Acute Alcoholism Claimed Godunov

Alexander Godunov’s death last week at age 45 was the result of alcoholism, his publicist said Monday.

Godunov, the flaxen-haired Bolshoi Ballet dancer who defected from the Soviet Union and eventually became an actor, was found dead last Thursday at his West Hollywood home.

Godunov “died as a result of acute alcoholism. Rumors of his death as a result of AIDS or suicide are absolutely not true,” Evelyn Shriver said in a statement.

After spending 13 years with the Bolshoi Ballet, Godunov came to the United States in 1979.