Yul Brynner is probably best known for his role defining version of the King and I, but he also appeared in a variety of different styles of films including one of the classic westerns The Magnificent Seven. He was born in Russia, then his family moved to China and then Paris. In Paris he was a musician and an acrobat. He emigrated to America in 1940 and started his acting career on the stage. His first film role came in 1949 with Port Of New York. In 1951 he stared in the stage version of The King And I (over 4500 times) and it was for this production that he shaved his head in what became his trademark look. He became a major star in 1956 with The King And I and The Ten Commandments which were major films at the time and very popular at the box office. He had smoked since a child and by this stage he had a lung removed. He was influential in getting Deborah Kerr cast in The King And I and getting Ingrid Bergman to return to Hollywood and be cast in Anastasia.
This was followed by the adaptation of The Brothers Karamazov. With The Journey he played another of his east European / Russian characters and again opposite Deborah Kerr. He returned Biblical drama with Solomon And Sheba after he replaced Tyrone Power when he died part way through filming. Wanting to move away from epic film he then stared in John Sturges's western The Magnificent Seven. For tax reason he took a break from Hollywood returning in 1962 with Taras Bulba. He was not happy with the final version after the producers cut much of his role. With Morituri he played opposite Marlon Brando. IN a change of style he played opposite Katharine Hepburn in the comedy of manners The Madwoman of Chaillot. He then returned to the western genre of films before his other iconic role as the gun-slinger in the Sci-Fi film Westworld. His last film role was in 1976 and after this he toured with the stage version of The King And I to which he owned the rights. He was married four times and died of lung cancer from a life time of smoking.
