Yul Brynner

We all loved Yul Brynner as a person and for the many great performances he gave us over the years.

But there was one important performance that he may never have given. Brynner talked about it in a recent television interview.

He mentioned that he very much wanted to make an anti-smoking public service spot for television that would explain his lung cancer. He said that he smoked five packs of cigarettes a day for many years and now viewed his habit as a form of slow suicide.

Yul Brynner may have never got around to making this spot, but we can still learn from both his pain and his artistry.

BRUCE NOLTE

Pasadena