Soviet actress Natalya Krachkovskaya became a comedy star under director Leonid Gaidai after a chance meeting on set launched her film career. Krachkovskaya became known as the most full-figured actress in the Soviet Union, winning roles that made her a staple of Soviet cinema.
Gaidai was known for discovering new talent and reviving the careers of established actors. He previously cast Andrei Mironov in The Diamond Arm and created the famous Soviet comedy trio featuring Yuri Nikulin, Georgiy Vitsin, and Yevgeny Morgunov. His discovery of Krachkovskaya proved to be one of his most lasting artistic partnerships.
Krachkovskaya dreamed of performing from an early age and entered the acting department at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography in Moscow after finishing school. However, a severe traffic accident during her first year left her completely blind for two years, forcing her to withdraw from the institute. She did not reapply after her vision returned, leaving her without formal dramatic training as she began seeking bit parts at auditions.
Casting of Madame Gritsatsuyeva
Her breakthrough occurred when Gaidai was searching for an actress to play Madame Gritsatsuyeva in his film adaptation of stories by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov. Gaidai auditioned hundreds of performers and narrowed his selection to two professional actresses, Natalya Gundareva and Nonna Mordyukova. Although both were stout and performed well, Gaidai felt neither captured the unpretentious simplicity of an unhappy widow.
Krachkovskaya visited the Mosfilm studio to deliver home-cooked meals and warm tea in a thermos to her husband, sound engineer Vladimir Krachkovsky. Gaidai spotted her on set during a lunch break and asked his assistant director if they should audition her for the part. The assistant director, exhausted by the lengthy audition process, agreed to the suggestion on the spot.
Production Challenges at Mosfilm
Krachkovskaya received the script the next day and wept after reading the description of her character, which detailed a woman with large breasts, a broad nose, painted cheeks, and a heavy neck. Her distress continued in the Mosfilm wardrobe department, where staff could not find costumes to fit her physical frame. Costume designer Zinochka told her that the studio did not manufacture covers for tanks, a line Krachkovskaya frequently remembered in later years.
Filming presented further physical demands when Mosfilm was unable to locate a stunt double of similar proportions. Krachkovskaya had to perform her own physical stunts during scenes set at the editorial offices of the newspaper Gudok, including an elaborate sequence where she rode along a conveyor belt.
Working Relationship With Gaidai
Throughout her career, acquaintances frequently asked Krachkovskaya when she intended to start a diet. She routinely answered that they should not hold their breath, adding that Gaidai himself had explicitly forbidden her from losing weight for her roles.
Krachkovskaya became regarded as a key student of the director. Gaidai expressed gratitude to the actress throughout his lifetime, praising her unpretentious nature and the comic energy she brought to his films.
