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Boris Sagal was born on 18 October 1923 in Yekaterinoslav, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for The Omega Man (1971), The Name of the Game (1968) and Rich Man, Poor Man (1976). He was married to Marge Champion and Sara Macon. He died on 22 May 1981 in Portland, Oregon, USA.

Daniil Sagal was born on 27 October 1909 in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for Blokada: Luzhskiy rubezh, Pulkovskiy meredian (1974), Meksikanets (1956) and Blokada: Leningradskiy metronom, Operatsiya Iskra (1977). He died on 18 July 2002 in Moscow, Russia.

Igor Vladimirov was born on 1 January 1919 in Yekaterinoslav [now Dnipropetrovsk], Ukraine. He was an actor and director, known for Lishniy bilet (1983), Ori okeanis saidumloeba (1957) and Tvoy sovremennik (1968). He died on 21 March 1999 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Leonid Brezhnev was a communist leader of the Soviet Union who restored a conservative, centralized state, initially raising living standards and bringing the country to its height but ultimately causing economic stagnation and disproportionate military growth. This process exhausted the Soviet economy and eventually led to collapse of the Soviet Union.

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev was born on December 19, 1906, in Kamenskoe Russian Empire (now Dniprodzerzhynsk, Ukraine). He went to Dnepropetrovsk Industrial College. There he joined the Communist Party youth union (Komsomol) in 1923, and became a full member of the Communist Party in 1931. He had no adult memories of life under Tsar Nicholas II and was too young to have participated in the leadership feud after the death of Lenin. During the purges of the "Great Terror" under Joseph Stalin Brezhnev proved himself a loyal Stalinist, suitable for the ranks of the Communist hierarchy. In 1935 he was drafted in a tank school. There he started a career as Political Commissar; and in 1936 was transferred to Regional Government, rising to the Party Secretary of Dnepropetrovsk in 1939. On June 22, 1941, the day the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union, Brezhnev was assigned to evacuate military industries before the Nazis reached his city. During WWII Brezhnev was assigned as Political Commissar to Transcaucasian Front; then to 1st Ukrainian Front. There chief Political Commissar was Nikita Khrushchev, who patronized Brezhnev's career since 1931. He was promoted to chief Political Commissar of the 4th Ukrainian Front, rising to a Maj. General. He was in Prague on May 9, 1945 when the War ended. Brezhnev took part in the Victory Parade on June 22, 1945, on the Red Square in Moscow, and saluted to Joseph Stalin, who stood atop the mausoleum of Lenin.

Brezhnev was promoted by Nikita Khrushchev to 1st Communist Party Secretary of Moldavia in 1950. In 1952 he was promoted to the candidate member of the Politburo, and had a meeting with Joseph Stalin in the Kremlin. "What a handsome Moldavian", said Stalin of Brezhnev. The death of Stalin on March 5, 1953, was followed by Khrushchev's takeover as the Head of the Communist Party in September, 1953. Main opponents were eliminated in a series of political executions, including that of Lavrenti Beria in December, 1953. Others were exiled, or degraded, like Marshal Georgi Zhukov. The cast of Soviet Leadership was changed. In 1953 Brezhnev was made the Chief of Political Directorate of the Army and the Navy (GPU). In 1955 he was made the 1st Communist Party Secretary of Kazakhstan. In 1956 Nikita Khrushchev denounced the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin in his Secret Speech to the 20th Congress of the Soviet Commuinst Party. In 1957 Brezhnev backed Khrushchev in a power-fight against Vyacheslav Molotov, Georgi Malenkov, and Lazar Kaganovich. In 1959 Brezhnev was promoted to Second Secretary of the Central Committee. In May 1960, he became the President of the Supreme Soviet, the nominal head of the Soviet Union.

Brezhnev, like many Soviet leaders, enjoyed many privileges, such as free villas and beach houses, valuable gifts, hunting and drinking parties. He was also using his secretaries and nurses for sex. But Brezhnev's adultery and alcoholism backfired in his own family - his daughter, Galina Brezhneva, modeled her personal life after her father and turned her life into an endless series of drinking parties and compromising love affairs. In 1961, while being married to a circus acrobat, Galina Brezhneva, then 32, met the 18-year-old actor Igor Kio, so she urgently divorced her husband and, using her name, eloped with the boy to a southern resort of Sochi. Her honeymoon lasted only 9 days. Enraged Soviet leader sent KGB to destroy her new family. Igor Kio was interrogated and pushed away from the Brezhnev's daughter, but she became revengeful and continued the affair with Kio for another three years, and later added more problems to her father's life.

In the late 50s and early 60s, the Soviet Union was undergoing liberalization, called "The Thaw" initiated by Nikita Khrushchev, who also initiated reforms in the Soviet government. While some people supported Khrushchev's reforms, many ranking communists were unhappy with the changes. Khrushchev's Thaw culminated in 1961 with the removal of Joseph Stalin's body from the Lenin's mausoleum on the Red Square, which further angered the hardliners. But at the same time, Khrushchev approved the construction of the Berlin Wall and caused many scandals while visiting foreign nations, which complicated international relations, culminating in Cuban Missile Crisis. Internal situation in the Soviet Union was rapidly deteriorating, because Khrushchev's agricultural reform failed, causing disastrous situation with food supplies, massive food lines triggered public unrest and Khrushchev thoughtlessly ordered the hungry people to be killed by the Red Army forces. Brezhnev used Khrushchev's mistakes to gain support for himself: he plotted a coup against Khrushchev and gathered several top-ranking communists to conspire against Nikita Khrushchev in order to stop his efforts to reform the Soviet Union.

On October 14, 1964, Brezhnev with co-conspirators Aleksey Kosygin and Nikolay Podgorny dismissed Nikita Khrushchev from office and denounced him. Khrushchev was forced into retirement under a house arrest on a small farm outside of Moscow. Brezhnev reversed liberalization, ended the "Khrushchev Thaw", and enforced censorship and total control over information, cultural life and education. In his May 1965 speech commemorating the 20th anniversary of Victory in WWII, Brezhnev mentioned Stalin positively. The onset of the "Cold war" caused 'freezing' of the Soviet economy. Entrepreneurial people went underground creating a parallel black market. The official economy relied on cheap labor and subsidies from oil and gas exports. The Soviet Military-Industrial Complex was somewhat efficient due to higher wages and ruthless control by the KGB and Soviet Army. Decay was still creeping into those bastions of communism. The arms race became unaffordable by the mid 1960's. 30% of the Soviet economy was directly or indirectly working for the arms race. Stockpiling of costly weapons undermined living standards that led to a fall in the birth rate, a shortage of labor, and an economic degradation. The country was pushed into a dead end.

Brezhnev played the script of Stalin which led the Soviet Union on a collision course with the world, and eventually to self-destruction. Control by fear and intimidation was back again. People were living hopeless lives having no choice. Workers of collective farms lived without identification documents up until 1970's. Undocumented citizens at collective farms were disposable. Migrants were used as industrial slaves, for symbolic pay. Wages were set by the state and did not depend on productivity or quality. The economy was governed by the state 5-year plan. This mostly ignored the world and domestic market signals; and lacked the incentives for innovation and efficiency. Teachers were forced to indoctrinate children of all ages from kindergartens through schools and universities. Total control and manipulation was demonstrated twice a year at annual May Day parades and Great Revolution parades on November 7. Military parades were accompanied by marching masses of industrial workers and managers, doctors and scientists, as well as teachers and students from all schools and universities. Exemplary obedient people were rewarded with better food and perks. Taming millions to obedience by fear and hunger led to a massive degradation of human rights, poor spirituality, lack of initiative and creativity, and decay of public health and vitality. The country of almost three hundred million people became stuck in stagnation, inefficiency, and apathy. Brighter students were taken into the military-industrial system, brainwashed and locked there for life with little choices. Opponents were locked in labor camps, mostly in Siberia. There, millions were working various hard labor jobs in grand-scale economic projects; like the Baikal-Amur railroad (BAM). Other dissidents were labeled as mentally ill and forcibly confined to mental hospitals. Since the Communist Revolution of 1917, people had been continually stripped of their land and property. Under Khrushchev and Brezhnev the destruction of independent farming was finalized. By the 1960's poverty and anxiety pushed masses to migrate to cities. Mass-construction of cheap panel buildings was lagging behind. Millions of families shared poor housing, hostels, and dorms in cities. Villages were deserted. Collective farms decayed. Agricultural output fell below the levels of the Tsar's age. Seven thousand churches were destroyed across the Soviet Union. Spiritual life was dominated by ugly propaganda. People were blinded by fear and pushed to wrong values. Meaningful human virtues were replaced with fake ideals of ruthless communism. Propaganda idolized members of the Soviet Politburo, their portraits were decorating every school and factory along with countless portraits and statues of Vladimir Lenin.

Political manipulations and brainwashing of millions led to devaluation of life itself. Immoral behavior became a massive problem. In 1966 Brezhnev was asked not to rehabilitate Joseph Stalin, in a letter signed by 25 distinguished intellectuals, including Andrei Sakharov, Igor Tamm, Pyotr Kapitsa, Korney Ivanovich Chukovskiy, Valentin Kataev, Viktor Nekrasov, Petr Korin, Maya Plisetskaya, Oleg Efremov, Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Georgi Tovstonogov, Mikhail Romm, Marlen Khutsiev, Boris Slutsky, Konstantin Paustovsky, Vladimir Tendryakov, Dmitri Shostakovich, and other Soviet luminaries. But Brezhnev's government retaliated with massive censorship. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was interrogated and intimidated. His writings were also banned. Trials of intellectuals like Andrey Sinyavskiy, Yuri Daniel, Joseph Brodsky, and others was only the tip of the iceberg. The head of KGB, Vladimir Semichastny, wrote a note on "Anti-Soviet activity of creative intellectuals". It listed the films '33' by director 'Georgi Danelia' and 'Na odnoi planet' by director Ilya Olshvanger. The KGB was angry at actors: "Today they play Lenin, tomorrow a merchant, after tomorrow a drunkard." Neo-Stalinist course was enforced by the leaders who were raised under Stalin and did not learn anything better than to abuse the enslaved people. Blinded leaders only tried to slow the movement to a dead end. Restrictions on travel and studies abroad blocked the learning of the achievements of other nations of the world. Information technology and computers made by Soviet Military Industries were incompatible and obsolete. Total control by the KGB led to stagnation and inefficiency. The brightest people defected and fled the Soviet gloom, causing the "Brain drain" in science and culture. In the 1970s the flow of Jewish emigration was initiated by reuniting families. The KGB caused financial and political obstacles to every emigrating person; but people were leaving at any cost. Aggressive foreign policy manifested in support for revolutionary regimes and spreading the Soviet political and military presence in Third World countries. National resources were wasted on controversial military operations at the expense of growing domestic problems including poverty and frustration of the people.

Brezhnev's regime crushed the Prague Spring of 1968, fought the Chinese Army over a border dispute in 1969, sent Soviet Tanks and Air Force to Egypt and Syria against Israel in the 1970's, as well as in North Vietnam against the French and Americans. The invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 undermined international credibility of the Soviet Union. Andrei Sakharov wrote an open letter to Brezhnev calling for a stop to the war. 50 nations boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Crackdown on intellectual freedom and human rights included the use of psychiatric terror, arrests, and the exile of dissidents. The head of the KGB, Yuri Andropov, declared Andrei Sakharov the "enemy No.1." Sakharov was forcefully exiled from Moscow to the militarized 'closed' city of Gorky. He was placed under tight surveillance and restricted from any contacts. His wife Yelena Bonner was also under tight surveillance.

During the 1970s Brezhnev's health declined dramatically as he became increasingly dependent on alcohol and drugs; but on his 70th birthday he made himself a Generalissimus Marshal of the Soviet Union, similar to that of Joseph Stalin. Brezhnev accepted over 200 decorations and awards, including awards from all pro-Soviet governments, except China. Brezhnev accepted countless expensive gifts and amassed a collection of vintage cars and other bribes. His personal vanity and behavior was replicated at all levels of the Communist Party and led to massive corruption. The old Brezhnev lost his acting abilities and couldn't even read the script. People were joking. The ugly reality was reflected in its leader. The youngest Politburo Member Mikhail Gorbachev was contemplating reforms. Brezhnev suffered a stroke in May 1982. He died of a heart attack on November 10, 1982; and was buried by the Kremlin Wall. He was succeeded by Yuri Andropov, who died just 16 months later. He was replaced by Konstantin Chernenko, who died in just 13 months. Then came Mikhail Gorbachev, but the country was already locked in a dying mode.

Brezhnev's daughter, Galina, was married four times and was regarded as a wild-child by the Soviet authorities. Her wild drinking parties often ended in escapades with younger men. In 1982, she was seen wearing jewels previously reported as stolen, she was also connected to jewel smugglers, so she was tried for stealing jewels from a celebrity, but was acquitted, while her powerful father was still the leader of the Soviet Union. Her third husband was convicted of bribery and corruption and sentenced to twelve years correction term in a hard-labor camp. In the 1990s, a British TV filmed a visit to the home of Galina Brezhneva, where she was interviewed while being drunk and demonstrating disgraceful behavior. At that time she was living with a mechanic who was 29 years younger. She remained impossible to deal with, so after numerous complaints from her neighbors and upon request of her own daughter, Galina Brezhneva was placed in a Moscow psychiatric hospital where she died in 1998. She was laid to rest in the prestigious Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow, Russia. Brezhnev's grandson, Andrei Brezhnev, joined the Communist Party of Russia in 2005. Brezhnev's granddaughter, Victoria, was robbed several times and is now divorced and unemployed.

Viktor Stanitsyn was a legendary actor and director of the Moscow Art Theatre, best known for his role as Prince Ilya Rostov in the Academy Award-winning film War and Peace (1965) by director Sergey Bondarchuk.

He was born Viktor Yakovlevich Gyoze (later changed name to Stanitsyn) on May 2, 1897, in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire (now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine). From 1918 - 1924 he studied acting under Michael Chekhov, following the system of Konstantin Stanislavski at 2nd Studio of Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT), graduating in 1924 as an actor.

From 1924 - 1976 Viktor Stanitsyn was a permanent member of the troupe at Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT). There his stage partners were such renown Russian actors as Konstantin Stanislavski, Olga Knipper-Chekhova, Ivan Moskvin, Alla Tarasova, Anatoli Ktorov, Olga Androvskaya, Angelina Stepanova, Nikolay Khmelyov, Mikhail Yanshin, Aleksey Gribov, Boris Livanov, Mikhail Kedrov, Mark Prudkin, Anastasiya Georgievskaya, Vasili Toporkov, Mikhail Bolduman, Pavel Massalsky, and the next generation of MKhAT actors - Oleg Efremov, Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy, Kira Golovko, Iya Savvina, Anastasiya Voznesenskaya, Irina Miroshnichenko, Oleg Tabakov, Andrey Myagkov, Vladimir Kashpur, Viktor Sergachyov, Vyacheslav Nevinnyy, Sergey Sazontev, Avangard Leontev, Igor Vasilev, and others. Stanitsyn's acting career spanned over 50 years, and he was a member of the board at Moscow Art Theatre (MKhAT). His most important stage works were such roles as Molchalin in "Gore ot Uma" (aka.. Woe from Wit), a play by Aleksandr Griboyedov, and Mister Pickwick in a popular stage adaptation of the Dickens's novel.

Viktor Stanitsyn received the Stalin's Prize five times (1944, 1947, 1949, 1951, and 1952), was designated People's Actor of the USSR (1948), and was awarded the Stanislavsky State Prize of Russia (1974). He was married to actress Elena Ponsova and the couple had one daughter, Olga Stanitsina. Stanitsyn died of a heart failure on December 26, 1976, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.

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

He was born Boris Evgenyevich Zakhava on May 12, 1896, in Pavlograd, Russian Empire. His father, named Evgeni Zakhava, was a graduate of the Moscow Imperial Cadett School and served as an officer at the Russian Imperial Army. Young Boris Zakhava followed his father's steps; from 1910 - 1913 he served at the 3rd Moscow Imperial Cadett School, graduating as Imperial Army officer in 1913. While being a Cadett, 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 position of the 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 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 member of the Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. From 1924 - 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 renown actors.

Boris Zakhava was among the leading actors and director of the 20th century acting school in Russia. He was professor of Soviet State Institute of Cinema (VGIK), chair of directing at Moscow State Theatrrical Institute (GITIS), and Doctor of Art History. He was designated People's Actor of the USSR. Boris Zakhava died of a heart failure on November 25, 1976, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in the Novodevichi Convent Cemetery in Moscow, Russia.

Emmanuil Geller was born on 8 August 1898 in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for Kidnapping, Caucasian Style (1967), Kashchei the Immortal (1945) and Operation 'Y' & Other Shurik's Adventures (1965). He died on 6 May 1990 in Moscow, USSR [now Russia].

Tatyana Pavlova was born on 10 December 1890 in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. She was an actress and director, known for Creature della notte (1934), Black Magic (1949) and Everybody's Woman (1934). She died on 7 November 1975 in Grottaferrata, Lazio, Italy.

Tatyana Nikolaevna Lukashevich was a Soviet writer and director. She was very devoted to her profession, at the time where filmmaking wasn't appreciated at all. It should be noted that she was one of the earliest female film directors, not only in the Soviet Union, but in the world. Some of her most notorious works include: The Foundling (1940), Bride with a Dowry (1953) and Problem Child (1954). Lukashevich died at the age of 67 in Moscow.

Aleksandr Faintsimmer was born on 31 December 1906 in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was a director and assistant director, known for The Secret Brigade (1949), U nikh est Rodina (1950) and Schaste (1935). He died on 21 March 1982 in USSR [now Russia].

David Maryan was born in 1892 in Pavlograd, Yekaterinoslav guberniya, Russian Empire [now Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk oblast, Ukraine]. David was a writer and director, known for Zhizn v rukakh (1930), Tsement (1927) and Mortvaya petlya (1929). David died on 29 November 1937.

César Tiempo was born on 3 March 1906 in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was a writer and actor, known for Amorina (1961), La dama de la muerte (1946) and La muerte camina en la lluvia (1948). He died on 24 October 1980 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Vera Orlova was born on 25 May 1918 in Yekaterinoslav, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Donetsk-Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic, Ukrainian SSR [now Dnipropetrovsk, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine]. She was an actress, known for Twelve Chairs (1977), Private Ivan (1955) and The Car 22-12 (1949). She died on 16 September 1993 in Moscow, Russia.

Aleksei Dikij was a notable Russian actor and director who was arrested and exiled under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin but later played the role as Stalin in several films.

He was born Aleksei Denisovich Dikij on February 24, 1889, in Ekaterinoslav, Russian Empire (now Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine). At young age he moved to Kharkov, where his sister, a popular actress, helped him to become an actor. Young Dikij made his acting debut on stage of Kharkov Drama. In 1909 he moved to Moscow with the assistance of I. Uralov, actor of Moscow Art Theatre. There Dikij studied acting under Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko, and was hired as an actor at the Moscow Art Theater in 1910. He admired the stage works of Michael Chekhov and was his partner on stage. In 1922 Dikij followed Michael Chekhov in the formation of the second Moscow Art Theater, MKhAT-2. There his artistic rivalry with Michael Chekhov turned into a bitter dispute, and Dikij left Moscow Art Theatre in 1928. At that time he also worked as director with the Jewish Chamber Theatre in Moscow.

In 1928 Aleksei Dikij received invitation to work in Tel-Aviv. There he worked as director with "Habima", the legendary Jewish theatre troupe, which emigrated from Russia. Dikij directed two successful plays for "Habima" in Tel-Aviv. On December 29, 1928, he premiered 'Der Oytser' (The Treasure), a play by Sholom Aleichem, which became a great artistic and financial success. On May 23, 1929, he premiered 'The Crown', a play by David Calderon. With the success of Dikij's directorship "Habima" became established as a national Jewish theatre, and Dikij gained international reputation as an innovative director.

In 1931, back in Moscow, Dikij started his own theater-studio in Moscow and also taught an acting class. In 1934 Dikij collaborated with Dmitri Shostakovich on the legendary opera 'Katerina Izmailova' (aka.. Lady Makbeth of Mtsensk). Dikij's production of 'Katerina Izmailova' had over 100 performances in Leningrad and Moscow, and was considered as a highlight in his directing career. However, in 1936, Joseph Stalin saw the opera and severely criticized the work of both Shostakovich and Dikij. After Stalin's negative criticism both Shostakovich and Dikij suffered from serious troubles in their lives and careers.

In 1936, Dikij was removed out of Moscow, then appointed the director of the Bolshoi Drama Theater (BDT) in Leningrad. There he began his life-long collaboration and friendship with actor Boris Babochkin. At that time many Russian intellectuals were terrorized by purges and repressions, known as the "Great Terror" under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. In 1937 Aleksei Dikij was arrested on false accusations of anti-Soviet activity. In reality he was a victim of behind-the-scenes manipulations against him by other jealous actors. Dikij was sentenced and exiled to Gulag prison-camp in Siberia, where he spent 4 years until his release in 1941. He was not allowed to return to work in Leningrad or Moscow, instead he lived and worked in the Siberian city of Omsk for several years during the Second World War. In 1944 Dikij was cast in the title role as Prince Kutuzov in a Soviet propaganda film 1812 (1944), which was also known outside of Russia as '1812'. For that role Dikij was awarded the State Stalin's Prize and was allowed to work in Moscow as a theater director. His most important works as director were "Blokha" by Nikolai Leskov and "Teni" (aka.. Shadows) by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, starring Boris Babochkin.

Ironically, after serving time in the Stalin's Gulag prison-camp, Aleksei Dikij was cast to portray Joseph Stalin in several propaganda films. Stalin himself approved Dikij for the role. Stalin became interested in the brilliant actor, after he saw the film 1812 (1944). Then Stalin saw Dikij's performance in the role as Stalin, and sent his security officers to get Dikij delivered to Kremlin for a brief meeting. Stalin had a drink and told Dikij that his imprisonment was a must, and that everyone in the country must undergo such experience in exile and prison-camps. Later Dikij told his students that he played the role of 'Stalin' as a dangerous, scary, power-hungry dictator. Stalin liked the image of himself made by Dikij in films, and awarded the actor with the State Stalin's Prize 5 times, in 1946, 1947, 1949 twice, and 1950. Dikij was designated People's Artist of the USSR (1949). He was nominated for 'Best Actor' and received a special mention at the 1947 Venice Film Festival for the title role in Admiral Nakhimov (1947).

In 1952 Dikij directed his last stage production titled "Teni" (aka.. Shadows), a play by Saltykov-Shchedrin. Under Dikij's direction his friend and partner, Boris Babochkin, played one of his best roles ever - Klaverov, a corrupt career politician, alluding to a typical Soviet bureaucrat. For that work Babochkin was viciously attacked in the official Soviet newspaper "Pravda" by none other than Ekaterina Furtseva, who was then a Mayor of Moscow and later was made Soviet Minister of Culture and committed suicide. Furtseva became enraged with Dikij's and Babochkin's satirical portrayal of the Soviet bureaucracy with allusions to the Soviet leadership. She banned the play, and censored both Babochkin and Dikij from public performances and kept them virtually unemployed for three years until Babochkin was finally forced to repent to the Communist Party.

Dikij suffered from being a powerless witness of Babochkin's public humiliation which caused Dikij a severe emotional trauma, so he sank into alcoholism and depression.

Aleksei Dikij died of a heart failure on October 1, 1955, in Moscow, and was laid to rest in Novodevichy Monastery Cemtery in Moscow, Russia.

Mikhail Shapiro was born on 2 April 1908 in Yekaterinoslav, Yekaterinoslav uyezd, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for Katerina Izmailova (1967), Slippers (1945) and Kain XVIII (1963). He died on 26 October 1971 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia].

Lev Arnshtam was born on 15 January 1905 in Yekaterinoslav, Yekaterinoslav uyezd, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine]. He was a writer and director, known for The Great Glinka (1946), Romeo & Juliet (1955) and Zoya (1944). He died on 26 December 1979 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Peter Tinturin was born on 1 June 1910 in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was a composer, known for Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991), Double Deal (1939) and Born to Be Wild (1938). He died on 15 April 2007 in Laguna Hills, California, USA.

Yaropolk Lapshin was born on 28 September 1920 in Novomoskovsk, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Ukrainian SSR [now Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine]. Yaropolk was a director and writer, known for Privalovskiye milliony (1973), Ugryum-reka (1969) and Pered rassvetom (1989). Yaropolk died on 26 October 2011 in Moscow, Russia.

Aleksandr Petrov was born on 27 May 1906 in Pavlograd, Yekaterinoslav guberniya, Russian Empire [now Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk oblast, Ukraine]. Aleksandr was a cinematographer, known for Vozdushnaya pochta (1939), Karyera Ruddi (1934) and Po sledam geroya (1936). Aleksandr died on 14 December 1975 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union [now Dnipro, Ukraine].

Yelena Izmailova was born on 23 September 1920 in Ekaterinoslav, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Ukrainian SSR [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. She was an actress, known for Tayna vechnoy nochi (1956), Secret Agent (1947) and Erkrord karavan (1950). She died on 13 March 2005 in Moscow, Russia.

Boris Rogachevsky was born on 20 April 1894 in Nikopol, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine]. Boris was a cinematographer, known for Tri parada (1931) and Ukraine in Flames (1943). Boris died on 3 April 1963.

Lev Golub was born on 29 September 1904 in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for Devochka ishchet otsa (1959), Schastlivyye koltsa (1929) and Pesn o pervoy devushke (1930). He died on 26 May 1994.

Emma Tsesarskaya was born on 3 June 1909 in Yekaterinoslav, Yekaterinoslav uyezd, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine]. She was an actress, known for And Quiet Flows the Don (1930), Yeyo put (1929) and Shumi, gorodok (1940). She died on 28 February 1990 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia].

Pavel Usovnichenko was born on 24 June 1913 in Yekaterinoslav, Russia [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for Ch. P. - Chrezvychainoe proisshestvie (1958), Dorogoy moy chelovek (1958) and The Gadfly (1955). He died on 23 January 1962 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia].

Manuel Bolshintsov was born on 2 December 1902 in Yekaterinoslav, Russian Empire [now Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for Prikaz No... (1926), Odna noch (1929) and Isini chamovidnen mtidan (1954). He died on 27 July 1955.