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.
86 movies · 4 shows
A Small Favor
1984·6.5
Streak of Luck
1983·5.8
To My People!
1983·7.0
Assol
1983·4.0
The Secret Agent's Return
1982·5.9
The Secret of the Notebook
1981·7.0
Carnival
1981·6.9
Rebirth
1981·0.0
We'll Be Waiting, Come Back
1981·10.0
Shot In The Back
1980·7.5
The Soldier and the Elephant
1978·5.2
Without Father
1977·7.0
This Disturbing Winter
1976·7.5
Storm on the Land
1976·9.5
The Last Meeting
1974·9.0
Conscience
1974·6.8
Birds Over the City
1974·8.0
Fulfillment of Desires
1974·7.5
Duration of the Day
1974·0.0
The Red Snowball Tree
1974·7.1
This Merry Planet
1973·5.1
The Sky Behind the Clouds
1973·6.0
Right to Jump
1973·6.3
Alkin songs
1973·8.0
Declaration of Love to G.T.
1971·5.2
New Year's Abduction
1970·7.0
Time to Live
1969·6.3
Ivan Makarovich
1968·7.7
The Gypsy
1967·8.0
Such a Big Boy
1967·3.7
Afterlight
1966·0.0
Someone Else's Name
1966·8.0
The Conscience
1966·0.0
The Stars of the Day
1966·10.0
Они не пройдут
1965·9.0
Beloved
1965·0.0
Sorcerer Island
1965·8.0
Black Business
1965·8.5
Father of a Soldier
1965·7.1
Early in the Morning
1965·8.0
Null kolm
1965·7.5
The Green House
1964·0.0
Summer is Short in the Mountains
1964·0.0
Meeting at the Crossing
1964·8.0
The Judgment
1962·7.3
No Fear, No Blame
1962·5.9
Yevdokiya
1961·6.4
In Transit
1961·0.0
Miraculous One
1960·8.0
The Song of Koltsov
1959·0.0
The Sun Shines to Everyone
1959·7.0
In the Silence of Steppe
1959·0.0
Strict Woman
1959·5.0
A Home for Tanya
1959·5.8
King of Diamonds
1959·0.0
The Volunteers
1958·5.5
Rains
1958·0.0
"Чудотворец" из Бирюлёва
1958·0.0
Quiet Flows the Don
1957·6.3
The Tight Knot
1957·5.1
Height
1957·6.6
Polyushko, pole
1957·8.0
For the Power of the Soviets
1956·7.0
Other People's Relatives
1956·4.5
Two Captains
1955·6.2
The Grasshopper
1955·5.2
The Frigid Sea
1955·6.5
Incident in the Taiga
1954·8.0
Admiral Ushakov
1953·6.1
The Country Doctor
1952·6.5
First-Year Student
1948·5.9
The Old Courtyard
1941·0.0
Личное дело
1940·0.0
Stepan Razin
1939·4.5
Pugachev
1937·6.4
Aerograd
1935·5.0
Men and Jobs
1932·3.0
A Personal Affair
1932·7.0
Killing to Live
1931·8.0
And Quiet Flows the Don
1931·5.1
Earth
1930·6.6
Ranks and People
1929·5.6
The Other Woman
1929·7.0
The Last Attraction
1929·6.5
A Bright City
1928·0.0
The Peasant Women of Ryazan
1927·6.5