Took up acting after a serious accident curtailed his career as a circus acrobat. Brynner moved to America in 1940, failed a screen test at Universal in 1947 because he looked "too oriental" and gave the first of 4,625 performances (over the course of many revivals) as the King of Siam in the hit Broadway musical "The King & I" in 1951. Brynner recreated the role for the 1956 screen version, winning an Oscar as Best Actor, and subsequently began a successful starring career in filmsTrading on his unidentifiably exotic looks and somewhat imperial manner, Brynner played a succession of royals, secret agents and gunslingers, notably in "The Magnificent Seven" (1960) and "Westworld" (1973).
- Also Credited As:
Taidje Khan, Youl Bryner
- Born:
July 11, 1920 in Sakhalin Island, Russia
- Died:
October 10, 1985.
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Job Titles:
Actor, Director, Singer, Acrobat, Photographer, Radio commentator, Stagehand, Trapeze artist
Family
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Daughter: Melody Brynner.
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Daughter: Mia Brynner.
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Daughter: Victoria Brynner.
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Son: Rock Brynner.
Significant Others
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Wife: Kathy Lee.
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Companion: Claire Bloom. appeared together in two films in 1958; she recounted their relationship in her memoirs
Milestones
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1934 Joined French acting troupe
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1941 Moved to USA
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1947 Failed Universal screen test for looking too Oriental
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1949 American film acting debut, Port of New York
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1951 First production of The King & I (ran for 1,246 performances)
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1956 Recreated his signature role in The King and I ; received Best Actor Oscar
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1960 Co-starred in The Magnificent Seven
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1973 Played a robot in the sci-fi thriller Westworld
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1985 Returned to Broadway in The King & I
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Began career as circus acrobat
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Supported himself as singer and guitarist
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Took up acting after serious accident
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US stage acting debut in Twelfth Night (with touring company)