Ranevskaya was born August 27, 1896 in the city of Taganrog, "a son of a poor oilman," as she says. In her confession she was not happy in my parents' house, she was virtually no friends. Passion for theater began early, and despite the entreaties of the parents, she decided to become an actress. This decision led to a break with the family, but a determined girl decided not to retreat from him, and took the pseudonym Ranevskaya, went from a provincial town to Moscow to learn theater skills.
Training was not enough money and Faina start wandering around the provincial troupe, where he soon met actress Pavla Leontievna Wolfe, who became her mentor and a true friend for life. The first highly professional acting lessons Ranevskaya got it from Wolfe. Formative years coincided with the years of the Revolution and the Civil War. Therefore, the actress had a chance to experience the difficulties of the time.
In the 20s Ranevskaya and Wolf are working together on a provincial theater in Gomel, Smolensk, Stalingrad, Archangel and Baku. In '30, she wrote a letter to the famous Tairov, which takes the actress in the troupe of the Moscow Chamber Theatre. On the roles she was not very lucky, so in 1935, she goes to the theater of the Red Army, and then - in the Small.
Still working at Tairova, Ranevskaya made her film debut in director Romm in the film "Doughnut". The debut was a success, it drew the attention of even the writer Romain Rolland, guests in the USSR, at the request of the film successfully demonstrated in France.
Although in each successive picture no role Ranevskaya not remained unnoticed, the main roles the actress is not allowed. Castings were held under the leadership of Stalin, and so it was not possible to withdraw from Einstein in the film "Ivan the Terrible" and some other due to their pronounced Semitic appearance.
Ugly, but intelligent and with a sharp tongue and the actress was not very simple in nature, so with the directors she has always evolved a complex relationship - they simply afraid. Of the most memorable films of the era we call "Cinderella", where Ranevskaya brilliantly played the role of stepmother, "Foundling", "Careful, Grandma" and "Spring". Anyone who has ever once looked these films will never forget it created vivid characters and unique incarnation on the screen.
Until 1983. Ranevskaya has played in the theater of the Moscow Soviet, in the movie she starred last time in 1965. Its theater and screen work can be counted on the fingers, but even that was it done, lets consider it the greatest actress capable of playing any role - from tragedy to farce. Ranevskaya died July 19, 1984.