Koroviev is dead

January 3, 2008

Aleksandr Gavrilovich Abdulov

Aleksandr Abdulov, the actor who played so grandiosely the Koroviev character in Vladimir Bortko's TV series Мастер и Маргарита (Master i Margarita) in 2005, died on January 3, 2008 in Moscow.

Aleksandr Gavrilovich Abdulov, born on May 29, 1953, in Tobolsk (Soviet Union), wanted to become a sportsman first, but his father encouraged him to act. In 1975 he graduated at the GITIS, the Russian Academy for Theatre Arts in Moscow.

In 1974 he played his first major role in the movie Про Витю, про Машу и морскую пехоту (Pro Vityu, Pro Masyu i Morskuyu Pjekhotu) or About Vityu, about Masyu and the Sea Force.

In the 80's Aleksandr Abdulov was considered a sex symbol in many films, among which Женщина в белом (Zhenshchina v Belom) or Woman in White. This movie is inspired by the novel of the same name from 1859, written by the Britisch author Wilkie Collins.

In the 90's Abdulov focussed his work on theatre plays. Though he continued playing in movies, most of the time he worked at the Lenkom-theatre in Moscow.

In 2005 he was widely praised for his Koroviev role in Vladimir Bortko's TV series Мастер и Маргарита (Master i Margarita). In 2007 he continued his success with roles in very popular TV series like Anna Karenina and Leningrad.

In between, in 2006, he had directed the theatre play Пролетая над гнездом кукушки (Proletaya nad gnezdom kukushki) or One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, the Lenkom-theatre and played the lead character of Randall P. McMurphy himself. In the movie picture of the same name, this role was played by Jack Nicholson.

In September 2007 he was diagnosed with lung cancer in an Israeli clinic. His health was failing ever since. Aleksandr Abdulov was last seen in public in December 2007 at an awards ceremony at the Kremlin, where president Vladimir Putin awarded him with the Order of National Merit. He got this award for his roles in films, theatres en on TV.



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