Viktor Illarionovich Ivchenko

Born Oct. 27 (Nov. 9), 1912, in Bogodukhov, in present-day Kharkov Oblast; died in 1972. Soviet director; People’s Artist of the Ukrainian SSR (1960). Member of the CPSU from 1941.

Ivchenko graduated from the Kiev Institute of Theatrical Arts in 1937. That year he joined the M. Zan’kovets’ka Ukrainian Drama Theater in L’vov, where he acted and directed until 1953. In 1953 he became director of the Kiev Film Studio. Ivchenko’s first film was Marina’s Fate (1954; with I.P. Shmaruk). His best films are An Extraordinary Happening (1959), Ivanna (1960), The Silver Trainer (1963), The Viper (1966, based on A.N. Tolstoy; State Prize of the Ukrainian SSR, 1967), The Way to the Heart (1970), and Sofia Grushko (1971). He made film versions of classical works, including Nazar Stodolia (1955; based on T.G. Shevchenko) and The Forest Song (1961; based on L. Ukrainka). Ivchenko began teaching in the film department of the I.K. Karpenko-Karyi Institute of Theater Arts in Kiev in 1960. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, two other orders, and various medals.