Yakov Smirnoff

Yakov Smirnoff

Yakov Naumovich Pokhis (Russian: Яков Наумович Похис; born 24 January 1951), better known as Yakov Smirnoff (Russian: Яков Смирнов; /ˈsmɪərnɒf/), is a Ukrainian-American comedian, actor and writer of Jewish origin. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in Ukraine, then immigrated to the United States in 1977 in order to pursue an American show business career, not yet knowing any English. He reached his biggest success in the mid-to-late 1980s, appearing in several films and the television sitcom vehicle What a Country!. His comic persona was of a naive immigrant from the Soviet Union who was perpetually confused and delighted by life in the United States. His humor combined a mockery of life under communism and of consumerism in the United States, as well as word play caused by misunderstanding of American phrases and culture, all punctuated by the catchphrase, "And I thought, 'What a country!'" The collapse of communism starting in 1989, and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, brought an end to Smirnoff's widespread popularity, although he continued to perform. In 1993, he began performing year round at his own theater in Branson, Missouri, where he remained until 2015. He occasionally still performs limited dates at his theater in Branson while touring worldwide. Smirnoff earned a master's degree in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2006 and a doctorate in psychology and global leadership from Pepperdine University in 2019. He has also taught a course titled "The Business of Laughter" at Missouri State University and at Drury University.

  • Pamagat: Yakov Smirnoff
  • Katanyagan: 1.268
  • Kilala sa: Acting
  • Kaarawan: 1951-01-24
  • Lugar ng Kapanganakan: Odesa, Ukraine
  • Homepage:
  • O kilala bilang: Yakov Naumovich Pokhis
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Yakov Smirnoff Mga pelikula

  • 1986
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    The Money Pit

    The Money Pit

    6.497 1986 HD

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  • 1985
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    Rodney Dangerfield Hosts the 9th Annual Young Comedians Special

    Rodney Dangerfield Hosts the 9th Annual Young Comedians Special

    8 1985 HD

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  • 1994
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    Yakov Smirnoff: What A Country!

    Yakov Smirnoff: What A Country!

    1 1994 HD

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  • 1991
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    Yakov Smirnoff From Moscow...Idaho

    Yakov Smirnoff From Moscow...Idaho

    1 1991 HD

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  • 2004
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    Yakov Smirnoff: Jokes from the Folks

    Yakov Smirnoff: Jokes from the Folks

    1 2004 HD

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  • 1985
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    Brewster's Millions

    Brewster's Millions

    6.595 1985 HD

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  • 2004
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    Yakov Smirnoff: As Long As We Both Shall Laugh

    Yakov Smirnoff: As Long As We Both Shall Laugh

    1 2004 HD

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  • 1984
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    Moscow on the Hudson

    Moscow on the Hudson

    6.263 1984 HD

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  • 1994
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    Yakov Smirnoff: I Bet You Never Looked At It That Way!

    Yakov Smirnoff: I Bet You Never Looked At It That Way!

    1 1994 HD

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  • 1994
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    Yakov Smirnoff: Just Off the Boat

    Yakov Smirnoff: Just Off the Boat

    1 1994 HD

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  • 1984
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    The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

    The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

    6.029 1984 HD

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  • 2013
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    Awful Nice

    Awful Nice

    5.2 2013 HD

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  • 2012
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    Yakov: Live From Branson!

    Yakov: Live From Branson!

    1 2012 HD

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  • 1986
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    Heartburn

    Heartburn

    6 1986 HD

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  • 2004
    imgMga pelikula

    Yakov Smirnoff: Jokes from the Folks

    Yakov Smirnoff: Jokes from the Folks

    1 2004 HD

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  • 2004
    imgMga pelikula

    Yakov Smirnoff: Jokes from the Folks

    Yakov Smirnoff: Jokes from the Folks

    1 2004 HD

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  • 1994
    imgMga pelikula

    Yakov Smirnoff: Just Off the Boat

    Yakov Smirnoff: Just Off the Boat

    1 1994 HD

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  • 1994
    imgMga pelikula

    Yakov Smirnoff: Just Off the Boat

    Yakov Smirnoff: Just Off the Boat

    1 1994 HD

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  • 2021
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    Toon In with Me

    Toon In with Me

    7.667 2021 HD

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  • 1997
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    King of the Hill

    King of the Hill

    7.3 1997 HD

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  • 1983
    imgS4 E22

    Scarecrow and Mrs. King

    Scarecrow and Mrs. King

    6.4 1983 HD

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  • 1986
    imgS1 E26

    What a Country!

    What a Country!

    5 1986 HD

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  • 1989
    imgS4 E22

    Major Dad

    Major Dad

    6.636 1989 HD

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  • 1984
    imgS9 E22

    Night Court

    Night Court

    7.3 1984 HD

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  • 2012
    imgS6 E26

    Gotham Comedy Live

    Gotham Comedy Live

    5.5 2012 HD

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  • 1962
    imgS31 E74

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    7.4 1962 HD

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  • 2013
    imgS5 E102

    @midnight with Chris Hardwick

    @midnight with Chris Hardwick

    5.1 2013 HD

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