Actor Lymonas Noreika: biography, personal life, filmography

During the USSR, because of difficult relations with capitalist countries, the role of foreigners in the cinema was often invited by Latvians and Lithuanians. Among such artists, Peteris Gaudins, Gunar Cilinsky, Ivar Kalniņš, Donatas Banionis and Laimonas Noreika are most famous. The last of the list is known mainly due to its secondary roles. Despite this, he was very fond of the domestic audience.

Laimonas Noreika: biography of the early years

The parents of the future actor were simple people, who earned a small fortune with their labor. They were far from theatrical art, but they loved him with all their heart. Father Laimonas was an ordinary tailor, but very famous. Thanks to his success in the profession, he was able to provide his son, who was born in late November 1926, all the best.

From an early age, Laimonas Noreika with his parents went to the theater. Later, he became so fond of this kind of art that he decided to become an actor himself. Supporting the beginnings of his son, his father wrote him in a local drama club. Soon about the actor's talent, the young man became known far beyond the circle. So, in the gymnasium, where he studied, not a single staging or a holiday could not do without his participation.

After leaving school, Noreika settled down to work in the Vilnius Drama Theater. In parallel with the work, he studied for two years in the studio at the Siauliai Drama Theater.

The beginning of acting career

Laimonas Noreika always dreamed of shining on the stage of the theater. Cinema at the time was still quite a young art, so the ardent young man was not very interested. And yet it was the movie that played a pivotal role in his life.

When the artist turned 21, he was invited to play in the film "Marite" a character named Juozas. Although the role was small, the novice actor attracted attention and was soon invited to study at GITIS.

After graduating from this university Laimonas returned to his homeland and worked for thirteen years in the most famous theaters of Lithuania.

During these years he played major roles in such productions as Maxim Gorky's Enemies, Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, William Shakespeare's King Lear, Arthur Miller's Price.

Having acted as an actor, Laimonas Noreika decided to try his hand at the recitation. Since the mid-sixties of the last century, he began touring in Lithuania reading famous poetic works. This initiative was very successful.

Filmography of the actor

As for the movie, after a successful debut in Lymonas' career, there was a break of 18 years. However, on the eve of the fortieth anniversary, the actor was invited to play the role of bandit Domovoy in the film "No one wanted to die." Despite the fact that his hero was negative, thanks to this role, Noreika became famous throughout the USSR.

After the House Laimonas began to often play negative characters. In most cases, these were German officers ("Farkhad's feat", "The Dead Season").

In 1969, the actor is offered to play a somewhat unusual for his role hero - the Soviet agent Zolotnikov, posing as a German engineer Nikolai Kraft. So there was a film "A Tale of a Chekist", which became one of the most famous paintings in the filmography of the actor.

In the following years, this artist played many more roles in Soviet films. After the "Tale of the Chekist" he was offered to play not only negative characters-foreigners, but also positive heroes. His most interesting works in the following years are: "The experiment of Dr. Abst", "The Mission in Kabul", "Treasure Island", "The whole royal army", "The last day of winter", "Fact", "The return move", "Visit to the Minotaur. ", "War and Peace".

Other achievements

In addition to theater and cinema, Laimonas Noreika succeeded in other areas. So, since 1984 he begins to teach at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater.

In addition, the actor tried his hand at writing. So, from under his pen came three books: "Diaries of the actor" (collection of essays), "Midnight Notes" and Čiurlionio 16 (Dienoraščiai, atsiminimai).

Also, being one of the best readers in his country, shortly before his death, Laimonas recorded several CDs with poems by Lithuanian poets.

Laimonas Noreika: personal life

Unlike others, this actor did not like to talk about his personal life . For this reason, fans knew almost nothing about his family. And yet he was quite a happy man Laimonas Noreika. His family was strong and friendly. He was married only once - on Sigite Polikit. Unfortunately, the wife died quite early (at 58 years old).

From this marriage, three children were born: the daughter of Ruth and Sigita, and also the son of Jonas.

The artist himself experienced his wife and died at the age of eighty. At his funeral, many famous cultural figures gathered. And instead of music included audio recordings, on which Laimonas read poems.

The artist was buried at the Antakalnis cemetery in Vilnius.

Interesting facts about the actor

• The height of the actor is 182 cm.
• By nature, Laimonas has dark hair that he never painted. For some roles, the actor specifically let go of his beard.
• After retiring, the actor wanted to leave the profession and focus on writing memoirs. However, Eimuntas Nekrosius invited him to play a small role in his experimental production of The Three Sisters. Together with the troupe Nekrošius, Noreika traveled all over the CIS and Europe.
• Among Russian actors the best friends of Laimonos were Lev Durov, Anatoly Solonitsyn, Boris Andreev, Lyudmila Chursina and Yury Yakovlev.
• Starting with the painting "No one wanted to die," Noreika often played along with his compatriot Donatas Banionis. The most famous of their joint works are "The Dead Season" and "The Fact".
• Despite an unusually pleasant voice, Laimonas Noreika spoke in Russian with an accent. Films with his participation in the USSR were duplicated. Only a few of them could hear the real voice of the artist. For example, in the movie "Three Hours Parking" Noreika did without a backup, but to explain his accent, had to make edits to the script.

Few of today's viewers under 30 know who Laimonas Noreika is. Despite this sad fact, films with the participation of the actor have become classics, and his contribution to the development of world culture is huge, albeit insufficiently appreciated.