Question 1

True or false: Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor known for his iconic shaved head.

Accepted Answer

True. Born in Vladivostok, Russia, he adopted a shaved head for his role in 'The King and I' and kept it as his trademark.

Question 2

True or false: Brynner was a heavy smoker who died of lung cancer.

Accepted Answer

True. He smoked up to four packs a day and died of lung cancer in 1985, despite later quitting.

Question 3

True or false: Brynner played the same role—the King of Siam—over 4,600 times on stage and screen.

Accepted Answer

True. Yul Brynner performed the role a record 4,625 times on stage in 'The King and I', and also in the 1956 film and other screen appearances, so total performances exceeded 4,600.

Question 4

True or false: Yul Brynner performed as a trapeze artist in a circus before becoming an actor.

Accepted Answer

True. Brynner worked as a circus acrobat and trapeze artist in his youth in France, which trained his physical grace.

Question 5

True or false: Yul Brynner won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in 'The King and I'.

Accepted Answer

True. Yul Brynner won the Oscar for Best Actor at the 29th Academy Awards in 1957 for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the 1956 film 'The King and I'.

Question 6

True or false: Brynner was a master of the Japanese martial art of kendo.

Accepted Answer

False. He was skilled in judo and aikido, but not kendo. He even taught judo at a dojo in Paris.

Question 7

True or false: Yul Brynner was a close friend and frequent co-star of Marlon Brando.

Accepted Answer

False. They never starred together in a film; Brynner's famous co-stars included Deborah Kerr and Ingrid Bergman.

Question 8

True or false: Yul Brynner was born in the United States.

Accepted Answer

False. Yul Brynner was born on July 11, 1920, in Vladivostok, Russia (then part of the Far Eastern Republic). He later became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Yul Brynner Trivia Questions