Yakov Smirnoff

Remember the 1985 TV commercial for Miller Lite, in which Yakov Smirnoff says "In America, there is plenty of lite beer and you can always in a party. In Russia, party always finds you." Yakov was born in Odesa, Ukraine. He defected to the U.S.A. in 1977. Yakov had a lot of success in the United States which led to his line: "What a country." Beside stand-up comedy he had roles in "Moscow on the Hudson" in which he helped Robin Williams with his Russian dialogue. He was also in films "Money Pit" and "Brewster's Millions." He appeared on TV's "Night Court" and as a guest on the Johnny Carson "Tonight Show." Smirnoff was friends with President Ronald Reagan and wrote some of his speech material. An example was "In Russia, if you say take my wife please, you come home…and she's gone!"