ABSTRACT
Oleg Popov loved acrobatics as a young man, and studied across the street from the circus school. So it was an easy transition when he decided to become an eccentric, before moving into clown. He went on to win the Golden Clown Award at the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival and was sometimes called the “Sunshine Clown.” He was one of Russia's greatest clowns, continuing the legacy of Engibarov and Karandash, among others. In his interview, he discusses his love of Charlie Chaplin, and his remarkable ascent as an artist to the top of his profession.
