After finishing seven classes of school Boris Andreyev started working as an electrical fitter combine plant in Saratov.  This is when he got involved in a factory theatrical circle, where he was noticed by the Saratov actor I.A.Slonov, who suggested Boris enter the Saratov Theatre College.  In 1937 Andreyev successfully graduated and became the actor of the Saratov Drama Theater. 

 

When the theater was touring in Moscow, Andreyev was noticed by Ivan Pyryev, who was casting actors for Tractor Drivers. After the film release in 1939 Boris Andreev became famous and did not fade in the circle of well-known actors any more. In the course of filming of Tractor Drivers and Fighters Boris Andreev got two very close friends – Peter Aleynikov and Nikolay Kryuchkov - who remained bosom friends throughout all their life.  The success was followed with Big Life, Legend of Siberian Land, Kuban Cossacks, Two Fighters, A Big Family, Optimistic Tragedy and a set of other movies, altogether more than fifty. 

 

Along with active filming the actor sounded documentary films and animated films, and created aphorisms. He was surrounded with glory, honor, respect and admiration by millions of people. 

 

In the last years of his life Andreyev did not play much.  As it often happens to the actors who have created outstanding portraits, Boris Fedorovich became a hostage to his roles.  Both directors and viewers saw him as a “commoner”. Meanwhile the dream of his life was the role of King Lear, for the sake of which he read hundreds of books on Shakespeare, having nearly become a real Shakespeare scholar. But it never happened… Boris Andreyev with nation-wide glory was probably the last great actor of the Soviet cinema. 

 

Boris Fedorovich Andreyev died on April 25, 1982 and was laid down to rest at the Vagankovo Cemetery in Moscow.