Yul Brynner

[gavroche]

Did you know that Yul Brynner could speak 11 languages fluently? This is amazing. His French was faultless and with no accent. Sadly, he died age 65 from lung cancer in New York. His ashes were brought back to France where he wanted to rest for ever.

 

[Dayvo]

Impressive indeed, but the Victorian explorer, Sir Richard Burton, spoke at least 24 languages. 😲😳

https://blogonlinguistics.wordpress...ichard-francis-burton-spoke-24-languages/amp/

 

[numbnuts]

My uncle could speak 18, he worked at Heathrow Airport in security

 

[roadrash]

I hear @Drago is fluent in 20 different versions of bull 5h!t

 

[Threevok]

I speak fluent French

Usually after "close passes"

 

[Drago]

He also brought hope to bald men everywhere.

As it happens I speak passable French, good enough to inadvertently get enlisted into the Legion Etrangere.

 

[stephec]

I speak two, English and foul.

 

[swee'pea99]

I read recently that very early in his career he was up for the part of the king in The King & I, and someone decided that he'd look quite the part if he shaved his head completely. He turned the part down, saying he had his career to think of and he wasn't going bald, period. Absolute deal-breaker. His agent persuaded him to at least give it a go, so he grudgingly got the chop, then caught a look of himself in the mirror, and thought 'Hello....' And the rest, as they say, was history.

 

[Profpointy]

I read recently that very early in his career he was up for the part of the king in The King & I, and someone decided that he'd look quite the part if he shaved his head completely. He turned the part down, saying he had his career to think of and he wasn't going bald, period. Absolute deal-breaker. His agent persuaded him to at least give it a go, so he grudgingly got the chop, then caught a look of himself in the mirror, and thought 'Hello....' And the rest, as they say, was history.

My mother in law saw him on stage in the King and I in London. She said he was superb and his fine singing voice, likely not amplified back then, still carried up to the cheap seats in the gods that they were sitting in. Terrific stage presence too apparently, though I think she may have had a bit of a crush on him

 

[oldwheels]

One of our bus drivers used to catch tourists out when they made disparaging remarks as he spoke several foreign languages including various South African dialects. They conversed in their own language thinking nobody, particularly a local bus driver, could possibly understand them.
He was a well travelled accordian player and worked as a lorry driver in S. Africa for a while.
I was told once that Glasgow city police had an officer who spoke mandarin and some other Chinese languages. In any incident involving Chinese his job was not to speak but just listen. Sneaky.

 

[Drago]

I speak basic german from t'army, understand it better than I speak it, and Ive done that - stand quietly and listen...

Also speak very basic Greek - ex wife was a bubble, picked some up from her.

 

[Chris S]

He also brought hope to bald men everywhere.

As it happens I speak passable French, good enough to inadvertently get enlisted into the Legion Etrangere.

If it had been better they wouldn't have let you in, French citizens aren't eligible to join. They usually pretend to be Belgians or French Canadians so they can sneak in.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I’m still learning English as a first language, the buggers keep adding new words or changing the meaning of existing words each year …

 

[Cycleops]

Anyone claim they can speak Latin?
Dreadful language, hated it at school. Conjugating objects, ridiculous.
Back then it was part of a classical education.

 

[PeteXXX]

Can I be the first person to mention that Yul never wore cologne....