Early life Yul Brynner

statue of brynner in front of birthplace in vladivostok, russia

yul brynner born yuliy borisovich briner july 11, 1920 in vladivostok, far eastern republic (present-day primorsky krai, russia). enjoyed telling tall tales , exaggerating background , life press, claiming born taidje khan of part-mongol parentage, on russian island of sakhalin. in reality of swiss-german, russian, , partial buryat ancestry, born @ home in four-story residence @ 15 aleutskaya street, vladivostok. had elder sister, vera. referred himself julius briner, jules bryner or youl bryner. 1989 biography son, rock brynner, clarified of these issues.

his father, boris yuliyevich briner, mining engineer , inventor, of swiss-german , russian descent, father, jules briner, swiss citizen moved vladivostok in 1870s , established successful import/export company. brynner s paternal grandmother, natalya yosifovna kurkutova, native of irkutsk , eurasian of part buryat ancestry. brynner s mother, marousia dimitrievna (née blagovidova), came russian intelligentsia , studied actress , singer. brynner felt strong personal connection romani people; in 1977, brynner named honorary president of international romani union, office kept until death.

boris briner s work required extensive travel, , in 1923, fell in love actress, katya kornukova, @ moscow art theatre, , after abandoned family. yul s mother took elder sister, vera (january 17, 1916 – december 13, 1967), , him harbin, china, attended school run ymca.

in 1932, fearing war between china , japan, took them paris. brynner played guitar in russian nightclubs in paris, accompanying sister, playing russian , roma songs. trained trapeze acrobat , worked in french circus troupe 5 years, after sustaining injury, turned acting. in 1938, mother diagnosed leukemia, , briefly moved harbin.

in 1940, speaking little english, , mother emigrated united states aboard president cleveland, arriving in new york city on october 25, 1940, sister lived. vera, singer, starred in consul on broadway in 1950 , appeared @ metropolitan opera prince orlofsky in die fledermaus , on television in title role of carmen. later taught voice in new york.