Yul Brynner was one of the luckiest (and sexiest) actors in Hollywood history: He won the Best Actor Oscar in 1956, at his first and only nomination, for the musical The King and I, opposite Deborah Kerr. It went on to become his signature role, which he later performed on stage as well.
In the same year (the best of Brynner’s career), he also scored high in another blockbuster, DeMille’s historical epic, The Ten Commandments.
The King and I
Oscar nominations: 9
Picture, produced by Charles Brackett
Director: Walter Lang
Actor: Yul Brynner
Actress: Deborah Kerr
Cinematography (color): Leon Shamroy
Art Direction-Set Decoration: Lyle R. Wheeler and John DeCuir; Walter M. Scott and Paul S. Fox
Scoring of a Musical Picture: Alfred Newman
Costume (Color): Irene Sharaff
Sound Recording: Carl Faulkner, Fox Sound Department
Oscar Awards: 5
Actor
Art Direction-Set Decoration
Scoring
Costume
Sound
Oscar Context
In 1956, the big Oscar winner was the adventure “Around the World in 80 Days,” which also won Cinematography for Lionel Lindon. Ingrid Bergman won the Best Actress for “Anastasia,” which, incidentally, co-starred Yul Brynner.