Galina Volchek in a wheelchair. Volchek, in a wheelchair, was shocked by her painful appearance. Family and children of Galina Volchek

This article will focus on the famous actress of Soviet and Russian cinema, director and teacher - Galina Volchek. During her long life she was able to become “ People's Artist THE USSR". She received the Order of Merit for the Fatherland for her efforts. She has achieved everything in her life herself and is an example to follow. He has a son who admired his mother from an early age and decided to follow in Galina’s footsteps. The life of this wonderful woman is quite busy, so let's move on to detailed analysis biographies.

Height, weight, age. How old is Galina Volchek

Although the actress is already quite an old woman, everyone who is interested in her wants to know everything before the smallest details, including height, weight, age. How old is Galina Volchek, the question arises, because our heroine looks pretty good from the photographs. On this moment the actress is 83 years old. Weight is 65 kilograms, and height is 163 centimeters. Galina was born under the star of Sagittarius in the year of the Rooster. Unfortunately, the woman is now ill and therefore her weight is rapidly decreasing. But fans and loved ones hope for Volchek’s recovery.

Biography and personal life of Galina Volchyok

Biography and personal life of Galina Volchek, the most interesting point in the life of an actress. She was born in winter, December 19, 1933 in the capital of Russia. In a family of film scriptwriters and directors. That's why future star, could not go to study in another profession.

She spent her entire childhood reading books. From an early age, Galina enjoyed sitting all day long and getting into the lives of book characters.

In 1955, she graduated from the Moscow Art Theater School, after which she went to work in the theater. She and her colleagues in the workshop, such as Oleg Efremov, Evgeny Evstigneev and others, create the “Studio of Young Actors”, after some time this project will turn into famous theater"Contemporary".

Filmography: films starring Galina Volchyok

In 1962, our heroine decides to try herself as a director and she does it quite well. She received her main success from the play “Two on a Swing,” which was performed on the theater stage more than 30 times. Other works such as: “Three Comrades” and “ An ordinary story", also brought considerable success to Galina. She also conquered the United States with her performances, for which she was awarded the Drama Desk Award.

In addition to the theater, the actress also acted in films and has a fairly extensive filmography to her credit. Here are a few of the films where she played direct roles: “Don Quixote” (1957), “Autumn Marathon”, “The Tale of Little Red Riding Hood” and others. She also managed to try herself as a film director, which turned out quite well.

In total, Volchyok was engaged twice in her life. Her first marriage was with her work partner Evgeny Evstigneev, to whom she gave birth to a son. The second marriage was with the scientist Mark Abeleyev, but they also had to separate.

Family and children of Galina Volchek

The family and children of Galina Volchyok are an accessible topic for everyone to read. If you don’t yet know what family our heroine was born into, we’ll tell you. The girl's father was a certain Boris Volchek, he was a famous director at that time, as well as a cameraman. Mother, Vera Maimina, was a film screenwriter. And as you might guess, Galina had no choice; she would have had to follow in her parents’ footsteps anyway. The most important thing is that even my grandfather was closely connected with cinema.

Children for Volchyok are the flowers of life. She loves her son Denis very much. He became like his mother famous person. Works as a film director and producer. Lives with his beloved Ekaterina.

Son of Galina Volchek - Denis

Galina Volchek’s son, Denis, like his mother, followed in the footsteps of his parents. The young man was born on October 29, 1961. From an early age I dreamed of becoming known as my mother. And in 1983, he graduated educational institution, operator by profession. Immediately after this, he takes part in the filming of the film. After a short period of time he is rewarded State Prize THE USSR. Throughout his career, he has taken part in many projects, including starring in some films. Was engaged twice. Now he often visits his mother, due to her deteriorating health.

Galina Volchek's ex-husband - Evgeny Evstigneev

Ex-husband Galina Volchek - Evgeniy Evstigneev, is People's Artist THE USSR. He was born back in 1926 on an autumn day. The parents were not connected with the stage. Initially, little Zhenya did not dream of a theater; he had to work at a factory. But the only difference from his peers was that he knew how to play many musical instruments. In 1946, he went to study at drama school.

He met our heroine on stage, after which he proposed “his hand and his heart” to her. After the wedding, the actress gave birth to his son. But the marriage broke up 9 years later. Unfortunately, the man died in 1992.

Galina Volchek's ex-husband - Mark Abeleyev

Galina Volchek's ex-husband is Mark Abeleyev, a successful Soviet professor. Born February 26, 1935. Since his father was a famous scientist, the boy wanted to follow in his parents’ footsteps since childhood. During his life he worked on many monographs. Received, in 1966, the State Prize of the USSR. Now he works as director at the Center for Innovative Sciences.

The marriage between Galina and Mark did not last long; they soon separated. The couple never had children. And now Mark has no relationship with anyone.

This year Galina Borisovna will celebrate her 85th birthday. It is known that Volchek has serious health problems, namely with the spine. Famous actress and theatrical figure suffers from a herniated disc. This happened, among other things, due to excess weight, which puts pressure on the intervertebral discs, creating unbearable pain and making it difficult to move without support. The disease began to manifest itself especially acutely in 2014.

Why is Galina Volchek in a wheelchair?

At the memorial service for Nina Doroshina, the artistic director of the Sovremennik Theater Galina Volchek was brought to wheelchair. Black glasses and a mourning scarf added mournfulness to the actress and director, who was already far from flourishing. She seemed exhausted and sick.

Galina Borisovna will celebrate her 85th birthday this year. She is older than all the leading artists of Sovremennik - Liya Akhedzhakova, Valentin Gaft, Marina Neelova. And she outlived everyone with whom she began to build Sovremennik - Nina Doroshina, Oleg Tabakov, Oleg Efremov. But over the years, it becomes more and more difficult for her to lead, stage performances, and stay in line.

Galina Volchek has serious health problems. Many, when they first saw her in a wheelchair, even whispered that the famous director was paralyzed. In fact, she has serious problems with her spine - an intervertebral hernia. Volchek is a lady with curves, so the weight of her body puts pressure on the intervertebral discs, creating unbearable pain and making it difficult to move without support. Moreover, since 2014, the disease, as they say in the theater, has been progressing.

Volchek has already been in intensive care several times

Volchek was observed by Dr. Ilya Pekarsky, one of the most famous vertebrologists and spinal surgeons in Israel and the world, who once treated Evgeni Plushenko. But Galina Borisovna refused the operation. After all, everyone who is familiar with this problem knows that spinal surgery is one of the most dangerous. An MRI is performed, and only if it turns out that the hernia is compressing the spinal cord or its roots, is a surgical intervention, but it does not guarantee 100% success. But Volchek is preventing the operation diseased heart. It is worth noting that constant stress and the nerves in the life of the artistic director and director also led to lung problems and hypertension.

Behind last years Volchek was admitted to the intensive care unit several times with various diagnoses. Position of artistic director of complex creative team brings stress and nervous situations every day. Hence, hypertensive crises and heart rhythm disturbances. We can only hope that Galina Borisovna’s strong-willed character will help her not to give up and overcome the disease.

Putin came to Sovremennik to congratulate Galina Volchek on her anniversary.

Today, December 19, theater and film legend Galina Volchek celebrates her 85th birthday, 60 of which she gave to her beloved Sovremennik Theater. Among his many friends and acquaintances, Russian President Vladimir Putin stopped by to personally congratulate Volchek on his anniversary.

The Russian leader arrived at the historical theater building on Chistoprudny Boulevard, which is opening after reconstruction. Volchek answered the president that there was no need for congratulations, but he did not agree with her.

“It’s definitely necessary, because it’s an opportunity intkbbach and sum up some results, and say words of gratitude to you for your contribution and to national culture, and to the world,” the president said, handing her a bouquet of flowers, a painting and a book.

Putin also asked if there were any comments regarding the reconstruction of the building. The artistic director noted that there are no comments so far, but first we need to move and get comfortable. Volchek also invited Putin to watch the performance at Sovremennik.

Let us note that today in the play “Two on a Swing” at the Sovremennik Theater, Kirill Safonov plays with Kristina Orbakaite, who replaced Chulpan Khamatova. As Volchek shared, she was dumbfounded by the behavior of the actress, because of which the play, which was drawing full houses, almost closed, writes Kommersant.

The thing is that some time ago Chulpan approached Volchek and said that “trouble had happened” to her and she was temporarily unable to continue working in the theater for medical reasons for at least six months. At the same time, she vowed not to film anywhere, asking permission only to concert activities in order to somehow survive.

“But not even a month had passed since I found out that Chulpan was rehearsing in a theater in Moscow, then I found out that she was rehearsing in Riga at the same time, and somewhere else...” said Volchek.

From such deceit on the part famous actress the director was simply speechless.

“It didn’t just offend or hurt me. I realized that I had to say goodbye to this performance, that’s all. Then I thought: “No, I don’t have the right, since the audience believed so and went like that... And Kirill... Well, how in general... No, this is impossible." But who will play? I understood that replacing Chulpan Khamatova is not just difficult, that it is very difficult..." concluded Volchek.

It is noteworthy that, unexpectedly for everyone, the performer showed such strong acting talent that Galina Borisovna herself, who had seen everything on stage, was moved to tears.

“This was the first time in my theater... Suddenly I burst into tears and couldn’t stop,” admitted Volchek.

The popularity of Galina Volchek has long gone beyond Russia. She is simply incredibly talented and hardworking, back in the 70s she was invited to America and Europe to give lectures, stage plays, and was given any stage of her choice. She practically lifted Sovremennik, long years is its permanent leader and ideological inspirer. Volchek not only stages performances, but is always ready to help any artist if suddenly his role doesn’t work out.

People's Artist of the USSR Galina Volchek was glorified by the theater. She famous director, actress and teacher. In her piggy bank there is a great variety theatrical productions. She doesn't have one in the movies leading role, but her minor heroines were never forgotten.

Childhood and youth

Galina Volchek was born on December 19, 1933 in Moscow, in a family of cinema workers. Father Ber Volchek (changed his name to Boris) is a renowned master of cinematography, cameraman and director, author of scripts for many films, has numerous prizes and awards of the USSR. His homeland is Vitebsk.

Mom Vera Maimina, screenwriter, graduated from VGIK. Her parents were Jews, but Galina herself recognized only Russian culture. She never saw her Jewish ancestors, she doesn’t know Yiddish, and she was raised by a Russian nanny. However, she was not ashamed of her origin. For many years she bore the middle name Berovna, and when her father became Boris, she straightened out her documents.

In the photo Galina Volchek as a child

Her parents divorced when Galya was still going to school. Mostly, after a divorce, children stay with their mothers, but Galina chose her father.

She had a very complex character, the girl learned the taste of cigarettes early, dyed her hair and put a lot of makeup on her face. This all terrified her calm dad.

But this was after her parents’ divorce, and before that she was an ordinary “gray mouse”, wore constant pigtails on her head and did not let go of the book. The girl played her first role at the age of fourteen; she took a risk for the sake of a boy she liked. His parents were called to school, and the girl pretended to be his aunt. I put on my mother’s high-heeled shoes, put an incredible hat with a veil on my head, put on more makeup on my lips, and went to the head teacher of the school. The most incredible thing was that the head teacher did not notice the catch.

In those same years, she became friends with a neighbor, a student at VGIK, whose classmates were and. She often disappeared in their company, and despite the fact that she was much younger, she found a common language with them.

When the time came to go to college, dad strongly recommended that his daughter try her hand at the Gorky Literary Institute, but Galina insisted on her own and became a student at the Moscow Art Theater School. Volchek received her university diploma in 1955.

Theater

Only a year has passed since graduation from the institute, and many events have already happened in the biography of Galina Volchek. It was at this time that she and her colleagues decided to create the “Studio of Young Actors,” which later became the Sovremennik Theater.

In the late 50s, Galina was involved there as an actress, and since 1962 she became the director of this theater. Ten years later, she took the chair of the chief director of this theater, and in the late 80s she became its artistic director.

In 1984, Volchek last time appeared before the theater public as an actress. It was Martha in the play "Who's Afraid" Virginia Woolf" After that, she devoted all her energy to directing.

Galina did not think at all about a career as a theater director, this was the advice of her friend -. At first she was even offended by him, because she decided that he considered her a useless actress. But life showed what it did right choice and reached unprecedented heights.

Galina Volchek's debut as a director was triumphant. She staged the play “Two on a Swing,” and for thirty seasons it was part of the theater’s repertoire. After this there were productions of “Ordinary History” and “Three Comrades”. The first work was awarded the USSR State Prize, and the entire Moscow theater audience was delighted with the second.

Galina managed to become the first among Soviet directors to go on tour in the United States. Thus, the cultural blockade between the two countries was broken. Her performances in Russian classical works were successfully performed in US theaters. The troupe even performed on their famous Broadway, and this was the first performance of a Russian troupe since 1924. After these tours, Galina Volchek received the most prestigious American award - the Drama Desk Award, which had previously been awarded exclusively to American theaters.

There is in the biography of Galina Volchek and teaching activity, which she worked exclusively abroad. She recently returned from New York University.

In 2015, Galina Volchek presented the audience with her latest production, “Two on a Swing.” This is exactly the performance from which the triumphant career of the eminent director began. Fans decided that Volchek specifically chose this performance to make it clear to everyone that the cycle was closed, and this production puts an end to her career.

Movies

Galina Volchek's cinematic career began in 1957, when she starred in the film Don Quixote. After this there were works in the films “A Bridge is Being Built”, “Sinful Angel”, “King Lear”.

Very often the actress is called for episodic roles, but they did not go unnoticed. In the film “Beware of the Car,” Volchek appeared in the role of the buyer of a tape recorder, but this insignificant shot did not escape the attention of the audience.

After this, there were a number of films in which the actress again played supporting roles or appeared in episodes. In 1996, Volchek disappeared from feature films to participate in documentaries every year.

The new millennium brought to Galina Volchek’s collection paintings about the life and work of her colleagues - Oleg Efremov, Evgeny Lebedev, Evgeny Evstigneev,.

Creative path Galina Volchek herself has not yet been filmed, although many books have already been written about her. Galina Volchek also has directorial work in cinema. At first she worked on film adaptations of her most striking theatrical productions, and then began filming real films. Volchek directed the films “Steep Route” and “Echelon”.

Galina Volchek’s return to cinema took place in 2015. She starred in the film " Mysterious passion", where she got the role of herself. The film tells the story of the life and work of artists of the last century, performing under invented names that are very well deciphered.

Personal life

IN personal life Galina Volchek had two official marriages. The first time she married, and their marriage lasted nine years. In 1961, their son Denis was born, who also became the successor of the glorious dynasty of directors. The birth of a child did not cement this marriage, and the couple soon divorced.

Galina always told everyone that it was she who initiated this divorce. Afterwards she had a relationship, but she no longer has children. Son Denis is the only child of Galina Volchek.

For the second time, Galina married the scientist Mark Abelev. He was a Doctor of Technical Sciences, a teacher at the Moscow Civil Engineering Institute. This marriage was also quite short.

Volchek lived in a civil marriage with her third husband for ten years, but she is trying to erase these years from her memory. Galina always jokingly said that she was married twice and had several affairs, one of which was a misunderstanding. After breaking up with common-law husband, Volchek no longer tried to arrange her personal life.

The woman came to the conclusion that she could not be torn in two between the theater and a happy family.

Galina Volchek considers her greatest hobby to be discovering new stars. And this is true, because a great many young actors passed through her hands, who, thanks to her care and participation, achieved something in this life. The director's talent in the field of clothing modeling has also awakened. Volchek knows how to create original outfits.

In 1995, Galina Volchek ran for election to the State Duma. For four years, she participated in all meetings of the Duma and was a member of the Culture Committee. In 1999, the actress left politics.

Health status

Galina Volchek often ends up in the hospital. In March 2016, the director was hospitalized and doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia. After the course of treatment, Volchek was discharged home.

Now she can only move with the help of a wheelchair, but what causes this remains a mystery. According to some statements, Galina does not walk at all and is forced to move in this way. And others believe that Volchek decided not to give her body heavy load, and allows him to rest.

Galina Volchek now

Even in this unusual form Galina Volchek did not disappear from theatrical life. She is still the organizer creative evenings, meets with friends and goes to social gatherings.

In the spring of 2017, Galina Volchek was awarded the title of Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation. Thus, the government recognized her invaluable contribution to development national culture and art. 2017 was the year of Galina Volchek’s double anniversary. Sixty years have passed since she worked at the Sovremennik Theater, and forty-five years as chief director.

Galina Volchek celebrated her 85th birthday on December 19, 2018. Naturally, at such an advanced age, she has health problems.

Theater productions

• 1962 - “Two on a Swing”
• 1964 - “On the wedding day
• 1966 - “An Ordinary Story”
• 1968 - “At the Lower Depths” by M. Gorky
• 1976 - “The Cherry Orchard”
• 1982 - “Three Sisters”
• 1988 - “The Scaffold”
• 1989 - “Steep Route”
• 1990 - “Murlin Murlo”
• 1994 - “Pygmalion”
• 1999 - “Three Comrades”
• 2013 - “The Gin Game”

The Moscow Sovremennik Theater is considered one of the best in Russia. Thanks to the stars cast and of course, artistic director, to whom Lately work activity doesn't come easy. Why is Galina Volchek in a wheelchair and how does she manage to cope with her responsibilities?

People who have noticed drastic changes, like appearance actress and artistic director, and her lifestyle.

Galina Volchek's health status

In fact, there is no need to panic; the woman feels quite self-sufficient. There are many health problems, but at her advanced age this is normal. On December 19, the artist turned 85 years old. She managed to outlive the old-timers of Sovremennik, among whom we remember Oleg Efremov, Nina Doroshina, Oleg Tabakov... Moreover, Galina Borisovna is older than all those who started with her acting career many years ago: Valentin Gaft, Liya Akhedzhakova, Marina Neelova...