YUL BRYNNER BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Yul Brynner was born on July 11th, 1920 in Vladivostok, Russia with the birth name Yuli Borisovich Bryner to parents Boris Bryner a Swiss-Russian engineer and inventor and Marousia Blagovidova.  When his father abandoned his family, his mother relocated to Harbin, Manchiria in China with Yul and his sister Vera and then they moved to Paris where he attended the Lycée Moncelle.  He soon dropped out of school and pursued a career as a musician playing the guitar in various nightclubs.  He found work as an apprentice as the Theatre des Mathurins and also worked as a trapeze artist with the Cirque d'Hiver company. 
 
In 1941 he traveled to the United States to study acting and toured with Chekhov's theatrical troupe.  He also debuted on stage in, "Twelfth Night".  He soon found work on the television show, "Mr. Jones and his Neighbors" (1944) and then appeared on Broadway in "Lute Song".
 
In 1948, he starred with his first wife, actress, Virginia Gilmore in the talk show, "Mr. and Mrs." (1948) and he also got a chance to join CBS as a television director.  After his radio work during World War II, Brynner moved to working on television, directing and acting in live productions in New York.
 
He soon followed with his film debut on, "Port of New York" (1949).  The role he is most known for came when he was cast as the King in the musical, "The King and I" (1956) for which he won an Oscar for Best Actor.   

His professional career progressed with a number of film roles where he portrayed a variety of characters and was never typecast to one specific part.  In 1970, he returned to the character role that made him a star and toured in the stage production of "The King and I". 
 
When he was diagnosed with lung cancer he made a public announcement blaming cigarettes for the cause of his cancer.  On October 10th, 1985 he lost his life to fighting the disease while living in New York City, New York.  His remains were cremated and his ashes were buried on the grounds of the Abbey Saint-Michel de Bois Aubry. 
 
After having one child with and divorcing his first wife, Virginia in 1960 he married three more times.  His second wife was Doris Kleiner from 1960 through 1967 and they had another child together.  He then married Jacqueline de Croisset in 1971 and had two more children before this marriage too ended in divorce in 1981.  His fourth and final time to marry was to Kathy Lee on April 4th, 1983 and again ended on October 10th, 1985 when he passed away.    

From all the times he portrayed 'the King' character in, "The King and I" he was awarded a Tony Award in 1952 as Best Supporting Featured Actor and also won a second Special Tony in 1985 which honored his 4,525 performances.
 
Brynner was also very in to photography and always took a number of photos on set and he was also very particular about certain rituals and the way things had to be.  Yul authored two books and will always be remembered for his distinctive voice and his trademarked shaved head.    

Filmography

1980 Lost to the Revolution 
1976 Death Rage
1976 Futureworld 
1975 The Ultimate Warrior 
1973 Westworld 
1973 The Serpent 
1972 Anna and the King
1972 Fuzz 
1971 Catlow 
1971 Romance of a Horsethief 
1971 The Light at the Edge of the World 
1971 Adios Sabata
1969 The Magic Christian
1969 The Madwoman of Chaillot 
1969 The Battle of Neretva 
1969 The File of the Golden Goose 
1969 The Picasso Summer 
1968 Villa Rides 
1967 The Long Duel 
1967 The Double Man 
1966 Triple Cross
1966 Return of the Seven
1966 The Poppy Is Also a Flower 
1966 Cast a Giant Shadow 
1965 Morituri 
1964 Invitation to a Gunfighter 
1964 Flight from Ashiya 
1963 Kings of the Sun 
1962 Taras Bulba 
1962 Escape from Zahrain 
1961 Goodbye Again 
1960 The Magnificent Seven 
1960 Surprise Package
1960 Testament of Orpheus
1960 Once More, with Feeling! 
1959 Solomon and Sheba 
1959 The Sound and the Fury 
1959 The Journey 
1958 The Buccaneer 
1958 The Brothers Karamazov 
1956 Anastasia 
1956 The Ten Commandments 
1956 The King and I
1954 General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein
1953 Omnibus  
1949-1950 Studio One in Hollywood 
1949 Port of New York
1949 Fireside Theatre
1944 Mr. Jones and His Neighbors