What Nina Grebeshkova paid for the love of Leonid Gaidai

The wife of the director Leonid Gaidai – the charming Nina Grebeshkova – was especially loved by the viewer after the role of Nadenko from the comedy “Diamond Hand”. The real Nina Pavlovna was not much different from the movie wife of Semyon Semyonovich Gorbunkov. She was also a wonderful hostess, a responsible mother and a caring wife. But this woman never played her main role on the big screen. Nina Grebeshkova has always been convinced that her main role is to be the wife of a great director.



The wife of the director laid her life on the altar of caring for her husband Nina Grebeshkova decided not by chance. Leonid Gaidai said: “Nina, I will disappear without you.” He did this when his wife told him she wanted to leave.

After the marriage, all household chores fell on the fragile shoulders of Nina Grebeshkova. Gaidai was full of work, and all the promises to carry Nina in his arms remained in the youth of two students in love. After 10 years, Nina Grebeshkova decided to divorce, but Leonid Iovich did not allow it. So they lived together for 40 years, until the great maestro left this world.

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Before the acquaintance of Nina Grebeshkova with Leonid Gaidai, the actress was already quite famous. She predicted incredible fame, and fans recognized on the streets. But after the wedding, Nina Pavlovna increasingly began to receive episodic roles. However, these roles made the actress unforgettable among fans.

It’s time to think, well, how can the director’s wife act only in episodes? Very simple. Leonid Iovich was convinced that he had no moral right to promote his wife on the career ladder. And Nina Pavlovna always tried to be close to her husband and take care of him. It was like he had no hands without Grebeshkova.

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One of the most memorable roles of Nina Grebeshkova is a psychiatric hospital doctor from the film “Caucasian Prisoner”. Yes, the same lady who helped pull the main character out of the moment of “acute crisis”. Only such a character was not originally in the script. Gaidai urgently had to enter it into the story.

And all because friends began to express their dissatisfaction with the director. Everyone knew that Nina Grebeshkova turned down the role in another film to go with her husband to the shooting of “Caucasian Prisoner” and constantly support him. Leonid Iovich suffered from stomach ulcers, so the wife always took care that the husband received only proper and healthy food.

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Friends shamed Gaidai, saying that it was time to somehow thank his wife for such dedication and care. This is how the role of a mental hospital doctor appeared. Moreover, even in this scenario, Leonid Gaidai did not allow himself familiarity with the actress and on the set addressed her only as Nina Pavlovna. In addition, it is believed that the name of the main character of this film is also a tribute to the Director to his beloved wife Nina.

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In one of the interviews, Nina Pavlovna mentioned how their daughter Oksana, working in Malaysia as an economist, sent an interesting gift - a calculator. At that time, it was new, interesting and unusual. Leonid Iovich immediately became interested in calculating his income and expenses.

But after the calculations, the great maestro found out that he had spent all his earnings on certain things (house, car), and asked his wife: “And what have we lived on all this time?” Nina Pavlovna laughed for a long time, explaining to her husband that his wife also receives a salary.

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The life of Nina Grebeshkova was divided in half after her beloved husband passed away. He wanted to confess something honestly to her. The actress strained, because it was already thought about the various secret adventures of the director. But he sincerely repented: he regrets only that he did not remove the only wife in the leading role.

Nina Pavlovna admitted that to some extent it is even easier for her to realize that her husband went to heaven first. Without this beautiful woman, he would have disappeared.



The Magnificent Nina Pavlovna Grebeshkova does not lose enthusiasm. Even in her venerable 90 years, the actress continues to go out and act in films. His main role was undoubtedly played. It is only worthy of the highest praise.