Between 1960s and 1970s, Leonid Gaidai directed a number of top-selling comedic films in the USSR including; Operation Y and Other Adventures of Shurik (1965), Kidnapping Caucasian Style (1966), Twelve Chairs (1971), and Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future (1973),etc. His films were full of physical comedy as well as sharp wit. Many of the quotes from his films have been absorbed into the Russian language. His most famous film, The Diamond Arm (1968), sold 76,700,000 ticks in the Soviet Union alone, and at least five of his films had sold more than 50 million tickets. Yet due to the state-controlled nature of the Soviet movie industry, all of the revenue went back to the state. Gaidai received a small percentage of ticket sales but this did not last long as even a small royalty would quickly have made him a multimillionaire. With the perestroika and changes in the society, Gaidai’s success declined but even to this day he remains one of the most popular Soviet comedy directors.

Leonid Gaidai (January 30, 1923- November 19,1993)