Nikolai Sergeyevich Plotnikov (Russian: Николай Сергеевич Пло́тников; 5 November 1897 – 3 February 1979) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor.

As a child, after he lost a majority of his family (mother from tuberculosis, father from myocardial rupture, and both sisters), he was sent to Saint Petersburg to have his uncle look after him.

There, he studied in art school of Alexander von Stieglitz (now Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design).

In spring of 1916, he was drafted into the Western Front during World War I.

After he returned, he began studying acting in Moscow Art Theatre under supervision of Michael Chekhov.