Vladimir Sergeyevich Volodin (his real name was Ivanov) was born on July 20(8), 1891.  At the age of 14 he was employed to the circus as a clown for morning performances meant for children.  Then he started working in the theater as a property man.  Every evening he would stand behind the scenes and gaze wide-eyed at actors.  

There he was noticed by the glorified Ivan Pelttser who decided to audition the young man. He was the one to arrange Volodin’s debut on the variety stage.

Soon the actor joined the Letuchaya Mysh cabaret theater, and in 1927 came to be one of the founders of the Moscow Operetta Theater.  From 1929 Volodin was an actor of the Moscow Academic Operetta Theater.  He played in the first Soviet operetta Grooms by Isaak Dunaevsky. 

Volodin was outstandingly musical. His slightly hoarse voice, though not so strong, had tremendous charm.  The actor freely overcame the convention side – transition from conversation to music.  His rich imagination of a comedian was repeatedly finding new shades for every role - he could not but surprise.  He never played villains. He could not make it with roles of rascals and scoundrels.  His heroes always remained kind, though sometimes light-headed people.

Volodin's participation in the movies Light Way, First Glove, Kuban Cossacks, and Precious Gift became true gifts for the audience.

The actor gained real glory after his filming in Grigory Aleksandrov's comedies Circus and Volga-Volga. He was the People’s Artist of RSFSR, the Winner of the USSR State Award (for his part in the movie Kuban Cossacks.

Volodin left the stage only after he started losing his hearing ability and memory. Vladimir Sergeyevich Volodin died on March 27, 1958 in Moscow and was laid to rest at the Novodevichy Cemetery.