Nikolai Karachentsov was born on October, 27th, 1944 in Moscow. When a senior pupil of a sports school, Nikolai started to attend an amateur performance studio for schoolchildren at the Central Children's Theatre. He played his first role in the studio’s staging of Figaro. That was when Karachentsov decided to become a professional actor.

Later he graduated from the Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko School Studio at MKhAT (1967). From 1967 he was the actor of the Lenin Komsomol Theatre (known as Lenkom from 1991). As a singer Nikolai Karachentsov released five solo albums, and gave concerts in Russia and abroad. Apart from that he sang songs in many popular films. His starry voice can also be heard in many foreign films: he dubbed roles of Jean-Paul Belmondo and other actors.

He played two "musical" roles at once in the musical stage performance Star and Death of Joaquin Murrieta after Pablo Neruda’s poetic drama, and then in the famous rock opera Juno and Avos . His brilliant performance of the role of Nikolai Rezanov in Alexey Rybnikov’s rock opera is still considered unsurpassed. Right after premiere Karachentsov became one of the leading actors of Lenkom Theatre. Its stage director Mark Zakharov engaged him in numerous stage plays, among them the historical and revolutionary Optimistic Tragedy (Misha Zemtsov) and the modern Cruel Games (Alexey) and Til’. For a long time Karachentsov’s stage partner in Til’ and Optimistic Tragedy was Inna Churikova. Later the actress’s spouse - director Gleb Panfilov - staged the play Sorry specially for Churikova and Karachentsov.

The actor began his active film career only after the triumph of Til’. Unfortunately, Mark Zakharov did not involve the actor in his films, except for small roles in Twelve Chairs (1976) and The House That Swift Built (1982).

Nevertheless, already in the beginning of his film career Karachentsov played one of his best roles — that was the role of Busygin in the screen version of Alexander Vampilov’s play Elder Son (1975).

Altogether the actor played more than 100 roles in films of all genres: drama, adventures, comedy, detectives, historical, musical, children's films, etc.

His impetuosity in everything, generosity in acting distinguishes many roles by Karachentsov, both historical and modern ones (Dog on the Hay (1977); Yaroslavna, Queen of France (1979); Marta the Pious Woman (1980); Ladies Invite Gentlemen (1981); The Trust That Has Burst (1982); White Dew (1984); A Man from Boulevard des Capucines (1988)).

Nikolai Karachentsov’s talent is really multifold. His songs infallibly enjoy success and love of listeners. It is an array of songs to various films, cartoon animated films and performances. In total Karachentsov has more than a hundred songs.

Unfortunately, the sixtieth year of his life was about to become his last one. A terrible car accident that happened on the 1st March, 2005 incurred severe injuries on the actor: he had to go through three brain surgeries, followed by almost a month in coma, cessation of the functioning of lungs, immobility and total muteness... But thanks to the doctors, his family and his invincible desire to live the actor managed to pull through.