They did not get what they deserved: the most modest salaries of Soviet actresses for cult roles

The partners of these actresses received much more.

Charming student Nina is one of the most beloved and recognizable images of Soviet cinema. It is all the more surprising that Natalya Varley’s fees were relatively modest. Yes, the salaries of actors in the USSR were regulated by regulations, depending on the status of the actor and his role. And for Varley it was one of the first roles, but still the main one. Moreover, being a circus performer, Natalia performed all the tricks herself. And, nevertheless, the actress’s fee amounted to only 1,219 rubles. For comparison, Alexander Demyanenko received 5,520 rubles (it was already possible to buy a car with this money). By the way, this was the highest salary in the picture. The director’s fee for Leonid Gaidai amounted to 4,140 rubles, but he received an additional 2,000 rubles for the script, so he still exceeded Demyanenko in terms of the amount.

The image of Svetlana Svetlichnaya in this Soviet comedy can hardly be forgotten, although she played a small role. She looked too impressive on the screen, like a foreign beauty, moreover, she appeared in one of the first explicit erotic scenes in the USSR.

Svetlichnaya’s contribution to the history of Soviet cinema was modestly appreciated – she received only 46 rubles for this same nudity scene! The rest of the fee for the role of Anna Sergeevna amounted to 300 rubles. For comparison, Nonna Mordyukova, who also played an episodic role, received 1,531 rubles for her.

Another iconic blonde of Soviet cinema is Natalya Kustinskaya. She got a small role in the film, but the remarks went to the people – her heroine’s phone conversation with Galochka and other friends is still quoted today. To create a memorable image, she received only 163 rubles, which, however, was slightly higher than the usual monthly salary. Such a tax would be enough for a vacation by the sea or to buy a good coat. It should be noted that Natalya Selezneva and Natalya Krachkovskaya, who played the main female roles in the film, received not exorbitant amounts – 362 and 347 rubles, respectively. For comparison, Yuri Yakovlev received 4350 rubles, but he still played two characters.