I indulge an occasional habit of scouring YouTube for scenes from old movies, particularly the classic musicals. A week or so ago, my mental filing system kicked up “Shall We Dance”—don’t ask me why, I just go with it—so, with the ease that characterizes the internet, in a few seconds Deborah Kerr was once again teaching the polka to an imperious Yul Brynner in his career-defining and Academy Award-winning role as the King of Siam. Seeing him in his prime always brings melancholy reminders of his death from lung cancer, as well as the remarkable service to public health he provided in his closing months—and even after he died.
Like many men and women of his era and chosen profession, Brynner smoked cigarettes. He started at the tender age of 12 years, working his way up to as much as 4-5 packs of cigarettes a day. When he finally quit in 1971, he had accumulated some 150-200 pack-years, a truly impressive amount of tobacco exposure. And the damage was done. Twelve years later, his doctors told him he had inoperable lung cancer. He took other forms of treatment, including radiation therapy, but it left him weakened and hoarse—difficult obstacles for an actor playing an energetic role with singing parts as well. His final performance as the King occurred on June 30, 1985. No actor has performed the same role as many times as Brynner played the King. To many of us, he was the King of Siam. But even kings cannot overrule the inevitable.
Brynner knew he was dying, and he knew why. In the summer of 1985, he sat down for an interview with Good Morning America and spoke frankly about his heavy smoking and terminal lung cancer. By arrangement with the American Cancer Society, he composed a public service announcement from portions of that interview, the result to be broadcast following his death. Indeed, the short 30-second clip ran in October of that year, days after he died. The visceral impact of his message is still felt nearly 40 years later.
What was Yul Brynner’s last message to the world? “Now that I’m gone, I tell you: Don’t smoke. Whatever you do, just don’t smoke. If I could take back that smoking, we wouldn’t be talking about any cancer. I’m convinced of that.”
Today, cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of cancer. Heed the voice of experience. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quit now.
Smoking cessation helps are available at CHMC. It is the best health decision you will ever make.