Armen Jigarkhanyan, the renowned actor and director, is marking his 81st birthday anniversary today.

In 1954, he was admitted to Yerevan Institute of Theater and Arts. His debut was in January 1955, in Viktor Gusev’s play “Ivan Rybakov” at the Russian Drama in Yerevan.

Armen Jigarkhanyan’s debut in cinema was in 1960. But it was “Hello, That’s Me!”, a 1966 Armenian drama film directed by Frunze Dovlatyan, that made him famous.

Armen Jigarkhanyan played in about 300 films, thereby becoming one of the Russian actors that have played in the largest number of movies.

In 1996, on the basis of his course, he established Moscow Drama directed by Armen Jigarkhanyan, which ranks high among Moscow’s small theaters.

Armen Jigarkhanyan is in the Guinness Book of Records as the Russian actor that has played the largest number of film roles.