▁after ▁the ▁nin th ▁grade ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁acting . ▁ ▁He ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁step ▁on ▁the ▁professional ▁stage ▁at ▁the ▁Kh erson ▁Theater , ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁One ▁of ▁his ▁first ▁small ▁stage ▁roles ▁was ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁music ian ▁in ▁Best al anna . ▁Russian ▁actor ▁Nikol ai ▁Ch erk as ov ▁noticed ▁the ▁young ▁talent ▁and ▁ad vised ▁Mat ve ye v ▁to ▁continue ▁his ▁acting ▁career , ▁by ▁moving ▁to ▁K iev ▁to ▁study ▁with ▁Alexander ▁D ov z hen ko . ▁Do ing ▁so , ▁Mat ve ye v ▁studied ▁under ▁D ov z hen ko ▁at ▁the ▁acting ▁school ▁of ▁the ▁K iev ▁Film ▁Studio ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁Mat ve ye v ▁joined ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ▁after ▁the ▁German ▁invasion ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁and ▁went ▁to ▁military ▁school ▁in ▁Ty umen . ▁After ▁gradu ation , ▁Lieutenant ▁Mat ve ye v ▁was ▁mobil ized ▁into ▁the ▁Red ▁Army , ▁and ▁fought ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁After ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁Mat ve ye v ▁worked ▁for ▁a ▁year ▁at ▁the ▁military ▁school ▁in ▁Ty umen , ▁as ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁school ' s ▁amateur ▁the ater ▁art ▁group , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁his ▁future ▁wife , ▁L idi ya ▁Mat ve ye va . ▁They ▁married ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁ ▁Stage ▁and ▁screen ▁success