They did not get what they deserved: the most modest fees of Soviet actresses for the iconic roles of the Star

The partners of these actresses got much more.

The charming student Nina is one of the most popular and famous images of Soviet cinema. It is all the more surprising that Natalya Varley’s fee was quite modest. Yes, the salaries of actors in the USSR were regulated by regulations depending on the status of the actor and his role. And it was one of the first roles for Varley, but still the main one. In addition to being a circus performer, Natalya performed all the tricks herself. And yet the actress’ fee was only 1,219 rubles. For comparison, Alexander Demyanenko received 5,520 rubles (it was already possible to buy a car for this money). It was the highest paid in the picture, by the way. Leonid Gaidai’s director’s fee was 4,140 rubles, but he received an additional 2,000 rubles for the script, so he was even ahead of Demjanenko.

The image of Svetlana Svetlichnaya in this Soviet comedy can hardly be forgotten, even though she had a small role. She looked too impressive on the screen, like a foreign beauty, moreover, she appeared in one of the first explicit erotic scenes in the USSR.

Svetlichnaya’s contribution to the history of Soviet cinema was modestly appreciated – she received only 46 rubles for the nudity scene! The rest of the fee for the role of Anna Sergeevna was 300 rubles. For comparison, Nonna Mordyukova, who also played an episodic role, received 1531 rubles for it.

Another iconic blonde of Soviet cinema is Natalya Kustinskaya. She had a small role in the film, but the notes went to the people – her heroine’s telephone conversation with Galochka and other friends is still quoted today. For creating a memorable image, she received only 163 rubles, which, however, was a little more than the usual monthly salary. Such a fee would be enough for a holiday by the sea or to buy a good coat. It is worth noting that Natalya Selezneva and Natalya Krachkovskaya, who played the main female roles in the film, received not exorbitant amounts – 362 and 347 rubles. In comparison, Yuri Yakovlev received 4,350 rubles, but still played two characters.