yevgeny petrov () was the pen name of yevgeny petrovich katayev (; in odessa – july 2, 1942) was a popular soviet author in the 1920s and 1930s. he often worked in collaboration with ilya ilf. as ilf and petrov, they wrote "the twelve chairs", released in 1928, and its sequel, "the little golden calf", released in 1931.