The tragic death of a nationally known actress literally shocked all her fans. The cause of Elena Mayorova's death still remains a real mystery. The horrifying circumstances of the death forced the entire post-Soviet space to talk about it. The death of a star of that time was terrible and painful. Fans and loved ones cannot come to terms with the fact that she is no more, although many years have already passed. However, there are also opinions that the tragic death of the actress had been following her for a long time and was not an accident, as many say.
Years of life of Elena Mayorova
Elena Mayorova is a famous Soviet-era actress whose popularity peaked in the 80s and 90s. Many remember her for her roles in such films as “Fast Train,” “Makarov” and “Lost in Siberia.” Elena was born in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk into an ordinary family of ordinary workers. Since childhood, little Lena dreamed of the stage, so at the age of 9 her parents sent her to a theater studio. The girl was very sociable, she studied with excellent marks, she had many friends even after she became famous.
Elena Mayorova did not manage to enroll in a theater university right away. Having failed the entrance exam, the girl decided not to give up and entered a construction school because they provided free housing. Elena graduated from vocational school with honors, having received the specialty of pipe insulator. This time was just enough for her to thoroughly prepare for the further assault on the theater university.
After several unsuccessful attempts, the girl did not give up and in 1976 she still managed to enter GITIS. The first theater of the newly-minted actress was Sovremennik, and then Mayorova performed on the stage of the Moscow Academic Art Theater, performing roles in classical and modern repertoire. Over the years of her life, Mayorova managed to star in 47 films, some of which appeared on the big screen after the actress’s death.
Elena Mayorova was married twice. Her first husband was her classmate, but the marriage lasted only a few months. The husband's parents did not want to accept a girl from the provinces, which became the decisive point in their relationship. For the second time, Elena married the artist Sergei Sherstyuk, with whom she lived until the end of her days. The actress could not have children because she suffered from tuberculosis as a child and became infertile.
Childhood and adolescence
The future actress was born and raised on the outskirts of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, in a simple Soviet family. His mother worked at a meat processing plant, his father worked as a driver at a car depot. The Mayorovs lived in a frozen barracks, heated only by a potbelly stove; they only had enough money for basic necessities.
Elena Mayorova in childhood with her parents
In early childhood, Lena fell ill with tuberculosis and was forced to spend a lot of time in a special sanatorium. It seemed to her that her parents were sending her there for bad behavior, so she tried her best not to upset them and to be an exemplary daughter.
Elena Mayorova in her youth
At school, the girl did well in all subjects, and especially loved Russian literature. Mayorova's works were read out to the whole class, and her poems regularly appeared in the school wall newspaper. At the age of nine, Lena enrolled in a theater studio at the local House of Pioneers and over time decided that she would become a famous actress.
In 1975, after graduating from school, Mayorova went to storm Moscow theater schools. She took her documents to several universities at once and did not pass the competition in any of them - “not the right type.” But Elena did not return home; she entered a construction vocational school (the institution was chosen because of the dormitory provided to students) to become a pipe insulator.
Elena Mayorova was the prima of the Moscow Art Theater
The educational process was structured as follows: students studied theory for 3 days, worked in practice for three days, in any weather - in the rain, in the cold. Within a year, she mastered her specialty and graduated from vocational school with honors.
The following summer, she again tried to enroll in a theater university, and this time luck smiled on the persistent applicant. During the entrance exams at GITIS, Oleg Tabakov liked her. The rest of the selection committee almost immediately turned away the burring girl with a strange Far Eastern dialect, but the founder of Sovremennik felt something and gave her the opportunity to read a monologue she had prepared from Dostoevsky: Mayorova was enrolled in Tabakov’s course, and by the second year her defect there was no trace of speech left. She was the first of the group to get a role in a movie (a cameo role as Katya’s neighbor in the film “You Never Even Dreamed of It”).
Elena Mayorova on Oleg Tabakov's course
Soon after graduating from GITIS in 1980, she accepted Tabakov’s invitation to Sovremennik. In 1983, when the artistic director of the theater Oleg Efremov moved to the Moscow Art Theater, she followed him and was involved in all the leading productions. And her Masha from “Three Sisters” captivated all the capital’s theatergoers: rude and nervous, unpredictable and lively, very vulnerable.
How Elena Mayorova died
Many fans of the star are still tormented by the thought of how Elena Mayorova died. It all happened on August 23, 1997. The actress decided to gargle with kerosene to improve her voice. Drops of the substance accidentally fell on the artist’s dress. Elena left the house to smoke, lit a cigarette and a spark from a thrown match hit her clothes. The chiffon dress caught fire instantly.
The actress tried to put out the fire herself, but it didn’t work. With pleas for help, she rushed to the doors of the Mossovet theater, which was located next to her house, but fell unconscious on the threshold. Her dress was completely burned, and her skin and hair turned into a terrible mess. At the theater the actress was not immediately recognized. Eyewitnesses immediately called an ambulance. Still alive, she was taken to the Sklifosovsky Institute, but after a couple of hours in the hospital, the actress died from her burns. 85% of her body was covered in burns.
short biography
- Elena's debut in cinema happened in 1980. She starred in the melodramatic film “You Never Even Dreamed of...” , where she appeared as the leading character’s neighbor.
- Mayorova received her first leading role in a movie a year later. She played the carriage conductor Serafima Steshkova in the film “The 34th Ambulance” . Even then, the directors noted that the girl always gave her best, even during breaks she did not allow herself to get out of character.
- In 1983, Elena was invited to play the role of Ira Sanko in the cult comedy film . ” This picture is popular even among modern viewers.
- Then, for two years, Elena received episodic roles in the films “The Last Argument of Kings”, “Alone and Without Weapons”, “Greetings from the Front”, “Parade of Planets”, etc.
- In 1986, the actress appeared in the social-melodramatic film “Zina-Zinulya” , the drama “Flight Accident”, and the film story “I am an outpost counselor”.
- A year later, Mayorova was offered the main role in the film “Lucky” . She appeared to the audience in the image of athlete Tatyana Bolshakova, who gave up her career for the sake of her child.
- Also in 1987, she starred in the melodramatic film “Forgotten Melody for Flute” . Her partners on the site were Valentin Gaft, Leonid Filatov, Vsevolod Sanaev and others.
- In 1988, the actress was invited to play the role of a waitress in the social drama Fast Train . Fans believe that this is one of the best works in Mayorova’s career.
- Elena was offered the next leading role in 1990. She superbly played the prostitute Olga Troepolskaya in the crime film “Unidentified Person” .
- In 1991, Mayorova starred in the drama “Lost in Siberia ,” trying on the role of doctor Anna Ilyinichna.
- After 2 years, Elena appeared on the screens in the image of the main character Natalya in the dramatic film “Makarov” .
- Mayorova played another striking role in 1996 in the adventure comedy . ” She appeared before the audience as the main character Verka. At the same time, Elena starred in the films “The Career of Arturo Ui”, as well as “Strange Time”.
- The actress passed away on August 23, 1997 due to an absurd accident. Before leaving the house, Elena decided to gargle with kerosene. Drops of liquid got on clothes. Having lit a cigarette in the entrance, the woman threw the match so that it touched her dress. The fabric immediately caught fire. Out of fear, Mayorova rushed to run to the theater, which was in the courtyard of her house. Having reached the threshold, the artist lost consciousness. She was taken to the hospital with 85% burns to her body. The doctors made every effort, but they could not save Elena. The official version of the artist’s death is an accident. However, relatives and friends claimed that Mayorova was planning suicide.
- “On Knives” was released , with Mayorova in the title role.
- A year later, the premiere of the artist’s latest work took place. It is noteworthy that in the film story entitled “Listen, is it raining...” Mayorova played the ghost of death.
In the film “On Knives” (1998)
Accident or suicide?
What was it? Accident or suicide? This question remains relevant today. On the day the tragedy occurred, Elena received a call from her best friend Tatyana Dogileva, but she did not notice anything suspicious in her voice or behavior. Elena remained absolutely calm and was in a good mood. Can a person who has decided to take his own life behave so calmly?
According to the first version, the cause of death of Elena Vladimirovna Mayorova is an accident. Shortly before that fateful day, the actress brought an antique kerosene lamp from abroad. That day Elena had a sore throat and asked to go home early. She decided to use the old grandfather's method - rinse it with kerosene. It was necessary to recover as soon as possible; under no circumstances should one leave the theater, even for a short time. In the process, the actress accidentally wet herself, but did not attach much importance to it, and went to the landing to smoke. The thin chiffon dress caught fire like a torch from a spark. She had absolutely no chance to put it out, much less on her own.
The second version, which haunts many fans, is suicide. Outwardly strong Mayorova, according to the stories of her friend Tatyana Dogileva, often fell into depression due to fatigue and emptiness. The actress earned double money with her husband, was very tired at work, and lacked the sensitivity and attention of loved ones. Alcohol made the situation even worse. And although Elena had no obvious addiction to alcohol, drinking a glass plunged her into the abyss of even greater depression.
Finally, Mayorova had a lover, 10 years younger than her, Oleg Vasilkov. She met him a year before his death during the filming of the film “Strange Time.” A stormy romance broke out between them, which caused incredible suffering to both Elena herself and her husband. Oleg distracted Elena from her dark thoughts as best he could, took care of her, and took her out on walks together. The actress was torn between her husband and her new passion, which burdened her even more. It was to Oleg on the day of his death that Mayorova sent several desperate messages on a pager, which Oleg could not read because he was far from Moscow. Many of those who knew Elena Mayorova believe that she herself set fire to her dress, but it was not a real suicide attempt. More likely, an impulsive gesture that she immediately regretted, otherwise she would not have rushed for help. Perhaps fatal passion became the indirect cause of the death of Elena Mayorova.
In recent years, Mayorova had many problems and an unstable psycho-emotional state. Close people knew about her difficult mental state, but they were unable to force the actress to see a specialist. Elena often attempted suicide, but, according to her friends, they were only demonstrative. Therefore, there is still no firm certainty as to whether the cause of her death was an accident or intentionality.
Theater life
Tabakov took his beloved student to Sovremennik, but Mayorova spent no more than a year there. After all, it was difficult not to accept the invitation of Oleg Efremov himself to move to the Moscow Art Theater.
Very soon Elena Mayorova became his star. Spectators went to the performance of Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” to look at Major’s Masha, unusual, vulnerable, sharp.
Rumor has it that Mayorova was Efremov’s last muse. He did not spare the leading roles for his favorite: Zarechnaya in “The Seagull”, Nastasya Filippovna in “The Idiot”...
Elena Mayorova and Oleg Efremov. Source: uznayvse.ru
Mayorova was lucky enough to tour with the theater abroad. In Greece she was compared to Greta Garbo.
Where is Elena Mayorova buried?
Elena Mayorova is a truly strong woman and a talented actress who has worked tirelessly all her life and completely without sparing herself. With her originality and talent, she attracted the attention of leading directors of the time.
The actress's death occurred on August 23, 1997. Elena Mayorova is buried at the Troekurovskoye cemetery. Her husband Sergei Sherstyuk, who died 9 months after the actress’s death from a malignant tumor, was also buried next to her. He will not be able to survive the death of his beloved wife, which was the starting point for an incurable disease. Before his death, already in a very serious condition and barely holding on, he managed to paint a series of paintings dedicated to their love - “You and Me.”
Personal life
Elena Mayorova was married twice. The first husband was a classmate at the theater institute, Vladimir Chaplygin. But this alliance turned out to be fragile. The mother-in-law, a native Muscovite, did not accept the visiting girl into the house. The husband and wife first lived in the Moscow Art Theater dormitory, after which Vladimir returned to his native nest. However, some acquaintances claim that this marriage was initially fictitious: Elena needed the appropriate documents in order to be able to stay in Moscow after graduating from university.
Actress Elena Mayorova
For the second time, Mayorova married the son of a general, the girls’ favorite, hyperrealist artist Sergei Sherstyuk, who incredibly fell in love with the actress.
In general, it was love at first sight. One day Elena was sitting with a friend and suddenly said that her betrothed would now enter the room. Literally a moment later, Sherstyuk appeared there, whom Elena had never met before. The artist lived with Sergei until the last day of her life, but the couple never had children. Elena lost the opportunity to have children even before studying at GITIS. Working for hours in the cold, the girl received severe inflammation.
Sergey Sherstyuk and Elena Mayorova
According to Elena’s colleagues, there was another hobby in life that happened shortly before the tragedy. On the set of the film “Strange Time,” Mayorova became interested in the young artist Oleg Vasilkov. At first, the lovers did not advertise their relationship, but soon they could not contain their interest in each other.
The actors spent evenings together, talked a lot, and were interested in the same music. Having learned about the affair, Elena’s husband was very worried, but did not stoop to domestic squabbles. After filming, a crack appeared in the relationship between Oleg and Elena, which most likely led to prolonged depression.
Notes
- Russian Drama Theatre: Encyclopedia / Ed. ed. M. I. Andreeva, N. E. Zvenigorodskaya, A. V. Martynova and others - M.: Great Russian Encyclopedia, 2001. - 568 pp.: ill. ISBN 5-85270-167-X
- ↑ 123
[www.rusactors.ru/m/mayorova_e/ Elena Mayorova - Biography] // rusactors.ru - Actors of Soviet and Russian cinema - [m-necropol.narod.ru/sherstyuk.html Celebrity graves. Sergey Sherstyuk]
- [persona.rin.ru/view/f/0/12326/sherstjuk-sergej-aleksandrovich Sherstyuk Sergey Aleksandrovich, photo, biography] //persona.rin.ru
- [www.ozon.ru/context/detail/id/5599283/ S. A. Sherstyuk. Stolen book | Memoirs]
Signs and Signs
There were many mystical coincidences and signs in the life of actress Elena Mayorova. One of which was fire.
As a child, the girl was very impressed by the cruel entertainment of the yard punks, who set fire to a seagull doused with kerosene. And in high school, Lena accidentally set herself on fire during a chemistry class. Even then she experienced strange and wonderful feelings.
Once a gypsy woman approached the girl and said that Elena would have everything: fame and love, only if she did not destroy herself.
Elena Mayorova. Source: yandex.kz/collections
Games with the unknown and deadly gave Mayorova the adrenaline she needed so much. She loved to walk along the edge. She did not refuse to play a girl tempted by evil spirits in the play “Taibele and the Demon.” This mystical theatrical performance ended tragically for some actors.
The star liked to play with bladed weapons and portray a victim driven to suicide. She carried these dangerous games into real life.
