Lyudmila Gurchenko dies

Lyudmila Gurchenko, a popular Russian movie actress since the mid-1950s, has died at age 75. Gurchenko died at her home in Moscow on Wednesday. The cause of death was not immediately reported, although a Kremlin statement said she died of a serious illness. Lyudmila Gurchenko was born on November 12, 1935 in Kharkov, Ukraine. She starred in over 80 films, many of which became classical motion pictures of Soviet cinematography. She debuted in 1956 in "The Road of Truth." Her first major role that earned her national popularity took place the same year, in 1956, when she appeared in Eldar Ryazanov's "Karnavalnaya Noch" musical comedy ("Carnival Night"). The film became hugely popular across the entire Soviet Union, and Gurchenko became nationally famous overnight. Gurchenko will be buried on Monday, most likely on Moscow's Novodevichye Cemetery.