Yuriy Nikulin

Born: 1921-12-18

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Yuri Vladimirovich Nikulin (Russian: Юрий Владимирович Никулин; 18 December 1921 – 21 August 1997) was a well-known Soviet and Russian actor and clown who starred in many popular films. He was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1973 andHero of Socialist Labour in 1990. He also received a number of state awards, including the prestigious Order of Lenin, which he received twice in his lifetime. Nikulin's effortless style and precise delivery, as well as his mastery of timing and his hilarious masks made him an outstanding comedian, arguably the best Russian comedian ever. Nikulin showed his range in a variety of genres from slapstick comedy to romance and war drama. His most popular film partners were Georgiy Vitsin, Yevgeni Morgunov,Natalya Varley, Rolan Bykov, Anatoli Papanov, Sergei Filippov, Mikhail Pugovkin, Aleksandr Demyanenko, Leonid Kuravlyov, Andrey Mironov, Evgeni Evstigneev, Vasili Shukshin, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Sergei Bondarchuk, Nikolay Burlyaev, Viktor Pavlov, Boris Novikov Vladimir Etush, Saveli Kramarov, Nikolai Grinko, and many other notable Russian actors. In the ring, Nikulin presented a phlegmatic temperament, slow and unsmiling, and to many in the West his personality was reminiscent of the great silent film comedian Buster Keaton. Rich in mimicry, doleful of expression, Nikulin was hailed as “a brainy clown” outside Russia. Simple in style and gentle with children, his only vestiges of make-up were a reddened nose and black lines around his eyes, much different from the grotesquely painted faces of Western clowns. Nikulin, affectionately called Uncle Yury by Russian children, relied mainly upon his wits to earn his place in history as one of the best clowns of the 20th century.


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Andrei Rublev

as Patrikey
Released: 1966-12-16

An expansive Russian drama, this film focuses on the life of revered religious icon painter...

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Operation Y and Other Shurik's Adventures

as "Dunce"
Released: 1965-07-24

The film consists of three independent parts: "Workmate", "Déjà vu" and "Operation Y". The plot...

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Kidnapping, Caucasian Style

as "Dunce"
Released: 1967-04-01

Shurik, a kind but naïve ethnography student, falls in love with the intelligent, athletic and...

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12 Chairs

as дворник Тихон
Released: 1971-06-21

A former aristocrat Ippolit Vorobyaninov leads a miserable life in Soviet Russia. His...

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The Diamond Arm

as Semyon Semyonovich Gorbunkov
Released: 1969-05-23

A diamond smuggling operation goes wrong when an ordinary Soviet citizen becomes unwittingly...

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Bootleggers

as «Balbes»
Released: 1962-01-08

This is the second silent (save for a song) slapstick comedy short about adventures of Worldly,...

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They Fought for Their Motherland

as pvt. Nekrasov
Released: 1975-11-05

In July 1942, in the Second World War, the rearguard of the Russian army protects the bridgehead...

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Scarecrow

as Nicolay Bessoltsev, Lena's grandfather
Released: 1984-09-14

A twelve years old girl Lena who has come to live with her grandfather in a small Russian town...

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Old Men: Robbers

as Николай Мячиков
Released: 1972-08-07

An old detective does not want to retire. The only way out is to prove to his boss that he still...

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Dog Barbos and Unusual Cross

as «Balbes»
Released: 1961-09-18

This is the very first silent slapstick comedy short about adventures of Worldly, Coward, and...

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Twenty Days Without War

as Major Vasily Nikolaevich Lopatin
Released: 1976-11-08

War correspondent Lopatin takes a 20-day-leave from his hard work at the front in 1942. He...

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Big "Wick"

as uncredited
Released: 1963-04-28

A satirical express train sets off on its way. The driver S. Mikhalkov gives a farewell beep ......

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Give Me a Complaints Book

as продавец
Released: 1964-11-11

A group of young motivated people are trying to convert old "Oduvanchik" restaurant in to a...

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Bobik Visiting Barbos

as Bobik (voice)
Released: 1977-01-01

Two dogs, one stray the other well-off, become friends.

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Come Here, Mukhtar!

as Glasychev
Released: 1964-01-01

Mukhtar comes to live and work at the police kennels through rather unusual circumstances....

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Seven Old Men and One Girl

as "Dunce"
Released: 1968-06-06

Lara Velichko is a young coach who's dreaming about coaching world champions but suddenly she's...

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Telegram

as uncredited
Released: 1972-05-15

Six-graders Tosha and Kostya are trying to deliver the pre-WWII telegram they accidentally find.

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Businessmen

as grabital
Released: 1963-05-27

Three stories based on O. Henry novels.

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When the Trees Were Tall

as Kuzma Kuzmich Iordanov
Released: 1961-12-25

The story of a man who routinely dodges all responsibility, bemoans fate, spends his days...

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The Little Runaway

as uncredited
Released: 1966-12-24

During a Soviet circus tour in Japan, a small street musician, Ken, meets a clown, Yuri Nikulin....

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I Don't Want to Be a Grown-Up

as Kloun
Released: 1982-04-30

The parents of six-year-old Pavlik want to make an erudite out of their beloved son. They...

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No Fear, No Blame

as clown
Released: 1963-04-26

The Soviet boys, Vadik and Yura, together with the mischievous little girl Tosha, are children...

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The Unamenables

as Vasily Klyachkin
Released: 1959-06-20

Two foolish and frivolous guys cause suffering for the whole youth union at the factory. It was...

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My Friend, Kolka!

as Vasya
Released: 1961-05-13

Pupils of the ordinary high school organize a “secret society” under the motto “Help the...

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Sovershenno seryozno

as Dunce (segment "Pyos Barbos i neobychajnij kross")
Released: 1961-09-18

An interesting voyage through the Soviet television and film industry.

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The Adventures of Travka

as uncredited
Released: 1976-08-02

A story of a little boy nicknamed Travka who got lost for a whole day.

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Point, Point, Comma...

as Alexey's father
Released: 1972-06-06

A lyric comedy about eight-graders, their life and first love...

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The Taming of the Shrew

as Boys' Choir Master
Released: 1961-09-24

Classic adaptation of the even more classic play by William Shakespeare.

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A Girl with Guitar

as Pyromancer Loser
Released: 1958-09-01

A romantic story about the girl working in the musical instruments store.

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Young-Green

as Nikolai
Released: 1962-11-13

The beginning of the 1950s. Nikolai Babushkin, a young specialist in one of the taiga...

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Deniska's Stories

as сосед Дениски из похожего дома
Released: 1970-04-02

A funny stories about a young boy Deniska and his best friend Mishka.

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Captain Krokus

as introductory and concluding remarks
Released: 1991-01-02

Appearance of Coco the Clown and Peach the Pig in the circus is always a happy holiday for...

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New Girl

as uncredited
Released: 1969-04-07

A talented athlete joins the USSR gymnastics team.

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Fantasizing

as uncredited
Released: 1965-07-12

A group of children are constantly fantasizing about various things - and at the end start to...

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To Remember

as Narrator
First aired: 1993-12-09

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Как уходили кумиры

as Himself / ArchiveFootage
First aired: 2005-08-15

TV Show page