The collection of the Penza Literature Museum includes a rather rare photograph of Nikolai Pavlovich Zadornov in his stage outfit and makeup.

While Nikolai Zadornov is best known as a writer and journalist, he also had a passion for the theater from his youth. One of his first roles, back in his school days, was that of Boris Godunov. With his friends, Nikolai wrote scripts for plays. Gradually, he became so fascinated by theater that he began to act in a professional theater where he mostly played minor roles. In one play, his zeal and talent were eventually noticed by the director who encouraged him to stay and work in the theater full-time.

The parents of Nikolai Zadornov played a significant role in his development as an actor and theater enthusiast. His father Pavel Ivanovich also had a passion for theater from a young age. His mother Vera Mikhailovna often talked about Vsevolod Meyerhold, who was the idol of young people in Penza and theater buffs across Russia. However, when Nikolai began his acting career, it affected his academic performance, causing concern among both teachers and his parents. His father expressed strong disapproval. Later, thanks to a new educational approach — taking examinations without attending classes — Nikolai Zadornov was able to balance his work in the theater with his studies. After graduating from school in 1925, he continued acting in Chita.

Zadornov’s work in Far Eastern theaters was an important stage in his life that in many ways determined his future creative career. In Vladivostok, he first saw the sea and large ships, and received his first practical lessons in English and Chinese. The bustling city with its ports, theaters, and scenic bays made a lasting impression on the future writer and inspired his love for the Russian Far East. The theatrical experience launched his literary career and contributed to his development as a writer.