Leyla Badirbeyli

Leyla Aghalar gizi Badirbeyli and Leyla Badirbeyova – (after marriage, Javanshirova; Azerbaijani: Leyla Ağalar qızı Bədirbəyli (Cavanşirova)); (1920–1999), Soviet and Azerbaijani actress of theatre and cinema, People's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR (1959),^[1] laureate of the State Stalin Prize of the second degree (1946),^[2] member of the CPSU from 1945. She is buried in the Alley of Honor.

Leyla Badirbeyli was born on 8 January 1920 in Baku, in the family of Aghalar Badirbeyov, from the generation of Shamkir beys. In 1936, she became the soloist of the Song and Dance Ensemble of Azerbaijan, where she worked until 1942. In 1942, under the guidance of the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre, named after Meshadi Azizbeyov's invitation, she began to perform on the stage of this theatre.^[3] Later she narrated:

"Theatre is related to me with the names of such coryphaeus as Mehdi Mammadov, Adil Isgenderov, Aliheydar Alakbarov. My activity in cinema and theatre was in wartime, but in spite of that, these years were very productive in the world of arts and also for me…"

In 1945, Bedirbeyli played Gulchohra's part from "Arshin mal alan" musical comedy.^[4] Henceforth, she played memorable roles in such films as "Fatali khan", "Meeting", "Shadows are crawling", "Her great heart", "Koroghlu", "Indomitable Kura", "Sevil", "Boys of our street", "One fine day", "Dervish is blowing up Paris" etc.^[5] In 1951, Leyla Badirbeyli graduated from Azerbaijan State Theatrical Institute named after M.A.Aliyev. Badirbeyli married Fərəc Cavanşirov, a Javanshir noble descended from Ibrahim Khalil Khan. The two had a son named Javanshir, known as Elhan. The couple split up later in life.

The actress died on 23 November 1999.

• State Stalin Prize of the second degree (1946) – for playing Gulchohra's role in the film "Arshin mal alan".
• State Premium of the Azerbaijan SSR, named after Mirza Fatali Akhundov (1972)^[6]
• People's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR (1959)^[7]

• List of People's Artists of the Azerbaijan SSR