MOSCOW -- Russian actor Semyon Farada, who rose to fame during the Soviet era, has died at the age of 76 in Moscow, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.
Farada worked in Moscow's Taganka Theater for some 30 years. He acted in such popular plays as "Hamlet" and "Master and Margarita," based on the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov. His roles in "Magicians," "To Kill the Dragon," "The Formula of Love," "Garage," and other films made him a celebrity during the 1970s and 1980s.
Farada worked as a mechanical engineer until his early 30s, appearing only in amateur theater. He made his film debut in 1967, when he was 34, and went on to appear in some 70 films during his career.
He was married to actress Maria Politseimako. Their son, Mikhail Politseimako, is also an actor.
Farada had been in declining health since suffering a stroke in 2000.