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Nikolay Grinko

Nikolay Grinko

Actor · Died April 10, 1989, aged 68 · Kherson, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]

Mykola Hryhorovych Hrynko or Nikolai Grigoryevich Grinko (Ukrainian: Микола Григорович Гринько; Russian: Николай Григорьевич Гринько) was a Soviet and Ukrainian actor. His film debut was in the role of a rebel in the film "Taras Shevchenko" by Igor Savchenko. He is best known for his roles in the films of Andrei Tarkovsky, including: "Ivan's Childhood", "Andrei Rubliov", "Solaris", "Mirror", and "Stalker", as well as Sergei Parajanov's "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors".

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 22, 1920
Died
April 10, 1989 (aged 68)
From
Kherson, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]
Works as
Actor
Titles
10 on Motif · 127 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 14% in 30 days

What are Nikolay Grinko's films like?

Across their 8 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Self.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 94th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
26%
Self
23%
Bonds
17%
Ideas
13%
Society
10%
Power
6%
Morality
4%
Memory3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith2 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 1 · Dark 6

Heightened: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their heightened movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 0 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 7

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 3 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

Full focus: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their full focus movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 5

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 4

Ambiguous: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their ambiguous movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
5
Contemplative
4
Dread
2
Tense
2
Warm
2
Other
9

How their films linger

Haunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Nikolay Grinko's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 10 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (6).

Subscription and free streaming for Nikolay Grinko's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

127 credits, 10 with a Motif page.

  • To Remember (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as archivefootage

  • Dress Rehearsal (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • I'm Offering My Hand and Heart (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • Foxtrot (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • It's Not Always Summer in Crimea (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    Actor

  • Proceed to the Investigation. Film 2: Slander (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · as Алексей Алексеевич Федин

  • Having Lied Once (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1988)

    as akademik Stanislav Sheshko

  • Meaning of Life (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • Ginger Fairy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    as Grandfather

  • To Go Out of a Forest Into a Clearing (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    as учитель

  • Appeal (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • Singing Russia (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • On the Heights (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • The Wedding Is Accused (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    as Ivan Timofeevich

  • To proceed with the investigation. Movie 2: Slander (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • Bounce (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • Two Knew the Password (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • A Million in a Wedding Basket (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    as Del Simone

  • Unknown Soldier (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 3 episodes · as дедушка «Кроша»

  • The Acolyte (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • My Sister Lucy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1985)

    as Ilya Lyova

  • Dragon (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Accusation (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • No Right to Fail (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • The Unknown Soldier (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    as Grandfather

  • There is Your Frontline (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Birthday (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Actor

  • Happiness of Nikifor Bubnov (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • How I Was a Prodigy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1983)

    Actor

  • About You (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1983)

    as father

  • Mirgorod and Its Inhabitants (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1983)

    as Ivan Ivanovich

  • Colonel Shaligin's Waiting (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    as полковник Шалыгин

  • Behind the Old Fence (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • Smiles of Nechiporovka (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • Deer Hunting (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • The Last Game (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • Space for Maneuver (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • I'm Staying with You (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as Горелов

  • Two Long Hoots in the Fog (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as Фёдор Петрович Калашников

  • Assassination Attempt(1981)

    as Ermolin - resident of the NKGB USSR

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Be My Husband (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as курортник

  • The Order: Do Not Open Fire (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as Razin

  • A Mystery Known to All (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as старший пират Толстяк

  • At the Beginning of Glorious Days (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as старец Нектарий

  • The Youth of Peter (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as Nektaryi

  • The Deputy's Hour (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    Actor

  • From Bug to Vistula (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    as Коротченко

  • Citizen Lyoshka (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    Actor

  • What's There Around the Bend? (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    Actor

  • Solo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    as Aleksandr Mihaylovich

  • The Adventures of the Electronic (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 3 episodes · as профессор Громов

  • The Adventures of the Electronic (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    as Professor Gromov

  • Pie With a Laughingstock (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    as (voice)

  • One Day I Came Home (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)

    as Stetsko (voice)

  • A Trip Through the City (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    Actor

  • Last Hunt (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    Actor

  • Stalker(1979)

    as Professor

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Underground Regional Committee Is Active (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Demyan Sergeyevich Korotchenko

  • The Bodyguard (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1979)

    as Nikolai Grigorievich

  • While the Dream is Mad (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • Accidental Passengers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • Who Will go to Truskavets? (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • Poem of Kovpak: Carpathians, Carpathians... (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)

    as tovarish Demyan

  • The Feast of the Baked Potato (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • Yuliya Vrevskaya (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    as Savashevich

  • That's the Game (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    as Лавров Валерий — дирек. фут. клуба высшей лиги

  • 100 grams for Bravery (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    as Nikitin

  • The Liberation of Prague (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    as General Bradley

  • Timur and His Team (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    Actor

  • The Retired Colonel (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    as Корней Корнеевич Полунин

  • Twenty Days Without War (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1976)

    as Vyacheslav

  • Vesnukhin's Fantasies (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1976)

    as Uncle Styopa, Militiaman

  • One-Two, Soldiers Were Going... (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1976)

    as Полковник

  • Equilibrist (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1976)

    as конюх Василий

  • The Adventures of Buratino(1976)

    as Papa Carlo / Папа Карло

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • The Adventures of Buratino (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 2 episodes · as Папа Карло

  • The Lost Expedition (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    as Аркадий Николаевич Смелков (профессор)

  • Woodpeckers Don't Get Headaches (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    as Father

  • Afonya (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    as uncle Egor

  • The Mirror(1975)

    as Printery Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • At the Black Sea (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    Actor

  • Good luck! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as Ivan Kuzmich

  • Romance for Lovers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as Vice-Admiral

  • Under a Stone Sky (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as Старостин

  • Vesenniye perevyortyshi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • Housewarming (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • Starling and Lyre (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as "Uncle Vanya"

  • Car, Violin and Blot the Dog (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as папа Олега, музыкант на контрабасе

  • Adventures in the City which Doesn't Exist (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as Don Quixote

  • The Cities and the Years (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as Лепендин

  • Each Evening After Work (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    as head teacher

  • Ring (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

    Actor

  • Romashkin Effect (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

    as Аристарх Иванович Занозов

  • Meetings and Partings (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

    as Pakhomov

  • Night Motorcyclist (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

    as Boris Mikhaylovich Komarovskiy

  • Commissioner Berlach's Last Case (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Rudobel Republic (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • Solaris(1972)

    as Kelvin's Father

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Sea in Flames (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

    Actor

  • The Commissars (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    as Arefiev

  • Black Sun (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    as Jean Barthes

  • Lada from the Berendeyev Country (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    as министр

  • The Golden Gates (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    as Bishop

  • One of Us (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    as Keller

  • Dangerous Tour (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

    as Andrei Maksimovich / Viscount de Cordel

  • Subject for a Short Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

    as Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

  • One Chance in One Thousand (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

    as Denis Korneyevich Prokhorenko

  • Only Three Nights (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Quiet Odesa (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

    as Zolotarenko

  • War and Peace(1965)

    as Desalles

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • War and Peace, Part III: The Year 1812(1967)

    as Desalles

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Weeds (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    as Mironov, secretary of the Party Committee

  • Avdotya Pavlovna (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

    as school director

  • Andrei Rublev(1966)

    as Daniil Chornyy

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Death of the Squadron (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    as Артём

  • We, The Russian People (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

    as Ivan Chortomlyk

  • No Unknown Soldiers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    as Military physician

  • Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors(1965)

    as Batag

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Tale of Ptashkin (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)

    Actor

  • A Dream (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1964)

    Actor

  • A Great Road Ahead (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    as brigade commander

  • Funny Stories (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    as дядя Боря

  • Ivan's Childhood(1962)

    as Gryaznov

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Only the Statues Are Silent (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    Actor

  • Peace to Him Who Enters (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

    as шофёр-американец

  • Some Guy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    as рабочий Сарафанов

  • Pavel Korchagin (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1956)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 127 titles from 1956 to 1993; peak year 1975.

Biggest box office

Stalker (1979)

$461K worldwide

Highest rated

Ivan's Childhood (1962)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Stalker (1979)

Film career

19561993

Peak 1975 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 1 Motif title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting127 of 127: 127 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score97th

By decade

1950s2 · acting1960s21 · acting1970s50 · acting1980s53 · acting1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 12 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Nikolay Grinko's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 97th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 97th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

97thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

94thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 10 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up9
  • 50th to 74th1

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 10 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Crowd Pleaser3

Most divisive · actor

War and Peace (1965)

51st percentile spread · 8% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

War and Peace, Part III: The Year 1812 (1967)

Midcredits 99th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Nikolay Grinko's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 Motif titles with content scores, frightening / intense runs heavier than most films and profanity lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles30–73 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles19–63 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles4–27 · median 22 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles27–35 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles39–71 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Nikolay Grinko work with?

People who share at least 2 of Nikolay Grinko's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Andrei Tarkovsky shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Mixed roles