Mikhail Frantsevich Lenin, known by his real surname Ignatyuk, was born on February 21 (March 4 in the new style) 1880 in Kyiv. He was the son of a petty bourgeois of Polish descent, Franz Grigorievich Ignatyuk, and his wife, Yevdokiya Mikhailovna. Mikhail first took to the stage at the age of 16, as a student of a real school and a participant in a drama club. His performance as Albert in the school play "The Miserly Knight" based on A.S. Pushkin's work was so successful that he and those around him saw a future artist in him. Inspired by this, in 1899 he went to Moscow to enroll in the Maly Theatre School.

In 1902, Mikhail graduated from the drama courses at the Moscow Theatre School under the guidance of A.P. Lensky and joined the Maly Theatre troupe. His stage appearance, including his tall stature, flexible figure, expressive face, and resonant voice, as well as his temperament, contributed to his success. From 1919 to 1920, he was an actor at the State Demonstration Theatre, and from 1921 to 1923, he performed at the former Korsh Theatre. In 1923, he returned to the Maly Theatre, where he worked until the end of his life. During the war, he, along with the theatre troupe, was evacuated to Chelyabinsk, where in April 1942, under his leadership, a front-line brigade was prepared. From May 8 to 31, 1942, this brigade gave 48 concerts for the troops of the Moscow and Northwestern fronts. Mikhail Lenin passed away on January 9, 1951, in Moscow from a rapid form of tuberculosis.

Throughout his career, the actor was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1949 and the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1937.