He was one of the first Soviet clowns to create the poetic, intellectual clownery, which made spectators think, not only laugh.

Leonid Yengibarov, 'the clown with sad eyes', revolutionized the art of clownery by introducing lyrical tones into traditional buffoonery and grotesque sequences.

He managed to stage only a single piece, “Star Rain” before his untimely death from a massive heart attack.

[5] His friend Vladimir Vysotsky wrote a shrill poem "To memory of the actor; To Yengibarov from the audience".

Alla Pugacheva dedicated her song "Arlekino" to Yengibarov: "He was my favourite clown and even died while working.