Olga Lebzak

Olga Yakovlevna Lebzak was born on October 23, 1914, in St. Petersburg, Russia (now Leningrad). From 1931 - 1935 she studied acting and directing at the Leningrad Institute of Theatre, graduating in 1935 as an actress and director. From 1935-1942 Lebzak was a member of the Leningrad Drama Theatre. In 1947 she made her film debut in a supporting role in Pirogov (1947) by director Grigoriy Kozintsev. From 1942-1983 Olga Lebzak was a permanent member of the troupe of Pushkin Drama Theatre in Leningrad (now Aleksandrinski Theatre in St. Petersburg). She was invited to the troupe of the oldest Russian drama theatre by the legendary director Leonid Vivien. Olga Lebzak was among the leading actresses of the Pushkin Drama Theatre. There her stage partners were such remarkable actors as Nikolay Cherkasov, Nikolai Simonov, Vasiliy Merkurev, Konstantin Skorobogatov, Yuriy Tolubeev, Aleksandr Borisov, Bruno Frejndlikh, Vladimir Chestnokov, Vladimir Erenberg, Leonid Vivyen, Igor Gorbachyov, Nina Mamaeva, Lidiya Shtykan, Nina Urgant, Valentina Panina, and other notable Russian actors. Among her best known stage works were such roles as Masha in 'Zhivoi Trup' (aka.. The Living Corpse), an adaptation of the eponymous book by Lev Tolstoy. Olga Yakovlevna Lebzak was known for her compassion and her legendary generosity. She was helping fellow actors during the time when they were struggling to survive under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. At that time Olga Lebzak and her husband hosted a big family of actor Vasiliy Merkurev and his wife Irina Vsevolodovna Meyerhold with six children, when they returned to Leningrad from Siberia, and had no place to live. Olga Lebzak was designated People's Artist of Russia. She enjoyed a stellar acting career spanning almost 50 years, and received awards and decorations for her works in film and on stage. Olga Yakovlevna Lebzak died in 1983, in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), and was laid to rest in Serafimovskoe Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Russia.