Born in St. Petersburg, Russia. A nephew of playwright Anton Chekhov, he entered Russian film in 1913 with TRYOKHSOTLETIYE TSARSTOIVANIYA DOMA ROMANOVIKH (THE TERCENTENARY OF THE ROMONOV DYNASTY'S ACCESSION). He continued to work in Russian films until 1929. His American film credits include SONG OF RUSSIA (1943), IN OUR TIME (1944), SPELLBOUND, SPECTRE OF THE ROSE and ABIE'S IRISH ROSE (both 1946), CROSS MY HEART (1947), TEXAS, BROOKLYN AND HEAVEN (1948), THE PRICE OF FREEDOM (1949), INVITATION and HOLIDAY FOR SINNERS (both 1952) and his last film, RHAPSODY (1954).  Nominated for Supporting Actor 1945: SPELLBOUND 1 nomination