Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner, original name Yul Bryner (July 11, 1920, or July 7, 1915 - October 10, 1985) was an exotic actor born in Vladivostok, Russia who appeared in many movies and stage productions. His mother was Russian and his father was the Swiss consul general to Russia.
Brynner's best-known role was that of King Mongkut of Siam in both the stage and film versions of the musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award as Best Actor.
He made an immediate impact upon first starring in films in 1956, appearing not only in The King and I that year, but also in major roles in The Ten Commandments and Anastasia. He later starred in such films as Solomon and Sheba (1959), The Magnificent Seven (1960), and Westworld (1973).
Brynner died in New York City of lung cancer caused by smoking. In January 1985, nine months before his death, he gave an interview on Good Morning America, expressing his desire to make an anti-smoking commercial. A clip from that interview was made into just such a commercial by the American Cancer Society, and released after his death.
Yul Brynner is interred in the cemetery at the Saint-Michel-de-Bois-Aubry monastery near Poitiers, Vienne, France.
He has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6162 Hollywood Blvd.
