Boris Zakhava was a notable Soviet actor and director best known for his portrayal of General Kutuzov in the epic film War and Peace (1965) by director Sergey Bondarchuk.

He was born Boris Evgenyevich Zakhava on May 12, 1896, in Pavlohrad, Russian Empire. His father, named Evgeni Zakhava, was a graduate of the Moscow Imperial Cadet School and served as an officer at the Russian Imperial Army. Young Boris Zakhava followed in his father's footsteps; from 1910 to 1913, he served at the 3rd Moscow Imperial Cadet School, graduating as an Imperial Army officer in 1913. While being a Cadet, Zakhava engaged in amateur acting and was involved in the Centennial Celebration of the Victory over Napoleon in 1912, in Moscow.

From 1913-1916, Zakhava studied at the acting class of Vsevolod Meyerhold and also took acting at the Moscow Vakhtangov studio under the legendary actor-director Yevgeni Vakhtangov. In 1916, Zakhava was hired as an actor by Vakhtangov and worked with the Vakhtangov Theatre for the rest of his life. In 1925, he became teaching director at the acting studio and also took the position of leading director at the Vakhtangov Theatre Company. In 1932, Zakhava produced and directed the acclaimed drama 'Egor Bulychev i drugie' (Yegor Bulychev and Others) by Maxim Gorky. From 1939, Zakhava became director of the Shchukin Theatrical School (formerly Vakhtangov's acting studio). He promoted student actors and directors to the main stage, resulting in a successful 1939 production of 'Solomennaya shlyapka' (aka.. Straw hat) by young director Andrey Tutyshkin. In 1958 Zakhava himself directed the production of Shakespeare's Hamlet starring Mikhail Astangov in the title role.

From 1916 - 1976 Boris Zakhava was a member of the Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. From 1924 to 1966, he was chairman of the Artistic Soviet at Vakhtangov Theatre, a position created specially for Zakhava to help him mitigate some tensions between members of the troupe and management. Zakahava proved himself as a skilled problem solver who protected his actors from the Soviet political pressures. Zakhava worked with such actors as Mikhail Ulyanov, Ruben Simonov, Boris Zakhava, Mikhail Astangov, Varvara Popova, Yuliya Borisova, Lyudmila Maksakova, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Marianna Vertinskaya, Nina Ruslanova, Irina Kupchenko, Natalya Tenyakova, Nikolai Plotnikov, Yuriy Yakovlev, Vladimir Etush, Vyacheslav Shalevich, Andrei Abrikosov, Grigori Abrikosov, Boris Babochkin, Nikolai Gritsenko, Nikolai Timofeyev, Vladimir Osenev and Vasiliy Lanovoy, and other notable Russian actors.

Boris Zakhava was awarded the State Prize of the USSR in 1952. He was decorated by the Soviet government for his achievements on stage and in film. Zakhava was honored with the title of the People's Artist of the USSR in 1967. He was best known for his portrayal of Kutuzov in the epic War and Peace (1965), directed by Sergey Bondarchuk. Boris Zakhava was also a legendary acting coach. He taught several generations of Russian actors, such as Mikhail Ulyanov, Yuriy Yakovlev, Vasiliy Lanovoy, Lyudmila Maksakova, Nikolai Gritsenko, Nikolai Timofeyev, Rolan Bykov, Andrey Mironov, Aleksandr Kalyagin, Leonid Filatov, Vyacheslav Shalevich, Leonid Kanevskiy, Mikhail Derzhavin, Aleksandr Shirvindt, Aleksandr Zbruev, and many other renowned actors.

Boris Zakhava was among the leading actors and directors of the 20th-century acting school in Russia. He was a professor of the Soviet State Theatrical Institute (GITIS), and Doctor of Art History. He was designated People's Actor of the USSR. Boris Zakhava was laid to rest in the Novodevichi Convent Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.

Boris Zakhava

Director

Actor