Boris Yevgenyevich Zakhava (; May 24, 1896 – November 12, 1976) was a Soviet and Russian actor, theater director, pedagogue and theater theorist. People's Artist of the USSR (1967). Biography He was born on May 24, 1896 in Pavlograd, Russian Empire. Yevgeny Zakhava, his father, was a graduate of Moscow Imperial Cadet School and was an officer in the Imperial Russian Army. Boris, like his father, graduated the 3rd Moscow Imperial Cadet School (1913). While being a cadet, he was acting in amateur performances. In the meantime he was involved in the centennial celebration of the victory over Napoleon in 1912, in Moscow. Zakhava studied in the acting class of Vsevolod Meyerhold (1913–1916) and acting at the Moscow Vakhtangov studio under Yevgeny Vakhtangov. Since he was being hired by Vakhtangov as an actor, Zakhava worked at his theatre (Vakhtangov Theatre) for his entire life. In 1922 he performed as a Timur in Carlo Gozzi's Turandot. Zakhava was a teaching director at the acting studio (1925) and a leading director of Vakhtangov Theatre Company. He produced and directed Maxim Gorky's dramas, Yegor Bulychev and Others (1932, 1951) and Dostegayev and Others (1933, 1934). Since 1939 he became a director of the Shchukin Theatrical School (f. Vakhtangov acting studio). In 1958 Zakhava directed William Shakespeare's Hamlet starring Mikhail Astangov in the main role. His most notable film appearance is as Russian field marshal Mikhail Kutuzov in the Oscar-winning film War and Peace. He died on November 12, 1976 in Moscow and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. Filmography Awards and honors Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow" Order of the Badge of Honour Order of Friendship of Peoples Order of the Red Banner of Labour (May 29, 1946) People's Artist of the RSFSR (1946) Stalin Prize (1952) – for production of the play Yegor Bulychyov and Others by Maxim Gorky People's Artist of the USSR (1967) Works Notes External links References 1896 births 1976 deaths 20th-century Russian male actors Academic staff of the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography People's Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the USSR Stalin Prize winners Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Male actors from the Russian Empire Russian drama teachers Russian male film actors Russian male stage actors Theatre directors from