Popular Russian actor Vladislav Galkin was found dead Saturday of apparent heart failure in his Moscow apartment, investigators said. He was 38.
The Investigative Committee said in a statement that it would investigate the death but that there were no apparent signs of foul play.
"According to the preliminary information, the death was caused by heart failure," the statement said.
Known for his kind-looking face, broad smile and round cheeks, Galkin started his career at the age of 9, playing Huckleberry Finn in Stanislav Govorukhin's adaptation of Mark Twain's book.
He starred in some 40 movies and television series, including “72 Meters,” a film about a submarine disaster, and “Spetsnaz,” a television drama about special forces in Chechnya. He also played poet Ivan Bezdomny in a 2005 television adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s “The Master and Margarita.”
Galkin's last role was in a television series about Soviet military leader Grigory Kotovsky, titled "Kotovsky," which is scheduled to premiere Monday on channel Rossia 1.
Last year, Galkin was charged with hooliganism using a weapon and non-life-threatening violence against a law enforcement official, after an attack on a police lieutenant at a bar in July. In December, Galkin was convicted to a suspended sentence of 14 months.
Colleagues have said Galkin was suffering from a drinking problem, which intensified after the trial. He was reportedly hospitalized during the New Year's holidays with pancreatitis.
Galkin is to be buried Tuesday after a ceremony at the Moscow House of Cinema.
… we have a small favor to ask. As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.
Remind me later.