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Actor, amateur artist. Born in St Petersburg (1813) in the family of Vasily Samoilov (1782–1839), head of a family of actors at the Alexandrinsky Theatre. Studied at the School of Mining in St Petersburg. Earned money in his youth by painting commissioned pictures. Did not receive a systematic art education, although his father was advised by Karl Brullov, who painted his portrait. Performed some five hundred roles from tragedy to vaudeville on the stage of the Imperial Theatre (1834–75). Awarded the Order of St Vladimir (fourth class). Died in St Petersburg and buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery (1887). Contributed landscapes and genre scenes to exhibitions at the Imperial Academy of Arts (1877, 1879).