Lyubov Orlova

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Lyubov Orlova

Lyubov Orlova and Leonid Utyosov in Jolly Fellows

Lyubov Petrovna Orlova, (Russian: Любовь Петровна Орлова; 29 January [O.S. 16 January] 1902 - January 26, 1975) was the first recognized star of Soviet cinema, famous theatre actress and a gifted singer.

She was born to a middle class family in Zvenigorod near Moscow and grew up in Yaroslavl. When she was seven, Fyodor Shalyapin predicted her future as a famous actress.

Orlova studied in Moscow Conservatory but did not graduate because she had to work to support her parents. Her first husband, a Soviet economist Andrei Berzin, was arrested in 1930. However this did not reflect on her successful career.

Orlova's performance in a very popular 1934 comedy, Jolly Fellows, earned the young star the sympathy of Stalin and the title "Honorable actor of RSFSR". Soon she married the movie director, Grigori Aleksandrov.

In the next years, she starred in four popular movies which also became instant Soviet classics: Circus (1936), Volga-Volga (1938), Bright Path (1940), and Spring (1947). In 1950, she became the first woman to receive the title of the People's Artist of the USSR exclusively for her cinematic works. After that, she switched to playing in theatre productions of Yuri Zavadsky's company.

A minor planet 3108 Lyubov, discovered by Soviet astronomer Lyudmila Zhuravlyova in 1972 is named after her. ^[1]

MV Lyubov Orlova is also the name of the Expedition Ship used by Quark Expeditions for trips to the Antarctic Peninsula. The ship, built by the former Yugoslavs and used by the ex-USSR institutions for Arctic / Antarctic explorations, is now used for commercial (tourism) explorations to the far south. Unlike MV Explorer, it is still in fine working condition.