In 1965 he finished school and at once decided to become an actor. No sooner said than done. Leonid entered the Actors’ Faculty in the Shchukin School. At the same time he was engaged in literary creativity, in particular writing poems.

 

From 1969 he worked as an actor in the Moscow Theater on Taganka. Along with that he proceeded with his literary activity. His books Lysistrata, The Tale of Fedot the Strelets, Robin Hood's Big Love, Love for Three Oranges, I Am a Theatrical Person, and Bastards were published. Filatov’s comedy Lysistrata was an especially big success and gained him an award of the October literary magazine. 

 

Leonid Filatov also wrote theatre plays, such as Cuckoo Clock, Motley People, and Artist from Sherwood Forest. From 1970 Leonid Filatov was into filming as an actor. In 1990 he made the movie Bastards based on his script and featuring him as one of the leads. In 1996 he released the disk Orange Cat with songs co-written with Kachan. His series of author’s programs To be Remembered gained Leonid Filatov the TEFI award and the RF State Award in Cinema and Television. 
 

Leonid Filatov died on October 26, 2003 and was laid to rest at the Vagankovo Cemetery.