Hıraçya Nersesyan

Hıraçya Nersesyan — Biography

Hıraçya Nersesyan (Armenian: Հրաչյա Ներսիսյան; 12 November 1895, İzmit – 6 November 1961, Yerevan) was an Armenian stage and film actor who was born in Ottoman territory and went on to become one of the leading figures of Soviet-Armenian cinema. After completing his education in Constantinople, he emigrated to the Soviet Union in 1923 and soon turned to film acting.

He made his screen debut in the 1925 silent film Namus, and over a career spanning more than three decades appeared in films now regarded as classics of Armenian cinema, including Pepo (1935), Zangezur (1938), David Bek (1943) and The Song of First Love (1958); his performance in Zangezur earned him the Stalin Prize in 1941. His artistry was also recognized by the Soviet state, which named him People's Artist of the USSR in 1956 and awarded him honors including the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Badge of Honour.

Nersesyan continued acting until the end of his life, and his filmography, spanning more than two dozen productions, includes several films released after his death. He died in Yerevan in 1961 and is buried at the Komitas Pantheon in the city center.