Legendary comedian Yakov Smirnoff to appear at The Dixon Theatre

Legendary comedian Yakov Smirnoff will bring his hilarious show to The Dixon Historic Theatre on Friday, April 5.

Yakov, born in Russia during the Soviet Union era, came to the U.S. in 1977, and found work as a bartender at the famous Grossinger’s Catskill Resort in New York. Once his English improved, he moved to Los Angeles, and began performing at The Comedy Store, according to his website. Much of his comedy stems from his view of life through the eyes of an immigrant, and he became known for his catchphrase, “What a country!”

He performed on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson” and then became a recurring character on the TV show “Night Court.” Smirnoff has appeared in movies with Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, among others.

Smirnoff also has his own 2,000-seat theater in Branson, Missouri, where he has been performing for more than 30 years.

“We are very excited about Yakov coming in,” said Darren Mangler, artistic producer at The Dixon Historic Theatre. “Yakov is an icon of the ’80s comedians. He was doing shows with Robin Williams, Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Dennis Miller, to name a few. He is a perfect fit for our vision of the future.”

Mangler, who himself performs standup comedy, said that he is “very pumped” to meet Smirnoff.

“Joe Rogan and I used to comment on how Yakov is still selling out theaters 30 years later and crushing it. Yakov was one of those Rodney Dangerfield comedians that inspired me to follow that path,” he said.

Beer and wine will be available for sale at the show. Ticket prices start at $30. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit dixontheatre.com.

The Dixon Historic Theatre is located at 114 S. Galena Ave., Dixon.