You’ve probably heard of Yul Brynner, the legendary actor who became a household name for his commanding role as King Mongkut in The King and I. But did you know that Yul was also a master storyteller, spinning tales so vivid they often blurred the line between fact and fiction? He once claimed he’d fought with the Loyalist forces during the Spanish Civil War and even boasted that his iconic bald head was the result of a machete attack from a stranger. Now, that’s a story worth repeating!
On Set and Off: The Funny Side of Yul Brynner
If you ever worked with Yul, you’d quickly discover his knack for storytelling. Brian Tochi, who starred alongside Yul in the 1972 sitcom Anna and the King, shared his memories with Closer: “He was so funny. He had this endless stream of stories, and his mind was always racing with ideas. You could tell he lived life to the fullest.” Yul himself admitted, “People don’t know the real me, and they’re not about to find out.” This mysterious side only added to his allure.
Why Did Yul Brynner Love to Spin a Good Tale?
For Yul, storytelling wasn’t just about entertaining others; it was a way to cope with the hardships of his early life. Born into a wealthy Swiss-Russian family, his childhood was far from idyllic. At just four years old, Yul’s father abandoned him and his mother to run off with an actress. Brian Hannan, author of The Making of the Magnificent Seven: Behind the Scenes of the Pivotal Western, explains, “His father’s departure left a deep scar, and their relationship remained strained. Some believe Yul’s elaborate tales were his way of masking the pain of his real childhood.”
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A Life of Adventure: From Trapeze Artist to Actor
After his parents’ divorce, Yul moved to China and then France with his mother and sister. At 13, he made a bold decision to leave school and join the circus as a trapeze acrobat. For five years, Yul soared through the air, finding solace in the thrill of performing. But fate had other plans. An injury forced him to retire from the trapeze, leaving him grounded and searching for a new path. “It was tough being on the ground,” Yul admitted. “But I still had the dream of flying, just in a different way.”
That dream led him to the world of acting. In 1940, Yul moved to New York City, eager to make a name for himself. But it wasn’t until he reluctantly auditioned for The King and I that his life changed forever. “I hadn’t read the book, so it didn’t mean much to me,” Yul confessed. “I turned it down, but it kept coming back. Eventually, I realized it was meant to be.”
Rise to Fame: Success, Scandal, and Struggles
The success of The King and I catapulted Yul to stardom. Suddenly, he was wealthy, buying yachts and taking up waterskiing. But fame came with its own set of challenges. Yul’s personal life became complicated, marked by affairs, including a four-year romance with Marlene Dietrich. “They shared a love of culture, exploring museums and art galleries together,” Hannan reveals. Yet, despite his success, Yul’s personal life suffered. Divorced three times and estranged from his only son, Rock, he married for a fourth time in 1983. But even this happiness was short-lived.
Facing Mortality: A Life Cut Short
A heavy smoker, Yul’s health began to decline during a farewell tour of The King and I. Despite his illness, he refused to stop performing. “You have to choose between being sick in bed or playing to standing ovations every night,” Yul said. “The choice is obvious. I simply go on playing.” Yul passed away in 1985 at the age of 65, just months after his final performance.
— Ian Spelling, with reporting by Fortune Benatar
For more on this story, pick up the latest issue of Closer magazine, on newsstands now.
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