Abzhalilov, Khalil Galeevich

Born Sept. 17 (29), 1896; died Mar. 18, 1963. Tatar actor. People’s Artist of the USSR from 1957. Member of the CPSU from 1944.

Having launched his stage career in 1916, Abzhalilov founded the Eastern Theater in Orenburg in 1919. Beginning in 1928 he worked in the Tatar Sh. Kamal Theater in Kazan. His art was characterized by monumental universality and realistic power. Abzhalilov’s comic and tragic roles included Khalil in In the Crow’s Nest by Sh. Kamal, Khuzha Nasretdin in the play of the same name by Isanbet, Misbakh in Without Sails by Tinchurin, Gil’manov in Minnikamal by Amir, the title role in King Lear by Shakespeare, and Professor Polezhaev in the play of the same name by Rakhmanov. Awarded three orders, he was a deputy to the second, third, and fourth convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the Tatar ASSR.