Biography
Elena Alexandrovna Maksimova (23.11.1905—23.09.1986) was born in Moscow to a grocer father (he sold non-perishable goods) and a housewife mother, who was often ill. Apart from her, there were two other daughters in the family. Following her father's death in 1920, her mother was forced by poverty to send all three daughters to Orphanage No. 55, located in the Sokolniki district. Shortly after, in 1922, her mother also passed. Thus, at the age of 17, she was left completely orphaned. From an early age, Elena Maximova had dreamed of becoming an actress. When she finished schooling in 1925, she immediately went to the film studio attached to ‘Moskprofobor’ (Москпрофобр) to sit her entrance exams. There was only one free place available, and it went to Elena – as the most talented of all the applicants. From 1925 to 1927, she trained under the guidance of renowned film masters Vladimir Gardin and Konstantin Eggert. Alongside her studies at the film studio, Elena Maksimova had to work as a press operator at a button factory. She worked in film since 1927, appearing in productions by various film studios in Moscow and Leningrad. Between 1940 and 1964, she was an actress at the Soyuzdetfilm studio (now the Gorky Film Studio). Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (30 September 1958). The characters she portrayed were distinguished by their realism and attention to everyday detail. Her heroines were most often active, energetic and impetuous, yet she was equally at home with gentle, lyrical roles. She served Soviet cinema for nearly fifty years, and her work was modest and selfless — rarely in supporting roles, but more often in small cameos.
Acted in 88
1980s
- 1984
A Small Favor
Movie
Russia Is Young
старуха · 9 episodes
- 1983
Streak of Luck
Movie
To My People!
Movie
Assol
Movie
- 1982
The Secret Agent's Return
Utkin's neighbour
Carnival
visitor of the pawnshop
- 1981
The Secret of the Notebook
Glafira Petrovna
Rebirth
домработница Дарья Алексеевна
We'll Be Waiting, Come Back
babushka
- 1980
Shot In The Back
Вера Николаевна
1970s
- 1978
The Soldier and the Elephant
Movie
- 1977
Without Father
Glafira
- 1976
This Disturbing Winter
Movie
Storm on the Land
Movie
- 1974
The Last Meeting
Drenched Passerby
Conscience
Movie
Conscience
санитарка · 1 episode
Birds Over the City
Movie
Fulfillment of Desires
Movie
Duration of the Day
Movie
The Red Snowball Tree
Movie
- 1973
This Merry Planet
мать Прошки
The Sky Behind the Clouds
Movie
Right to Jump
Movie
- 1971
Declaration of Love to G.T.
Old Woman
- 1970
New Year's Abduction
Maksimova
1960s
- 1969
Time to Live
Movie
- 1968
Ivan Makarovich
Movie
- 1967
The Gypsy
Lushchilikha
Such a Big Boy
Filippovna
- 1966
Afterlight
Movie
Someone Else's Name
Babushka
The Conscience
Елена Евгеньевна
The Stars of the Day
Movie
- 1965
Они не пройдут
The passenger of the tram
Beloved
Нина Петровна
Sorcerer Island
Marya Stepanovna
Early in the Morning
мать Жени Горохова
- 1964
The Green House
Marfa Nikolayevna
Summer is Short in the Mountains
Praskovya Savvishna
Meeting at the Crossing
woman in boat
- 1962
The Judgment
woman at a court hearing (uncredited)
No Fear, No Blame
janitor
- 1961
Yevdokiya
Maryushka
Chronicle of Flaming Years
mother of the disabled person
In Transit
Movie
- 1960
Miraculous One
Movie
1950s
- 1959
The Song of Koltsov
Aleksey Koltsov's mother
The Sun Shines to Everyone
Pelageya Ivanovna
In the Silence of Steppe
Anfisa
Strict Woman
Movie
A Home for Tanya
Makarikha
- 1958
The Volunteers
(uncredited)
Rains
Movie
- 1957
The Tight Knot
Movie
Height
Berestova
Polyushko, pole
Movie
- 1956
For the Power of the Soviets
Movie
Other People's Relatives
Varvara Stepanovna
- 1955
Two Captains
aunt Dasha
The Grasshopper
krestyanka iz Glukhova
The Frigid Sea
Dergachikha
- 1954
Incident in the Taiga
Movie
- 1953
Admiral Ushakov
Wife of doctor Yermolaev (uncredited)
- 1952
The Country Doctor
Movie
1940s
- 1948
First-Year Student
Woman with flowers
- 1941
The Old Courtyard
жиличка
- 1940
The New Land
Movie
A Personal Matter
Vitya Surikov's mother
1930s
- 1939
Stepan Razin
Woman in the crowd (uncredited)
- 1937
Pugachev
Movie
- 1935
Aerograd
Mariia Kudina
- 1932
Men and Jobs
Worker woman (uncredited)
- 1931
And Quiet Flows the Don
Daria Melekhova
- 1930
1920s
- 1929
Ranks and People
Modest's servant - Anna na shee
The Other Woman
Provincial lady
- 1928
A Bright City
Marusenka
- 1927
The Peasant Women of Ryazan
Lukerya
