Acting · Moscow, Russian Empire · Born November 23, 1905
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.
MovieA Small Favor
1984
TVRussia Is Young
1984
as старуха
MovieStreak of Luck
1983
MovieTo My People!
1983
MovieAssol
1983
MovieThe Secret Agent's Return
1982
as Utkin's neighbour
MovieThe Secret of the Notebook
1981
as Glafira Petrovna
MovieCarnival
1981
as visitor of the pawnshop
MovieRebirth
1981
as домработница Дарья Алексеевна
MovieWe'll Be Waiting, Come Back
1981
as babushka
MovieShot In The Back
1980
as Вера Николаевна
MovieThe Soldier and the Elephant
1978
MovieWithout Father
1977
as Glafira
MovieThis Disturbing Winter
1976
MovieStorm on the Land
1976
MovieThe Last Meeting
1974
as Drenched Passerby
MovieConscience
1974
TVConscience
1974
as санитарка
MovieBirds Over the City
1974
TVYeralash
1974
MovieFulfillment of Desires
1974
MovieDuration of the Day
1974
MovieThe Red Snowball Tree
1974
MovieThis Merry Planet
1973
as мать Прошки
MovieThe Sky Behind the Clouds
1973
MovieRight to Jump
1973
Alkin songs
1973
as бабка Анфиса
MovieDeclaration of Love to G.T.
1971
as Old Woman
TVInvestigation Held by ZnaToKi
1971
as Прасковья Андреевна
MovieNew Year's Abduction
1970
as Maksimova
MovieTime to Live
1969
MovieIvan Makarovich
1968
MovieThe Gypsy
1967
as Lushchilikha
MovieSuch a Big Boy
1967
as Filippovna
MovieAfterlight
1966
MovieSomeone Else's Name
1966
as Babushka
MovieThe Conscience
1966
as Елена Евгеньевна
MovieThe Stars of the Day
1966
MovieОни не пройдут
1965
as The passenger of the tram
MovieBeloved
1965
as Нина Петровна
MovieSorcerer Island
1965
as Marya Stepanovna
MovieBlack Business
1965
as Aunt Masha
MovieFather of a Soldier
1965
as Borya's grandma
MovieEarly in the Morning
1965
as мать Жени Горохова
MovieNull kolm
1965
MovieThe Green House
1964
as Marfa Nikolayevna
MovieSummer is Short in the Mountains
1964
as Praskovya Savvishna
MovieMeeting at the Crossing
1964
as woman in boat
MovieThe Judgment
1962
as woman at a court hearing (uncredited)
MovieNo Fear, No Blame
1962
as janitor
MovieYevdokiya
1961
as Maryushka
MovieIn Transit
1961
MovieMiraculous One
1960
MovieThe Song of Koltsov
1959
as Aleksey Koltsov's mother
MovieThe Sun Shines to Everyone
1959
as Pelageya Ivanovna
MovieIn the Silence of Steppe
1959
as Anfisa
MovieStrict Woman
1959
MovieA Home for Tanya
1959
as Makarikha
MovieKing of Diamonds
1959
MovieThe Volunteers
1958
as owner of the hut (uncredited)
MovieRains
1958
"Чудотворец" из Бирюлёва
1958
as Манефа
MovieQuiet Flows the Don
1957
as Кошевая
MovieThe Tight Knot
1957
as Sasha's mother
MovieHeight
1957
as Berestova
MoviePolyushko, pole
1957
MovieOther People's Relatives
1956
as Varvara Stepanovna
MovieTwo Captains
1955
as aunt Dasha
MovieThe Grasshopper
1955
as krestyanka iz Glukhova
MovieThe Frigid Sea
1954
as Дергачиха
MovieAdmiral Ushakov
1953
as Wife of doctor Yermolaev (uncredited)
MovieThe Country Doctor
1952
MovieFirst-Year Student
1948
as Woman with flowers
MovieThe Old Courtyard
1941
as жиличка
MovieЛичное дело
1940
as Vitya Surikov's mother
MovieStepan Razin
1939
as Woman in the crowd (uncredited)
MoviePugachev
1937
MovieAerograd
1935
as Mariia Kudina
MovieMen and Jobs
1932
as Worker woman (uncredited)
A Personal Affair
1932
Killing to Live
1931
MovieAnd Quiet Flows the Don
1931
as Daria Melekhova
MovieEarth
1930
as Natalia, Vasyl's bride
MovieRanks and People
1929
as Modest's servant - Anna na shee
MovieThe Other Woman
1929
as Provincial lady
MovieThe Last Attraction
1929
as Polly
MovieA Bright City
1928
as Marusenka
MovieThe Peasant Women of Ryazan
1927
as Lukerya
