Yul Brynner

Date of Birth: July 11, 1920

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: October 10, 1985

Biography

Yul Brynner was a Russian-born Swiss actor, best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut of Siam in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The King and I,” which he performed 4,625 times on stage over his career. Brynner was born Yuliy Borisovich Briner on July 11, 1920, in Vladivostok, Russia. His parents were Boris Brynner, a mining engineer and inventor, and Marousia Blagovidova, the daughter of a doctor. After his father abandoned the family, his mother took him and his sister to Harbin, China, and later to Paris, France. In Paris, Brynner worked as a trapeze artist before turning to acting. His breakout role came in 1951 when he was cast in the Broadway production of “The King and I,” a role that earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor when he reprised it in the 1956 film adaptation. Brynner also starred in other notable films, such as “The Ten Commandments” (1956), “Anastasia” (1956), “The Magnificent Seven” (1960), and “Westworld” (1973). Brynner was known for his distinctive bald head, which he maintained as a personal trademark after shaving it for “The King and I.” He was also a talented photographer and authored two books, “Bring Forth the Children: A Journey to the Forgotten People of Europe and the Middle East” and “The Yul Brynner Cookbook: Food Fit for the King and You.”

5 Interesting Facts about Yul Brynner

1. Yul Brynner was fluent in multiple languages, including Russian, French, English, and Japanese.

2. He won two Tony Awards for his role in “The King and I” – one in 1952 and another in 1985.

3. Brynner was an accomplished photographer and published a book of his photographs titled “The Yul Brynner Archives.”

4. He was a passionate advocate against smoking after being diagnosed with lung cancer, appearing in an anti-smoking commercial that aired after his death.

5. Brynner was an ordained minister and officiated at the weddings of several friends.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Yul Brynner

1. “Whatever you do, don’t smoke.”

2. “I’m not a specialist. I don’t have a Ph.D. in anything, but I am a generalist. That’s what I wanted to be.”

3. “People don’t know my real self, and they’re not about to. That’s the way it is.”

4. “I have been offered roles that are too much like King Mongkut. And they don’t interest me.”

5. “I wanted to be an actor, but I didn’t know how to go about it.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the height of his career, Yul Brynner’s net worth was estimated to be around $10 million.

Children

Yul Brynner had five children: 1. Rock Brynner (born December 23, 1946) with his first wife, Virginia Gilmore. 2. Lark Brynner (born 1958) with his second wife, Doris Kleiner. 3. Victoria Brynner (born November 1962) with his third wife, Jacqueline Thion de la Chaume. 4. Mia Brynner (adopted in 1974) with his fourth wife, Kathy Lee. 5. Melody Brynner (adopted in 1974) with Kathy Lee.