Ostap Bender
In 1965 Filippov underwent a brain tumor removal. He continued to work with the same fervent zeal, though. In 1971, he starred as Kisa Vorobyaninov, next to Archil Gomiashvili's Ostap Bender in Leonid Gaiday's highly popular adaptation of Ilf and Petrov's "The Twelve Chairs". This proved to be the peak of his career. In 1974 the actor was awarded the People's Artist of the RSFSR title.