Yuri Nikulin. Thank you, circus!

Yuri Nikulin dreamed of performing in the circus since childhood, but he didn't get there right away. He wanted to serve in the tank forces but was sent to the artillery. He applied to theatrical universities, but the examiners did not see any artistic abilities in him. He had a poor memory, but he instantly and permanently remembered jokes and anecdotes. He eventually graduated from circus school and became the assistant of the famous clown Karandash, and at the age of 36, he starred in a movie for the first time. Years later, the whole country already knew and loved him as the clown from the skit about the log, Junior Lieutenant Glazychev in 'Come here, Mukhtar' and Balbes from 'The Caucasian Captive,' and later — the director of the Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard. Natalia Evdokimova wrote an amazing biography of an amazing person — Yuri Nikulin and did so with great respect and warmth.