Oleg Yankovsky, prominent Russian actor, dies at age 65

May 20, 2009 One of the most popular Russian theatrical and cinema actors, Oleg Yankovsky, died at the age of 65 on Wednesday. He died in Moscow after a nearly life-long struggle with pancreatic cancer.

Yankovsky was a leading actor of Mark Zakharov's Lenkom Theatre for over 35 years.

He starred in many films, including Two Comrades Were Serving, The Kreutzer Sonata, An Ordinary Miracle and The Very Same Munchhausen.

He is survived by his widow, the actress Lyudmila Zorina, and his son Philip, who is also an actor and a film director.

Cinematologist Kirill Razlogov said that "Oleg Yankovsky was an actor from God."

"Oleg Yankovsky was a unique phenomenon, an unbelievably strong and talented actor," said Mark Zakharov, a film director, as quoted by the ITAR-Tass news agency.