Yuri Nikulin was a renowned Russian film actor, comedian, mime, and circus clown who served as the Artistic Director of the Moscow Circus and a popular television show host. Born on December 18, 1921, in the town of Demidov, Smolensk province, Central Russia, Nikulin inherited his father's talents and dreamed of becoming an actor.
However, his plans were disrupted by the Second World War, during which he was drafted into the Soviet Army in 1939 and served in a tank unit until 1946. After the war, he struggled to gain admission to any Soviet acting school, but eventually found success at the Moscow Circus, where he graduated in 1950 and began his acting career as a clown.
Nikulin's collaboration with director Leonid Gaidai from 1961 to 1971 resulted in some of the most iconic comedies in Russian film history, including The Diamond Arm (1969),which remains the highest-grossing Russian box office hit ever. In a 1995 national poll, The Diamond Arm was voted the best Russian comedy ever.
As a comedian, Nikulin was known for his effortless style, precise delivery, and mastery of timing, as well as his ability to make people laugh in even the most challenging times. He worked with a wide range of notable Russian actors, including Georgiy Vitsin, Evgeniy Morgunov, Natalya Varley, Rolan Bykov, Anatoliy Papanov, Sergey Filippov, Mikhail Pugovkin, Aleksandr Demyanenko, Leonid Kuravlyov, Andrey Mironov, Evgeniy Evstigneev, Vasiliy Shukshin, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Sergey Bondarchuk, Nikolay Burlyaev, Viktor Pavlov, Boris Novikov, Vladimir Etush, Saveliy Kramarov, Nikolay Grinko, and many others.
Throughout his career, Nikulin received critical acclaim for his leading and supporting roles in films such as Andrei Rublev (1961),They Fought for Their Country (1975),Stariki-razboyniki (1971),Chuchelo (1983),Kogda derevyabyli bolshimi (1961),12 stulev (1971),Dvadtsat dney bez voiny (1976),and many other memorable works.
Nikulin was also a talented singer, and his recording of the theme song from The Diamond Arm, particularly his delivery of the lines "We care less" and "We are fearless," became a popular hit in the 1960s and 1970s Soviet Union.
Despite the challenges of living under the Soviet system, Nikulin continued to make people laugh without fear of punishment, earning him the respect of even the toughest hard-liners. His genuine talent endured the country's worst times, and he remained a beloved figure until his death on August 21, 1997, in Moscow. Nikulin was laid to rest in the Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery, alongside other Russian cultural luminaries and historic figures.
