actor of Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT).

He was born Sergei Glebovich Desnitsky on April 4, 1941, in the Soviet Union. From 1958 - 1962 he studied acting under A. Karev and G. Gerasimov at Moscow Art Theatre School of Acting, graduating in 1962 as an actor. In 1968 he starred in the title role in Eksperiment doktora Absta (1969), by director Anton Timonishin. He later continued his 'Sci-Fi' career as the title character in Pilot Pirx's Inquest (1979), adapted from the eponymous book by Stanislaw Lem.

Since 1964 Sergei Desnitsky has been a permanent member of the troupe at Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT). There his stage partners were such renown Russian actors as Anatoli Ktorov, Alla Tarasova, Olga Androvskaya, Angelina Stepanova, Mikhail Yanshin, Viktor Stanitsyn, Aleksey Gribov, Boris Livanov, Mikhail Kedrov, Mark Prudkin, Anastasiya Georgievskaya, Vasili Toporkov, Mikhail Bolduman, Pavel Massalsky, and the next generation of MKhAT actors - Oleg Efremov, Tatyana Doronina, Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Oleg Tabakov, Kristina Babushkina, Alla Pokrovskaya, Kira Golovko, Tatyana Lavrova, Nina Gulyaeva, Olga Barnet, Iya Savvina, Irina Miroshnichenko, Elena Panova, Darya Moroz, Olga Litvinova, Natalya Rogozhkina, Ekaterina Semyonova, Olga Yakovleva, Raisa Maksimova, Evgeniya Dobrovolskaya, Anastasiya Voznesenskaya, Andrey Myagkov, Stanislav Lyubshin, Vladimir Kashpur, Vladlen Davydov, Viktor Sergachyov, Vyacheslav Nevinnyy, Evgeniy Kindinov, Vladimir Krasnov, Dmitriy Nazarov, Sergey Sazontev, Avangard Leontev, Igor Vasilev, Igor Vernik, Sergei Sosnovsky, Mikhail Porechenkov, Konstantin Khabenskiy, Valeri Khlevinsky, Aleksei Agapov, Valeriy Troshin, Mikhail Trukhin, Eduard Chekmazov, Aleksey Kravchenko, and Evgeniy Mironov among others. During the 1960s - 2000s Desnitsky made stage appearance in about 100 various roles. His most memorable stage roles were as Karelin in 'Shestoe Iyulya' (aka.. The 6th of July) by Mikhail Shatrov, and as Monakhov in 'Varvary' (aka.. The Barbarians) by Maxim Gorky. He also appeared in supporting roles in Anton Chekhov's classic plays 'Chaika' (aka.. The Seagull), 'Dyadya Vanya' (aka.. Uncle Vanya), and 'Vishnevy sad' (aka.. The Cherry Orchard). Besides his acting career, Desnitsky was assistant director for Boris Livanov and Oleg Efremov.

Since 1991 Desnitsky with his wife, actress Vera Desnitskaya, has been performing with their own theatrical enterprise in Moscow. There he made acclaimed performances as Illarion in 'ya, babushka, Iliko i Illarion' (aka.. Me, grandmother, Iliok, and Illarion) by Nodar Dumbadze. He played about twenty roles in Soviet films and on television, and also made voice-overs for characters in Soviet cartoons, as well as imported foreign films. Desnitsky was designated Honorable Actor of Russia. He is living in Moscow, Russia.

Vera Voronkova was born on 21 March 1965 in Gorky, Gorky Oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia]. She is an actress, known for Lyubovnik (2002), Paradise (2016) and Kontakt (2005).

Anna Kolomiytseva was born on 10 November 1898 in Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Governorate, Russian Empire [now Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Private Ivan (1955), Teper pust ukhodit (1963) and Ivan Brovkin na tseline (1959). She died on 30 July 1976 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Maia Usova was born on 22 May 1964 in Gorky, RSFSR, USSR [now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia]. She is married to Abatoly Orletsky. They have one child. She was previously married to Alexander Zhulin.

Natalya Gudkova was born on 23 October 1977 in Gorky, RSFSR, USSR [now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia]. She is an actress, known for Dikiy (2009), Bullet: Ek Dhamaka (2005) and Voditel dlya Very (2004).

Nikolay Kruglov was born on 8 April 1981 in Gorky, RSFSR, USSR [now Nizhny Novgorod, Russia].

Vsevolod Korshunov is a Russian film critic, film drama theorist, podcaster. He is the regular film reviewer for podcast show Close-Up (2020).

Vsevolod Korshunov graduated from the Department of Journalism at the Philological Faculty of Nizhny Novgorod State University in 2000.

In 2002, he began to live in Moscow. In 2008, he graduated from the Screenwriting and Film Studies Faculty of the S. A. Gerasimov All-Russian State University of Cinematography (a.k.a. VGIK). Since 2009, teacher of the faculty "Dramaturgy" at VGIK. In 2014, he defended his dissertation on the topic "Non-classical methods of compositional construction of a modern screenplay" for the degree of candidate of Art history.

From 2010 to 2021, he was the chief editor of the documentaries and TV series department of the TV channel Russia-Cultura.

In 2012, he attended a Summer Workshop for Instruction in Screenwriting, USC Cinematic Arts. He became the curator of the Practical Film Criticism program and a teacher of intensive courses "History of Cinema" and "Modern Cinema" at the Moscow Film School.

Since 2020, co-host of the Kinopoisk podcast Close-Up (2020) reviewing and analyzing old and new films.

Claude Génia was born on 4 March 1913 in Vetluga, Russian Empire [now Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia]. She was an actress, known for Le père Goriot (1945), La louve (1949) and The Count of Monte Cristo (1954). She was married to Jacques Le Beau. She died on 18 May 1979 in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France.

Anatoli Marienhof was born on 24 June 1897 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Empire [now Russia]. He was a writer, known for The Living Corpse (1929), Dom na Trubnoy (1928) and Vesyolaya kanareyka (1929). He died on 24 June 1962 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia].

Vassa Bokova was born on 8 May 1996 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. She is an actress, known for Tochka opory (2024), Korol i Shut (2023) and The Method (2015).

Eduard Limonov was born on 22 February 1943 in Dzerzhinsk, Gorky Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia]. He was a writer and actor, known for Russkoe (2004), Des Teufels Kinder (2011) and Symphony of Donbass (2015). He was married to Ekaterina Volkova, Nataliya Medvedeva, Yelena Shchapova and Anna Rubinshtein. He died on 17 March 2020 in Moscow, Russia.

Igor Levit was born on 10 March 1987 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.