Oleg Tabakov was born in Saratov, RSFSR, USSR. Theater and film actor, theater director, teacher. Honored Artist of the RSFSR (25.12.1969). People's Artist of the RSFSR (7.01.1977). People's Artist of the USSR (12.01.1988). He studied at male secondary school No. 18 in Saratov. The decisive influence on his choice of profession was his studies (1950-1953) in the theater circle "Young Guard" of the Saratov Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren. In 1953 he entered the Moscow Art Theater School, in the course of Vasily Osipovich Toporkov. While in his third year, he played his first film role in the film "Sasha Enters Life" by director Mikhail Schweitzer. In 1986-2000 he was rector of the Moscow Art Theater School, where he graduated four acting courses, head of the joint postgraduate program of the School and Carnegie Mellon University (USA).

In 1992 he founded the K.S. Stanislavsky Summer School in Boston (USA). In 2001 he was appointed artistic director of the Chekhov Moscow Art Theater, combining this with the artistic direction of the Moscow Theater under the direction of O.P. Tabakov. Member of the Council for Culture under the President of the Russian Federation. Honorary member of the Russian Academy of Arts (since October 8, 2008). Academician of the Russian Academy of Cinematographic Arts "Nika". First wife - Honored Artist of the RSFSR Lyudmila Krylova. Son - Anton Tabakov (1960), actor and restaurateur. Daughter - Alexandra Tabakova (1966), actress. Second wife - People's Artist of the Russian Federation Marina Zudina. Son - Pavel Tabakov (1995), actor. Daughter - Maria Tabakova (2006).