Born on July 13 (July 25), 1893 in Poltava. From the age of six he studied violin. In the third grade of gymnasium he organized a literary circle, in the fifth he became interested in philosophy. In 1912 he came to Moscow and was admitted to the Philosophy Department of the Faculty of History and Philology of Moscow University. In 1914, while still a student at the university, successfully passed exams in the studio of the Moscow Art Theater. In 1915 he debuted in the movie in an episodic role in the gypsy choir in the movie "Mara Kramskaya". Since 1916 he starred in leading roles, including in the films of Yakov Protazanov.
In late 1920, as part of the troupe of the Art Theater, which played and his wife Olga Gzovskaya, emigrated through the Baltics to Germany. Part of the troupe worked in the Berlin cabaret "Blue Bird", Gaidarov staged performances with his wife. He starred in films by leading German directors such as Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau ("Burning Plow", 1922), Carl Theodor Dreyer ("Branded", 1922), Joey May ("The Tragedy of Love", 1924), Richard Oswald ("Woman of forty years," 1925). In 1930 he directed the German-Estonian film "Waves of Passion", having founded his own production company "Vladimir Gaidarov Film GmbH" in Berlin for this purpose.
He maintained ties with the Soviet Embassy in Berlin and in 1932 returned to Moscow. In 1933 he starred with Olga Gzovskaya in the movie "Steppe Songs". In 1934 he moved to Leningrad. He gave concerts and lectures. Only in 1938 he was enrolled in the troupe of the Leningrad State Academic Drama Theater named after A. S. Pushkin, where he worked until 1968, having played about forty roles.
Died December 17, 1976 in Leningrad. He is buried in the cemetery of Komarovo settlement.
In 2003 in Poltava, on Gogol Street, on the facade of the Kolos movie theater, a memorial plaque to the actor was installed.
