Yuri Aleksandrovich Kuzmenkov was born on February 16, 1941 in Moscow. His father was a locksmith, and his mother worked as a barber. After school, he entered the vocational school and began to study as a locksmith-instrumentalist.
Yuri took an active part in the factory theater. He played almost all the main roles in amateur activities. Once after another performance in the factory newspaper published an article about Yuri. And without thinking twice, with this newspaper in hand, Kuzmenkov went to work in the theater.
Fortunately for him, the theater just recruited students to the theater studio of the Mossovet Theater (the head of the studio was Yuri Zavadsky). Kuzmenkov was immediately accepted into it. In 1964, training in the studio was completed, and Yuri was accepted into the theater troupe.
While still a student, Yuri began acting. Kuzmenkov’s heroes were mainly military, straightforward, self-confident, with a great sense of humor. “In the Name of the Revolution”, “Our Home”, “Trap” are the first films in which the actor was shot.
The most popular and favorite paintings with his participation are
"By the Lake" (1969), The Great Change (1972), Three Days in Moscow (1974), Waiting for a Miracle (1975), Two Captains (1976), Family Circumstances (1977), The Forest You Will Never Enter (1978),
"Honest, intelligent, unmarried..." (1981), “Parents are not chosen” (1982), “Hostage” (1990),
Sheremetyevo-2 (1990), The Pimp Hunt (1990),
Yar (1991), Shirli Myrli (1995), Secrets of Palace Coups (Emperor's Testament) (2000), Anti-Terror 2: (2003), Brezhnev (2005), Magical Love (2008), Cruise (2009), Bomber (2011) and many others.
In 1980, Yuri Kuzmenkov received the title of Honored Artist of the RSFSR. Yuri has long been married to actress Galina Vanyushkina. Their wedding took place in 1963. Yuri Stepan’s son is a diplomat who now lives in America. Yuri Kuzmenkov has two granddaughters and a grandson.
The legendary Russian actor died on September 11, 2011 from a heart attack at his suburban dacha. Yuri Kuzmenkov was buried at the village cemetery in Zhabkino (Moscow region, Leninsky district).