Nikolai Dmitrievich Mordvinov

Nikolai Dmitrievich Mordvinov was a Soviet theatre and film actor, People's Artist of the USSR, and a laureate of the Stalin and Lenin Prizes. He was born in Yadrin (now in Chuvashia) into the family of a well-known local merchant. He studied at the Yadrin primary school and then continued his education at the local real school. From his school years he took part in amateur performances.

 

From 1919 to 1920 Mordvinov performed in the amateur theatre attached to the Gubsouz and the Music and Drama Section of the Regional Education Department (ONO). From 1920 to 1923 he served in the Red Army (RKKA), working as a clerk and performer. After demobilization he worked in Yadrin for the Union of Education Workers. In 1924 he enrolled in CETETIS (now GITIS) in Moscow, but at the end of the year he was expelled for professional unsuitability.

 

In 1925 Mordvinov joined the drama studio of Mosprofobr under the direction of Yu. A. Zavadsky. After the studio was reorganized into a theatre-studio he worked there until 1936. From 1936 to 1940 Mordvinov was an actor at the Rostov M. Gorky Drama Theatre. In 1940 he joined the Mossovet Theatre under Zavadsky's leadership, where he served until the end of his life. He worked on radio and television and performed recitation programs. Nikolai Mordvinov died in Moscow in 1966 and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery.