▁Russia , ▁into ▁the ▁family ▁of ▁a ▁shop ▁assistant . ▁He ▁was ▁successful ▁in ▁his ▁school ▁theatre , ▁im it ating ▁Charlie ▁Chap lin , ▁but ▁was ▁refused ▁entry ▁to ▁the ▁L ening rad ▁Theater ▁Institute ▁due ▁to ▁poor ▁pron unci ation . ▁After ▁a ▁few ▁years ' ▁study ▁at ▁an ▁engineering ▁school , ▁he ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁L ening rad ▁Institute ▁for ▁Soviet ▁Culture , ▁where ▁he ▁later ▁taught . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁Pol un in ▁started ▁the ▁p antom ime ▁the ater , ▁Lic ide i ▁( Russ ian ▁for ▁" m um mers " ▁or ▁literally ▁" people ▁who ▁make ▁faces "). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁his ▁first ▁very ▁successful ▁television ▁performance ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁E ve ▁program ▁Gol ub oy ▁Og ony ok ▁( Г о лу бой ▁о го н ё к ). ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁now ▁famous ▁As isy ai - rev ue . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁in ▁L ening rad ▁he ▁organized ▁a ▁m ime ▁para de ▁in ▁which ▁more ▁than ▁ 8 0 0 ▁m ime ▁artists ▁from ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁took ▁part . ▁It ▁was ▁an ▁un he ard ▁of ▁event ▁featuring ▁semi - under ground ▁artists ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁strict ▁Commun ist ▁control ▁of ▁all ▁art istic ▁events . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁during ▁the ▁Moscow ▁World ▁Festival ▁of ▁Youth ▁and ▁Stud ents ▁he