Yul Brynner was a Russian-born American stage actor. He was best known for his playing the role of the King of Siam in the "The King and I" and for playing Ramses II in the 1956 film "The Ten Commandments."
Brynner began smoking heavily at the early age of 12. He quit in 1971, but in September 1983 he found a lump on his vocal cords. He had it tested and was told that he could continue to sing but he had inoperable lung cancer. He underwent radiation therapy. Despite these efforts, Brynner recognized that he was dying. He worked with the American Cancer Society to create a public service announcement against smoking.
Brynner died in October 1985. Just days after his death, his public service announcement was airing all across America. In it, he looks directly into the camera and proclaims "Now that I'm gone, I tell you: Don't smoke. Whatever you do, just don't smoke."