Yul Brynner

Yul Brynner was an American film actor known for his distinctive bald head and memorable performances. Much of his personal life was shrouded in mystery and embellishment, with many details only becoming clear through the books "Yul: The Man Who Would Be King" and "Empire and Odyssey," written by his son, Yul "Rock" Brynner. Brynner was born Yuli Borisovich Bryner in Vladivostok on 11 July 1920. His mother was Marousia Dimitrievna (Blagovidova), the daughter of a doctor, and his father, Boris Yuliyevich Bryner, was an engineer and inventor of Swiss-German and Russian descent. He was named Yuli after his grandfather, Jules Bryner. After his father left the family, Brynner and his sister Vera moved with their mother to Harbin, Manchuria, where they attended a YMCA school. In 1934, his mother brought the family to Paris. Brynner was enrolled at the exclusive Lycée Moncelle, but his attendance was inconsistent. He eventually dropped out and pursued music, playing guitar in nightclubs among Russian gypsies, who provided him with a sense of family. He met figures such as Jean Cocteau and became an apprentice at the Theatre des Mathurins. Brynner also worked as a trapeze artist with the Cirque d'Hiver company. In 1941, he traveled to the United States to study with acting teacher Michael Chekhov and toured the country with Chekhov's theatrical troupe. That same year, he made his New York stage debut as Fabian in "Twelfth Night" (billed as Youl Bryner). Brynner appeared in the early television series *Mr. Jones and His Neighbors* (1944) and performed on Broadway in "Lute Song" with Mary Martin, earning awards and some recognition. He and his wife, actress Virginia Gilmore, appeared on the first television talk show, *Mr. and Mrs.* (1948). Brynner then worked as a television director for CBS before making his film debut in *Port of New York* (1949). Two years later, Mary Martin recommended him for the role that would define his career: the King in Richard Rodgers' and Oscar Hammerstein II's musical *The King and I*. Brynner became an instant star in the role, reprising it in the 1956 film version and winning the Academy Award for Best Actor. Over the next two decades, he maintained a successful film career, starring in a variety of roles ranging from Egyptian pharaohs to Western gunfighters, all while maintaining his signature bald head and distinctive accent. In the 1970s, he returned to the role that had launched his fame, touring the world in *The King and I*. When he was diagnosed with lung cancer in the mid-1980s, he recorded a public service announcement condemning smoking, which was broadcast after his death. Brynner passed away from complications of the illness. He was cremated, and his ashes were buried in a remote area of France at the Abbey of Saint-Michel de Bois Aubry, near the village of Luzé. Brynner remains one of the most intriguing and beloved stars of his era.