Osip Naumovich Abdulov

Born Nov. 3 (16), 1900, in Łódź; died June 14, 1953, in Moscow. Soviet Russian actor; People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1944).

Abdulov began his stage career in 1918 at the Shaliapin Studio. He worked at the Studio Theater under the direction of Iu. A. Zavadskii, at the Moscow Theater of the Revolution, and from 1943 at the Mossovet Theater in Moscow. In the 1930’s he began to appear in films. He also gave concerts and did radio work (he organized artistic broadcasts for children).

Abdulov was a brilliant character actor and often performed in comedies and satiric dramas. Among his best theater roles were those of Lyniaev (in Wolves and Sheep by Ostrovskii), Fromanteuil (in School for Defaulters by Verneuil), and Uncle Vasa (in Madame Minister by Nušić). His film roles were those of John Silver (in Treasure Island, after Stevenson), the Greek Dymba (in The Wedding, after Chekhov), and Krashke (in The Duel). He won the State Prize of the USSR (1951) and was awarded two orders.