Lyudmila Makarova

Lyudmila Iosifovna Makarova was born on October 20, 1921, in St. Petersburg (then Petrograd), Russia. Young Makarova was fond of ballet and theatre. In 1937 she was admitted to the Acting Studio of Bolshoi Drama Theatre (BDT) in Leningrad. She studied acting under Boris Babochkin and graduated from the Acting Studio of BDT in 1941. Makarova married actor Yefim Kopelyan the same year. During the Second World War Makarova worked at the Theatre of the Baltic Navy Fleet. She was entertaining the Navy and Red Army troops with theatrical performances at the time when Leningrad was under the siege. She gave many performances aboard battleships and submarines. Makarova survived the siege of Leningrad and was decorated for her courage.