Antonina Mikhailovna Maksimova (25.10.1916, Tula — 7.10.1986, Moscow); her mother was a housewife and her father worked at the Tula Arms Factory. She had two brothers, both of whom went on to become engineers. From a young age, she dreamed of a career in acting; she performed in amateur productions and was an excellent singer, dancer, and reciter. After finishing school, she was accepted into drama school at first attempt. In 1938, she graduated from the State Institute of Theatre Arts (GITIS). Whilst studying at GITIS, she made her film debut and, in the latter half of the 1930s, she rose to widespread fame following leading roles in the films Dawns of Paris, in which she played the French revolutionary Catherine Millard, and The Sailors, where she portrayed Senior Lieutenant Galina Zorina, commander of a seaplane squadron.