[3] He grew up in a house on the Vakhtangov Street, home to numerous actors, artists and musicians.

The famous “Vakhtangovs”, such as Ruben Simonov and Viktor Koltsov, visited Derazhavin's apartment frequently.

After the start of the Great Patriotic War, the Vakhtangov's Theater was evacuated to Omsk.

During the evacuation Mikhail Derzhavin attended all performances of his father, but he especially liked "Marshal Kutuzov".

At the age of five, Mikhail learned by heart Kutuzov's monologue, and he read it in front of injured in the hospital.