Andrei Mironov

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Andrei Mironov as Ostap Bender in the 1976 TV version of The Twelve Chairs.

Andrei Alexandrovich Mironov (Андрей Алексадрович Миронов; March 8, 1941 – August 16, 1987) was a much loved and respected Russian film actor who played lead roles in some of the most popular Soviet films, such as The Diamond Arm and Watch Out for the Car. Mironov was also a popular singer.

Andrei Mironov's parents were known nationwide as a comedic duo. His father was Alexander Menaker, and his mother, Maria Mironova, rose to become People's Artist of the USSR in 1990.

Mironov studied in the Vakhtangov Theatre School during the early 1950s. In 1962, he acted in his first film, What If This Is Love? From 18 June, 1962 he worked in the Moscow Satire Theater. On 18 December 1980 he was awarded the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR.

Andrei Mironov is known and loved for his roles in films made by Eldar Ryazanov, Leonid Gaidai, Mark Zakharov, and other directors. He had a wide comedic range and played diverse roles (e.g. a Soviet bureaucrat, Figaro, a romantic spy, a member of the Russian intelligentsia, a con man, an American movie pioneer, a tale-teller, etc.). His film performances are still considered to be realistic and convincing.

On one of his tours through Latvia in 1987, he lost consciousness while performing the lead role in The Marriage of Figaro. He was driven to a hospital where two days later he later was pronounced dead on August 16th, only one week after his close friend and frequent co-star Anatoli Papanov passed away. The cause of his death was excessive internal bleeding due a bursting of a congenital cerebral aneurism.

Andrei Mironov was married to Larisa Golubkina, a singer and actress best known for her role of the hussar maiden in Hussar Ballad. His daughters, Maria Mironova (from his first marriage with actress Ekaterina Gradova) and Maria Golubkina (from his marriage with Larisa) had successful careers in Russian cinema. M. Golubkina's recent roles include the wife of the chief protagonist in the blockbuster Night Watch (2004) and Day Watch (2006).