Klara Luchko

   Klara Luchko - National Artist of USSR, State Prize winner, was awarded the Badge of Honor diplomas "Man of the Year" (1965), "Woman of the World" (1996, USA). She is one of the galaxy of screen stars which gave Poltava.

   Klara was born in July 1, 1925 in the village Chutove in Poltava region. Her father, Stepan was a man of gentle, intelligent by nature, endowed with spiritual purity. Many features of his character had passed to his daughter. He loved his daughter and, of course, was proud of her acting success. Mother - Anna Luchko - hardworking, intelligent, strong-willed woman with a peculiar Ukrainians mild sense of humor. Books, folk songs, classical music was inherent attributes of family life, they have contributed to the aesthetic education.

   In 1928 the Luchko family moved to Poltava. For three years, little Klara dreamed of become an actress. She and her friends often organized funny performances, costume evening in masquerade costumes, they danced around the Christmas tree, reciting poetry, participated in the drama circle.

   When practicing a difficult pieces, in which there were many characters, then they were combining with other drama circles. At rehearsals were present pupils, headed by Yuri Tymoshenko (later known actor-humorist Tarapunka).

   Klara was an active, enterprising kid with varied interests. For a year in the sixth grade she trained shepherd for frontier post, and some time later received the news that her dog had helped to stop the violator of the border. She was awarded a trip to the pioneer camp "Artek" and an excursion to Moscow to the Exhibition of Economic Achievements.

   When the war started, she graduated from the 7th grade. Family Luchko was evacuated to Central Asia. Here Klara has "ten-year" school and enrolled in the Actor department of All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography evacuated to Alma-Ata. She was involved in the workshop of teachers of the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography M.V. Bibikova and O. Pyzhov.

   After returning to Moscow State Institute of Cinematography Luchko continued her studies at the studio of remarkable master of cinema Gerasimov. The Gerasimov’s school, said Klara Luchko, gave so much to actors. She says, that “he taught us not to play themselves, but characters, the real meaning of hero, to live in the image”. However, for a long time Klara Luchko hasn’t shown her talent in educational work. No one did not mark her either "gifted" or "ungifted". But everyone noticed peculiarity of the future actress: she was not attracted by thin, delicate, soft watercolor image of a hero. Her creative style was closer to the exact nature and unusual fate, complex - such that you can paint with bright colors, lush brushstrokes, using a variety of tone colors.

   To reveal the image, you must love it or hate it, it is necessary that the very nature of the hero, his behavior was something worthy of love or hatred. It is the psychological richness of the hero allows artist to reveal the process of formation and development of his character - this is the creative credo of Klara Luchko.

   The first work of Klara Luchko in cinema was the role of Aunt Marina in the movie "The Young Guard" (1948). She received approval from the commission reviews and the mark "excellent". Then there were failures in films "Three Meetings" and "Homeland captain." Such a beginning disappointed a young actress, she seriously thought about leaving the cinema. But at this time Klara was noticed by director J. Pyrev. Working on the role of Dasha Shelest in the movie "The Kuban Cossacks" (1950), Clara Luchko was overjoyed. Working at this character gave the actress an impetus for further searching.

   After the film “Kuban Cossacks”, music to which was written by another famous poltavite Isaak Dunaevsky, Klara Luchko learned the whole country. She was often invited by the biggest directors - Sergiy Gerasimov, Vsevolod Pudovkin, Joseph Kheifets. During the years of creative life Klara starred in many films that became classics of Soviet cinema. Among the most famous works of Klara are roles in films "Donetsk miners" (1951), “The Return of Vasili Bortnikov” (1953), "A Big Family" (1954), "The Twelfth Night" (1955), "Next to us" (1957), "Red Leaves" (1958), "A Snow Fairy Tale" (1959), "Life is in Your Hands" (1959), "On the Seven Winds" (1962), "A State Criminal" (1964). In these films fate brought Clara Stepanovna with such notable actors as Vasil Merkuriev, Mykhailo Yanshyn, Pavlo Kadochnikov, Larysa Luzhina, Alla Larionova, Kateryna Savynova, Valentyn Zubkov. Actor's craft was given not easy. Filming in movies Luchko combined with the work on the stage of Central Studio of actor.

   In those years, life was very lavish to Klara giving her success and personal happiness. It seemed that everything was going perfectly. But in the 1960's Klara Luchko suffered personal drama, a sudden death of her husband - a brilliant actor Serhiy Lukyanov. Loneliness, anxiety about a little daughter. After the brilliant success in films came hard times. But Luchko did not refused any job in cinema and persistently continued to work.

   It is believed that life hardships are training actors for they can be ready to play main role in their life. And here fate and creativity are inseparable. For many actresses passing to the roles of age are painful. Fortunately, this did not concern to our fellow countryman. In recent years, Clara Luchko played her best roles. Cinema re-opened the actress and actress appeared as the wise master, who had something to say to the public.

   In the asset of the actress there are a lot of roles in films "A Guardian" (1970), "A Gypsy" (1979), "We, the undersigned" (1980), "Poor Masha" (1981), "Carnival" (1981), “The Casket of Maria Medici” (1981), "Troubling Sunday" (1983), etc. On the shooting area Klara Luchko always operated without a dubbing actor, even in fairly extreme scenes.

   Four-episode movies "A Gypsy" and "Returning of  Budulai", that clearly and passionately told the story of hard life and love of lonely hearts - Don Cossack woman Klavdiya Puhlyakova and a gypsy Budulai still stirring the souls of millions of viewers.

   The role of Claudia brilliantly played our Klara. The famous director Olexandr Blank, while being acquainted with the novel by Anatoly Kalinin "A Gypsy" has already seen her in the lead role of his future film. The actress accepted his proposal and has successfully passed screen tests.

   On the role of Budulai were testing such actors like Mykola Slichenko, Armen Djigarkhanyan and others, but they did not meet the director's vision of the hero. Olexandr Blank was desperated to find the male lead actor. And then Klara Luchko remembered Moldavian actor Mihai Volonteer, with whom she played leading roles in the film "The Root of Life" directed by Mykola Gibou at the studio “Moldovafilm”. Olexandr Blank agreed to her proposal, approved Mihai for the role of Budulai.

   In 1978 movie "A Gypsy" was put into production. the film was shot in Don, mainly in the village Puhlyakovskaya. Klara and Mykhailo were literally in love with the images of their screen heroes. They played so credible, up to self-denial. Episode by episode, frame by frame, created the future film.

   Shooting demanded not only a virtuoso acting, and sometimes the fortitude and courage. In the episode where  people said to the main character who lost faith in the searching her loved one: "Why to look for him, Budulai. Here he is, he is living not far from us. In the lodge on the island...». Obsessed with this exciting news for her, Klavdiya quickly gets into a boat and sails roaring Don to the opposite shore, leaning on the oars.

   Before shooting the first take of this dramatic episode, the director reassured the actress, he said that everything would be fine. If anything unexpected happen there would be a boat with sailors and the ambulance, they will help.

   Many hours have passed, the sun slowly rolled toward the horizon, but the boat did not come. When should they start to work? The director and the whole group were in despair. And then Klara Luchko said firmly: “We have to shoot until the sun while, though I can not swim and row”.

   No one has given any value to her last words. The film’s crew bustled; camera operator and a lighter have been waiting on the opposite side of Don. The actress first time in her life was rowing. One of the director’s assistant hurriedly explained to her how to row the oars in time to return the boat to the shore. And our courageous compatriot strongly swam against the stream, leaning on the naughty oars. The film’s crew was delighted with her behavior and professional dedication.

   Along with the actor's work Luchko worked at the University of Culture in Soviet Women's Committee, the Board of society "USSR - Australia", an acting section of the Union of Soviet cinema workers.

   Often she met the audience. She has represented the Soviet cinema at festivals, art tours, she visited many countries around the world, met with world-famous people: Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, the famous painter Pablo Picasso, the famous singer Paul Robeson.

   Died our glorious compatriot Klara Luchko in Moscow on 26 March 2005.

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