Biography
Yul Brynner (July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985) was a Russian-born American actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on stage. He is also remembered as Rameses II in the 1956 Cecil B. DeMille film The Ten Commandments, General Bounine in Anastasia and Chris Adams in The Magnificent Seven. Brynner was noted for his distinctive voice and for his shaven head, which he maintained as a personal trademark long after adopting it for his initial role in The King and I. He was also a photographer and the author of two books.
Awards & recognition
- Grammy Hall of Fame · 1999
- Special Tony Award · 1985
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 1957
- National Board of Review Award — Best Actor · 1956
- Tony Award — Best Featured Actor in a Musical · 1952
Show all 10 awards →
- Tony Awards · 1952
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Drama Desk Award — Outstanding Actor in a Musical · 1977 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 1957 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · 1956 · nominated
Filmography41 titles
Yul Brynner: The Man Who Was King
The Ten Commandments
Testament of Orpheus
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Magnificent Seven
The Madwoman of Chaillot
The King and I
What's My Line?
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Westworld
The Battle of Neretva
Morituri
Anastasia
The Ed Sullivan Show
My Sister Maria
Ingrid Bergman Remembered
The Brothers Karamazov
The Buccaneer
Cast a Giant Shadow
Solomon and Sheba
Houseboat
Adiós, Sabata
Villa Rides
The Double Man
Taras Bulba
The Journey
Return of the Seven
Triple Cross
Kings of the Sun
The Light at the Edge of the World
Invitation to a Gunfighter
Futureworld
The Ultimate Warrior
The Magic Christian
The File of the Golden Goose
Flight from Ashiya
Fuzz
Death Rage
Catlow
Port of New York
Will the Real Mr Sellers.....?