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).
Profession(s):
Actor, director, singer, photographer, stagehand, radio commentator, trapeze artist, acrobat
Sometimes Credited As:
Taidje Khan
Youl Bryner
Family
wife:Doris Kleiner (divorced)
wife:Jacqueline de Croisset (divorced)
wife:Virginia Gilmore (married in 1944; divorced)
Companion(s)
Claire Bloom
, Companion
, ```..appeared together in two films in 1958; she recounted their relationship in her memoirs
Special Tony 1985
Oscar Best Actor "The King and I" 1956
Tony Outstanding Actor Supporting or Featured (Musical) "The King & I" 1952
1985 Returned to Broadway in "The King & I"
1973 Played a robot in the sci-fi thriller "Westworld"
1960 Co-starred in "The Magnificent Seven"
1956 Recreated his signature role in "The King and I"; received Best Actor Oscar
1951 First production of "The King & I" (ran for 1,246 performances)
1949 American film acting debut, "Port of New York"
1947 Failed Universal screen test for looking "too Oriental"
1941 Moved to USA
1934 Joined French acting troupe
Began career as circus acrobat
Took up acting after serious accident
Supported himself as singer and guitarist
US stage acting debut in "Twelfth Night" (with touring company)