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' {{Infobox person | name = Donatas Banionis | post-nominals = [[People's Artist of the USSR|PAU]] | image = Дoнатас Баниoнис.jpg | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1924|4|28|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Kaunas]], [[Lithuania]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|9|4|1924|4|28|df=yes}} | death_place = [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuania]] | occupation = Actor | yearsactive = 1941-2013 }} '''Donatas Banionis''' (28 April 1924 – 4 September 2014) was a [[Lithuanian people|Lithuanian]] actor. He has more than 80 credited roles in cinema and is best known for his performance in the lead role of [[Andrei Tarkovsky|Tarkovsky]]'s ''[[Solaris (1972 film)|Solaris]]'' as Kris Kelvin. He was born in [[Kaunas]], [[Lithuania]].<ref name="ria">{{cite web|url=https://ria.ru/spravka/20140904/1022779003.html|work=[[RIA Novosti]]|title=Донатас Банионис. Биография}}</ref><ref name="sd">{{cite web|url=http://stuki-druki.com/authors/Banionis.php|work=Shtuki Dryuki|title=Донатас Банионис - биография, информация, личная жизнь}}</ref> Banionis began his career with some films in [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]], but he would later play mainly in [[Russian language]] films (although his voice was dubbed by Russian actors). He has also worked outside the USSR like in the title role [[Francisco Goya]] of the USSR-GDR coproduction ''[[Goya or the Hard Way to Enlightenment]]'' (1971), directed by [[Konrad Wolf]] and in the title role as [[Ludwig van Beethoven]] in the 1976 [[Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft|DEFA]]-production ''Beethoven - Tage aus einem Leben''. Aside from films, he was a popular stage actor in [[Panevėžys]], where he acted since the age of 17, and which was frequented by Donatas' fans from all over the former Soviet Union. His first teacher was [[Juozas Miltinis]]. He acted in [[Vilnius]], in the [[Lithuanian National Drama Theatre]]. [[Vladimir Putin]] once stated that Banionis' part in the 1968 Soviet spy film ''[[Dead Season]]'' was the reason why he joined the [[KGB]].<ref name="death">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/05/how-the-actor-donatas-banionis-inspired-vladimir-putin-to-become-a-spy.html|title=How the Actor Donatas Banionis Inspired Vladimir Putin to Become a Spy|publisher=The Daily Beast.com|accessdate=5 September 2014}}</ref> ==Biography== ===Early life and career beginnings=== Donatas Banionis was born on April 28, 1924 in [[Kaunas]], [[Lithuania]], in a family of laborers. His father was Juozas Banionis and his mother Ona Blažaitytė Banionė.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> He graduated from the First Kaunas Handicraft School, specializing in ceramics. During his studies he participated in a drama club.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> In 1940 in Kaunas, based on the amateur collective that existed at the House of Labor, a professional theater was created, which was headed by the young director Juozas Miltinis, and soon the theater moved to [[Panevėžys]]. In 1941 Donatas Banionis was admitted to the troupe.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> In 1944, Banionis graduated from the studio at the Panevėžys Theater, becoming a professional actor.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> In 1984 he graduated from the State Conservatory of the Lithuanian SSR (now the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater).<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> ===Theatre=== On the stage, Donatas Banionis played over 100 characters. He acted in the plays "The Inspector General" based on Nikolai Gogol's play (1945), "Liar" based on the play Carlo Goldoni (1952), "How the Steel Was Tempered" based on the novel by Nikolai Ostrovsky (1952), "Gedda Gabler" based on Henrik Ibsen (1957) , "There, Behind the Door" based on the work of Wolfgang Borchert (1966), "The Chair" after the play by Valery Vrublevskaya (1980), etc.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> In the early 1980s, after the retirement of Juozas Miltinis, Banionis was appointed the chief director of the Panevezhsky Theater, assuming, in addition to problems of a creative nature, the entire burden of purely economic problems: preparation for tours, replenishment of the troupe. Banionis led the theatre until the year 1988. The performances staged during this time included "Amadeus", "Three sacks of weeds" and "Evening".<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> In the 1990s, the actor performed in the plays "Mindaugas" by Justinas Marcinkevičius (1994), "On the Golden Lake" by Ernest Thompson (1996), "The Circle" by Somerset Maugham (1996), "Love Letters" by Albert Garni (1997)<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> ===Film=== In 1947, Banionis appeared in the film ''Marite''. However, his cinematic debut is considered to be the film ''Adam wants to be a Man'' (1959) by director Vytautas Zhalakyavichyus, then Banionis starred in his picture ''The Chronicle of One Day'' (1964). Banionis' fame came after the film by Zhalakevičius ''[[Nobody Wanted to Die]]'' (1965). The actor's work in the film by Savva Kulish ''[[Dead Season]]'' (1968) earned him great popularity.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> Donatas Banionis starred in the films ''[[Nobody Wanted to Die]]'' (1965), ''The Little Prince'' (1966), ''Operation Trust'' (1967), ''[[King Lear (1971 USSR film)|King Lear]]'' (1970), ''[[Goya or the Hard Way to Enlightenment]]'' (1971), ''The Life and Death of Ferdinand Luce'' (1976), ''Beethoven — Days of a Life'' (1976), ''[[Armed and Dangerous (1977 film)|Armed and Dangerous]]'' (1976), ''The Commander of the Happy Pike'' (1972), ''[[The Flight of Mr. McKinley]]'' (1975), ''Centaurs'' (1978), ''Niccolo Paganini'' (1982), Zmielov (1985), ''Living Target'' (1990), ''Without Evidence'' (1992), ''Anna'' (1996) ''Yard'' (1999), ''Tadas Blinda'', ''The Beginning'' (2011), etc.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> One of the best-known works of the actor was the role of Kris Kelvin in the film of Andrei Tarkovsky ''[[Solaris (1972 film)|Solaris]]'' (1972).<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> ===Other activities=== Donatas Banionis was a member of the Jurgis Baltrušaitis Foundation, whose goal is to promote cultural ties and expand humanitarian cooperation between Lithuania and Russia.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> Member of the [[CPSU]] since 1960. Member of the [[Communist Party of Lithuania]]. Member of the [[Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union]] of the 9th convocation (1974-1979).<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> He is the author of memoir prose "I've wanted to Act since My Childhood" (2006).<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> ===Illness and death=== In his later years, the actor suffered from heart problems. He was stitched with a heart stimulant, then he underwent a long rehabilitation course. Banionis died on 4 September 2014 from a stroke. He was 90 years old.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/soviet-actor-donatas-banionis-dead-730411|title=Soviet-Era Actor Who Inspired Vladimir Putin Dies at 90|publisher=Hollywood Reporter.com|accessdate=6 September 2014|date=5 September 2014}}</ref> ==Honors== Donatas Banionis is a People's Artist of the USSR (1974), winner of the [[All-Union Film Festival]] in the category "Best Actor Award" (1966), laureate of the State Prizes of the USSR (1967, 1977, for participation in the films ''[[Nobody Wanted to Die]]'' and ''[[The Flight of Mr. McKinley]]'').<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> Among the awards of Donatas Banionis - the Order of Gediminas III degree (1994), the medal. Khanzhonkov in the nomination "For outstanding contribution to the cinema" (1999), the Russian Friendship Orders (1999) and Honor (2009), the Grand Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit for Lithuania (2004), the National Award of Lithuania in the field of culture and art (2013) ).<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> Donatas Banionis was repeatedly awarded with prizes of international film festivals. At the film festival of the CIS and Baltic countries "Kinoshok" in 1999 he was awarded with a special prize "Lady luck" named after Pavel Luspekaev "for courage and outstanding merits in creativity."<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> In 1999 he became an Honorary Citizen of the city of Panevezys.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> ==Personal life== His wife was actress Ona Banionis (1924-2008). They had two sons - Egidijus (1948-1993), a historian, posthumously awarded the State Prize in the field of science, and Raymundas (born in 1957), director.<ref name="ria"></ref><ref name="sd"></ref> ==Selected filmography== {{Expand list|date=March 2014}} * ''Marytė'' (1947) as Peter * ''[[Nobody Wanted to Die]]'' (1966) as Vaitkus * ''[[Beware of the Car]]'' (1966) as pastor * ''[[Dead Season (film)|Dead Season]]'' (1968) as Ladeinikov * ''[[The Red Tent (film)|The Red Tent]]'' (1969) as [[Adalberto Mariano]] * ''[[Goya or the Hard Way to Enlightenment]]'' (1971) as [[Goya]] * ''[[King Lear (1971 USSR film)|King Lear]]'' (1971) as [[Duke of Albany]] * ''[[Solaris (1972 film)|Solaris]]'' (1972) as Kris Kelvin * ''[[The Flight of Mr. McKinley]]'' (1975) as Mr. McKinley * ''[[Armed and Dangerous (1977 film)|Armed and Dangerous]]'' (1977) as Gabriel Conroy * ''[[Mama, I'm Alive]]'' (1977) as Major Mauris * ''[[The Suicide Club, or the Adventures of a Titled Person]]'' (1981) as Chairman * ''[[Faktas]]'' (1981) as Colonel Titel * ''{{illm|Cry of the Dolphin|ru|Крик дельфина}}'' (1987) as Bar-Mattai * ''Anastasia'' (2006) as father * ''[[Attack on Leningrad]]'' (2009) as Toivo * ''Tadas Blinda. Start'' (2011) as Mikhail Muravyov ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=0052023|name=Donatas Banionis}} {{Lithuanian National Culture and Arts}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Banionis, Donatas}} [[Category:1924 births]] [[Category:2014 deaths]] [[Category:Soviet male film actors]] [[Category:Lithuanian male film actors]] [[Category:Lithuanian male stage actors]] [[Category:People's Artists of the USSR]] [[Category:Lithuanian theatre directors]] [[Category:People of the KGB]] [[Category:Recipients of the USSR State Prize]] [[Category:Recipients of the Lithuanian National Prize]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of Friendship]] [[Category:People from Kaunas]] [[Category:Place of death missing]] [[Category:20th-century Lithuanian male actors]]'