Yakov Naumovich Pokhis was born on the 24th January 1951, in Odessa, (then) Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union, and is a Soviet-born American comedian, actor, writer, and painter – Yakov Smirnoff – probably still best known for his role as Nikolai Rostapovich in the sitcom called “What a Country” (1986-1987). Smirnoff has also played in such movies as “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension” (1984), “Brewster’s Millions” (1985), and “The Money Pit” (1986). His career started in 1983.
Have you ever wondered how rich Yakov Smirnoff is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Smirnoff’s net worth is as high as $20 million, an amount earned through his acting career. In addition to working in both television and film, Smirnoff has also performed as a stand-up comedian, and is a painter, which has improved his wealth too.
Yakov Smirnoff Net Worth $20 Million
Yakov Smirnoff grew up in Odessa, where he worked as an art teacher and performed as a comedian on ships in the Black Sea. He came into contact with Americans who told him about the life in the US, so Smirnoff decided to leave the Soviet Union, and in 1977 Yakov and his parents moved to New York City.
The fact that he didn’t know a word of English didn’t discourage Smirnoff, so he started working as a bartender at Grossingers Hotel in the Catskill Mountains, and also spent time working as a busboy. Yakov began his stand-up comedy performances in the late ‘70s, when he chose to change his name to Smirnoff, after a famous Russian vodka brand. In the early ’80s, Smirnoff moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career, and was a roommate with fellow comedians Andrew Dice Clay and Thomas F. Wilson. He had gigs at the LA club called The Comedy Store, while in 1983 Yakov appeared in an episode of the Golden Globe Award-nominated TV series “Scarecrow and Mrs. King”.
In 1984, Smirnoff played in the Golden Globe Award-nominated movie “Moscow on the Hudson”, starring Robin Williams, Maria Conchita Alonso and Cleavant Derricks, and then in “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension” with Peter Weller, John Lithgow, and Ellen Barkin. From 1984 to 1990, Yakov appeared in five episodes of the Golden Globe Award-nominated “Night Court”, while in 1985 he had a role in the comedy called “Brewster’s Millions”, alongside Richard Pryor, John Candy, and Lonette McKee. Smirnoff continued with parts in “The Money Pit” (1986) with Tom Hanks, Shelley Long and Alexander Godunov, and in “Heartburn” (1986) starring Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, and Jeff Daniels. From 1986 to 1987, Yakov played in 26 episodes of “What a Country”, and ended the decade with a role in the comedy “Up Your Alley” (1989). His net worth was growing steadily.
In 1993, he appeared in an episode of the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated series called “Major Dad”, but then decided to take a break from acting on the screen and focus on his stand-up comedy performance in his own 2,000-seat theatre in Branson, Missouri, which he purchased in 1992.
In 2006, Smirnoff earned a master’s degree in positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, while most recently, he appeared in the series called “The Comeback Kids” (2014) and in the TV movie “Yakov Smirnoff’s Happily Ever Laughter: The Neuroscience of Romantic Relationships” (2016).
Regarding his personal life, Yakov Smirnoff was married to Linda Dreeszen from 1989 to 2001 and has two children with her. He became a US citizen in 1986, and currently lives in Branson, Missouri.
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