Jemma Osmolovskaya: an undeservedly forgotten Soviet star

Gemma was born in a simple family, since childhood she dreamed of becoming an actress. After school, she entered GITIS. And here she got a lucky ticket – by some miracle she bypassed dozens of contenders and got a role in the film “The Tale of First Love”. It was released in 1957 and the day after the premiere, Osmolovskaya woke up famous, and the Soviet Screen magazine called her a rising star.

She was immediately approved for the role in the next film – “The Street is Full of Surprises”. There she met the actor Leonid Kharitonov and realized that she had disappeared.

I made grandiose plans for a film career, but soon I had to say goodbye to them. Everything happened quickly: they put a light on the samples, I saw those blue eyes and drowned. He did not leave me, despite the fact that he was married. I fell in love with him, so much so that after a while we got married. Then my son Alexei was born, and, as you understand, I had to forget about my career. I have been at home with my child for two years. And only then was she able to return to the cinema.

Kharitonov was 8 years older, besides, he was married. But this did not stop the lovers.

Kharitonov then thundered throughout the Union – he was loved for the role of the soldier Ivan Brovkin. He could not cope with fame and began to drink: first with numerous friends and admirers, then alone.

At home, scandals began, Gemma was taking care of the child, and Kharitonov was no longer invited to the cinema and he began to “lay down the collar” even more. The case ended with the fact that he had an affair with a student at the Moscow Art Theater School and the family broke up.

For the first time, Kharitonov showed at least some interest in his own son when Lyosha was already 25 years old! And until that time, he did not even really see his father and did not know. Kharitonov never took part either in the education of his son or in his upbringing. I did all this! He also did not give money for the maintenance of his son. Never! The only money I received for Lyosha was paid by the theater. Yes, and the amount was small – only 8 rubles 40 kopecks.

Osmolovskaya tried to return to the cinema, even played in several films. But the previous success was no longer there and she was invited only to small roles in television shows. But she got a job at the Academic Youth Theater, worked there for more than 40 years and played in many performances.

In her personal life, everything also began to improve: Gemma met Peter Podyapolsky, he became her second husband and a good father for her son Alexei. When he grew up, he seriously quarreled with his mother and for several years they practically did not communicate. They reconciled only when Osmolovskaya became seriously ill – and they did not help her with money either in her native theater or in the Actors Guild, all the hardships fell on the shoulders of her relatives.

But the persistent woman did not give up and lived for several more years. In 2020, she was going to celebrate a sapphire wedding – 45 years of marriage with the faithful and loving Peter. Did not work out.

In 2019, just a few months before her birthday, she passed away. Gemma was 80 years old. And in her memory she remained a 19-year-old beauty, in front of which the whole world lay.