Biography
Suimenkul Chokmorov (also credited as Суйменкул Чокморов and similar variants) was a Kyrgyz Soviet actor and painter. Born on 9 November 1939 in Chong-Tash, he graduated from the Leningrad Academy of Arts in 1964 and later taught painting and composition.
He made his film debut in 1968 in Bolotbek Shamshiyev’s A Shooting at the Karash Pass and went on to appear in numerous Soviet films, including adaptations of Chingiz Aitmatov’s works such as Jamilya (1968), The Ferocious One (1973) and The Red Apple (1975). He played Jan Bao in Akira Kurosawa’s Dersu Uzala (1975).
Chokmorov was named a People’s Artist of the USSR in 1981. He continued painting alongside his acting career until his death on 26 September 1992 in Bishkek.
