Anton Chekhov

Born: 29 January 1860 Birthplace: Taganrog, Russia Death: 2 July 1904 (tuberculosis) Best Known As: Author of The Cherry Orchard Chekhov wrote both plays and short stories. He is generally listed in the first rank of Russian playwrights and in the high second rank (a notch below Pushkin and Tolstoy) as a writer of prose. His most famous plays include The Seagull (1896), Uncle Vanya (1899), and The Cherry Orchard (1904). Chekhov had a famous love affair with the actress Olga Knipper; they married in 1901. Chekhov's birthdate was January 29 according to the Gregorian calendar, which wasn't adopted in Russia until the 20th century. By the old-style Julian calendar, his birthdate was January 17.