Beautiful Russian actress Olga Krasina (1941-2021) starred in a handful of films in the early 1960s.
Russian postcard by Izdanije Byuro Propogandy Sovietskogo Kinoiskusstva, no. 809299, 1965. Photo: G. Ter-Ovanesova. (This postcard was printed in an edition of 200.000 cards. The price was 8 kop.)
Olga Krasina was born Olga Mikhailovna Krasina in Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia). The girl was talented but also hardworking. In addition to a school with in-depth study of foreign languages, she also graduated from a music school. In 1959, she entered the acting faculty of the State Institute of Theater and Cinema, the workshop of Sergei Gerasimov and Tamara Makarova.
After studying for one semester, Krasina was invited to play the role of Lisa in the film opera Pikovaya Dama/Queen of Spades (Roman Tikhomirov, 1960). The Bolshoi Opera, Theatre, Orchestra, and Choir were all united to bring Aleksandr Pushkin’s short story 'Pique Dame' to life in an opera featuring music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and a libretto by his brother, Modest.
Sergei Gerasimov flatly refused to let his student go on the film set. Not wanting to lose her role, Olga Krasina decided to leave the institute. Olga Krasina was cast as Lisa. Pikovaya Dama/Queen of Spades became her breakthrough.
Pikovaya Dama/Queen of Spades (Roman Tikhomirov, 1960) tells the tragic tale of a young man (Oleg Strizhenov) whose obsession with gambling brings about the destruction of his girlfriend, Lisa. Olga Krasina and the other actors mimed their parts, while opera singers supplied the vocals.
Bethany Cox at IMDb: "The acting is generally excellent, Oleg Strizhenov broods effectively as Hermann but the character's insanity occasionally borders on shrill. Olga Krassina (sic) is a lovely and very aristocratic Lisa, but the best was Yelena Polevetskaya, commanding every frame as a very mummy-like Countess. The singing is exemplary as well, Hermann is strong, sometimes lyrical but with the right intensity, Lisa is touching and even vulnerable and the Countess is appropriately powerful. All in all, a great Queen of Spades."
Oleg Strizhenov. Russian postcard, no. M-40561, 1967. This postcard was printed in an edition of 300.000 cards. Retail price: 8 Kop.
Next Olga Krasina appeared as Bianca in the comedy Ukroshenie stroptivoi/Taming of the Shrew (Sergey Kolosov, 1961), based on the comedy of the same name by William Shakespeare.
Her following films were Ukroshchenie Stroptivoy (Sergei Kolosov, 1961), the drama Greshnyj engel/Sinner Angel (Gennadiy Kazansky, 1962), and the comedy Zajchik/Little Bunny (Leonid Bykov, 1964).
Zajchik tells the story of a man (played by director Leonid Bykov himself) who is manipulated and made fun of by everyone. He is too shy to strike back, but to everybody’s surprise, his love for Krasina’s character makes a lion out of the little bunny. Olga Krasina is remembered and loved to this day for her role in Zajchik/Little Bunny (Leonid Bykov, 1964).
Olga Krasina’s final film was the crime film Sokrovyzhcha respublyki/Treasures of the Republic (Ivan Pravov, 1964). Vasily Shukshin was preparing for the filming of 'Stepan Razin' and invited Krasina to play one of the roles, but this film was not destined to see the light.
At the end of the filming of Pikovaya Dama/Queen of Spades, Olga Krasina was admitted to the State Institute of Theatre and Cinema, from which she graduated in 1964. Krasina received no more interesting offers, but she did not want to play small, insignificant roles. Therefore, the actress completely switched to work on dubbing, voicing about a hundred main roles. In later years, Olga Krasina lived quietly and solitary in the country, away from Moscow, doing painting and embroidery. She died in 2021 in Moscow.
Sources: Bethany Cox (IMDb), Soviet Art - USSR Culture, IMDb and AllMovie (Page now defunct).
This post was last updated on 14 January 2025.
Russian postcard by Izdanije Byuro Propogandy Sovietskogo Kinoiskusstva, no. 809299, 1965. Photo: G. Ter-Ovanesova. (This postcard was printed in an edition of 200.000 cards. The price was 8 kop.)
Queen of Spades
Olga Krasina was born Olga Mikhailovna Krasina in Moscow, Soviet Union (now Russia). The girl was talented but also hardworking. In addition to a school with in-depth study of foreign languages, she also graduated from a music school. In 1959, she entered the acting faculty of the State Institute of Theater and Cinema, the workshop of Sergei Gerasimov and Tamara Makarova.
After studying for one semester, Krasina was invited to play the role of Lisa in the film opera Pikovaya Dama/Queen of Spades (Roman Tikhomirov, 1960). The Bolshoi Opera, Theatre, Orchestra, and Choir were all united to bring Aleksandr Pushkin’s short story 'Pique Dame' to life in an opera featuring music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and a libretto by his brother, Modest.
Sergei Gerasimov flatly refused to let his student go on the film set. Not wanting to lose her role, Olga Krasina decided to leave the institute. Olga Krasina was cast as Lisa. Pikovaya Dama/Queen of Spades became her breakthrough.
Pikovaya Dama/Queen of Spades (Roman Tikhomirov, 1960) tells the tragic tale of a young man (Oleg Strizhenov) whose obsession with gambling brings about the destruction of his girlfriend, Lisa. Olga Krasina and the other actors mimed their parts, while opera singers supplied the vocals.
Bethany Cox at IMDb: "The acting is generally excellent, Oleg Strizhenov broods effectively as Hermann but the character's insanity occasionally borders on shrill. Olga Krassina (sic) is a lovely and very aristocratic Lisa, but the best was Yelena Polevetskaya, commanding every frame as a very mummy-like Countess. The singing is exemplary as well, Hermann is strong, sometimes lyrical but with the right intensity, Lisa is touching and even vulnerable and the Countess is appropriately powerful. All in all, a great Queen of Spades."
Oleg Strizhenov. Russian postcard, no. M-40561, 1967. This postcard was printed in an edition of 300.000 cards. Retail price: 8 Kop.
Little Bunny
Next Olga Krasina appeared as Bianca in the comedy Ukroshenie stroptivoi/Taming of the Shrew (Sergey Kolosov, 1961), based on the comedy of the same name by William Shakespeare.
Her following films were Ukroshchenie Stroptivoy (Sergei Kolosov, 1961), the drama Greshnyj engel/Sinner Angel (Gennadiy Kazansky, 1962), and the comedy Zajchik/Little Bunny (Leonid Bykov, 1964).
Zajchik tells the story of a man (played by director Leonid Bykov himself) who is manipulated and made fun of by everyone. He is too shy to strike back, but to everybody’s surprise, his love for Krasina’s character makes a lion out of the little bunny. Olga Krasina is remembered and loved to this day for her role in Zajchik/Little Bunny (Leonid Bykov, 1964).
Olga Krasina’s final film was the crime film Sokrovyzhcha respublyki/Treasures of the Republic (Ivan Pravov, 1964). Vasily Shukshin was preparing for the filming of 'Stepan Razin' and invited Krasina to play one of the roles, but this film was not destined to see the light.
At the end of the filming of Pikovaya Dama/Queen of Spades, Olga Krasina was admitted to the State Institute of Theatre and Cinema, from which she graduated in 1964. Krasina received no more interesting offers, but she did not want to play small, insignificant roles. Therefore, the actress completely switched to work on dubbing, voicing about a hundred main roles. In later years, Olga Krasina lived quietly and solitary in the country, away from Moscow, doing painting and embroidery. She died in 2021 in Moscow.
Sources: Bethany Cox (IMDb), Soviet Art - USSR Culture, IMDb and AllMovie (Page now defunct).
This post was last updated on 14 January 2025.
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