Andrei Nikolayev (clown)

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Andrei Nikolayevich Nikolayev (March 27, 1938 – August 14, 2023) was a Soviet and Russian clown, artistic director and teacher. He finished the State School of Circus in 1958 and later the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts in 1973 as an artistic director. Early in his career he helped famous clowns Karandash and Emil Kio, but from the 1960s he performed on his own. In 1978 he led the Comedy Circus group and created the shows “I Work as a Clown” (1978) and “Topsy-Turvy” (1987), where he also starred. In the 1990s he wrote several award-winning pieces for other clowns, including his son Andrei Nikolayev Jr. (1966–2007). He won Grock d'or in 1969 and was named a People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1980. From 1976 he taught at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts. He died on August 14, 2023, at age 85.