Honored Artist of the RSFSR (08/11/1980). His father, Ivan Grigoryevich, worked at Motovilikha in the old factory district of Perm. He started as a worker and rose to chief mechanic of the plant. He had a gentle, good-natured character. His mother, Maria Sergeevna, was always the closest person and best friend to her son. He studied at the law faculty of Perm University (1952-1956), and at the evening studio of the Perm Drama Theater (1955-1958). Attempts to conquer Moscow theater universities ended in failure. He worked in the theaters of Berezniki, Perm (1961), Kemerovo (1963). In Kemerovo he was seen by a well-known Moscow theater journalist, who, returning to Moscow, told her acquaintance, the chief director of the Stanislavsky Theater Boris Lvov-Anokhin, about the original actor. He invited Burkov to Moscow, to his theater for the artistic council. Thus a 32-year-old actor without special education became an artist of a capital theater.

From 1965 - actor of the K.S. Stanislavsky Drama Theater. In 1970-1971 - actor of the Sovremennik Theater. From 1980 - artist of the Gorky Moscow Art Theater. In 1984-1987 - actor of the A.S. Pushkin Theater. From 1988 to 1990 - artistic director of the V.M. Shukshin Center of Culture. He passed away on the evening of July 19, 1990 at the First City Hospital of Moscow. The actor was buried at Vagankovo Cemetery (section No. 13). The granite cross on Burkov's grave is made from the same piece of granite as the monument to his close friend Vasily Shukshin (1929-1974). Chapter 38 of Leonid Filatov's cycle "To Be Remembered" is dedicated to the actor's life and work. Widow - actress of the Moscow Stanislavsky Drama Theater Tatyana Ukharova (04/19/1946). Daughter - actress of the same theater Maria Burkova (05/21/1966).