As The Magnificent Seven prepares to return to screens with Matt Dillon in the lead role, fans are looking back at the tragic deaths and final years of the original stars.
One of the original The Magnificent Seven stars died "in his wife's arms." Enthusiasts of Western classics are anticipating the television adaptation of The Magnificent Seven, which has received the go-ahead from MGM+. The new version follows two previous film interpretations, released in 1960 and 2016, with Matt Dillon taking on the leading role of Chris Adams. Actress Joanne Froggatt will portray the newly created character Harriet Talbot, a woman scarred by considerable suffering and loss, while Forsyth has secured the part of Katie 'Deadeye' Dalton, a former sharpshooter from a touring Wild West show.
The recent casting announcements have prompted enthusiasts to discover the fate of the original 1960 film's cast, which established itself as one of the Western genre's finest achievements. Here's everything you need to know about what became of the original Chris Adams (played by Yul Brynner) and his fellow gunmen.
Yul Brynner - Chris Adams
Yuliy Borisovich Briner, professionally known as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-American actor whose last screen appearance came in Death Rage. He succumbed to lung cancer in 1985 at New York Hospital, aged 65. Shortly before his passing, working alongside the American Cancer Society, Brynner produced a public service announcement that aired several days following his death. Brynner had been determined to film an anti-smoking message after learning of his diagnosis and delivered a stark warning directly to camera: "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."
Steve McQueen - Vin Tanner
Terrence Stephen McQueen, professionally known as Steve McQueen, was renowned for his rebellious antihero image. In early 1978, medics discovered he had developed cancer linked to asbestos exposure, and by February 1980, reports confirmed his condition was terminal. His situation sparked controversy as he became associated with William Donald Kelley, a discredited health practitioner who promoted hazardous alternative therapy approaches. In October 1980, he travelled to Mexico for surgery to remove a tumour from his liver, ignoring warnings from American doctors that the tumour couldn't be operated on and his heart wouldn't survive the procedure. Two months later, he suffered a fatal heart attack at a Juárez hospital aged 50.
Horst Buchholz - Chico
Horst Werner Buchholz was a German actor who featured in over 60 films during his career. The performer died unexpectedly aged 69 in March 2003 from pneumonia, which had emerged following surgery for a fractured hip.
Charles Bronson - Bernardo O'Reilly
Charles Bronson was celebrated for his action film performances, with Machine-Gun Kelly marking his first leading cinematic role. He died aged 81 in August 2003 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In a poignant gesture, the ashes of his second wife, Jill Ireland, were interred within a walking cane and laid to rest alongside him. Respiratory failure claimed his life.
Robert Vaughn - Lee
Robert Vaughn was an American actor and political campaigner who appeared in numerous Western productions. The star died at a hospice facility in Danbury, Connecticut, in November 2016 following 12 months of leukaemia treatment. Aged 83 at his death, he left behind Linda, his spouse of over 40 years, along with their two children, Cassidy and Caitlin.
Brad Dexter - Harry Luck
Brad Dexter was an American actor and film producer renowned for portraying rugged characters in Western films. The performer died in Rancho Mirage, California, from a type of lung condition in December 2002, aged 85.
James Coburn - Britt
James Coburn was an American actor whose career spanned more than 70 films, with many set in the Western era. He suffered a fatal heart attack at his Beverly Hills residence in November 2002, aged 74. His wife, Paula, remembered how he died in her embrace while they listened to music. His manager, Hillard Elkins, said at the time: "He died too early, but he died in his wife's arms. It's a pity and a loss for all of us." Heartbreakingly, Paula died from cancer barely two years afterwards, aged just 48.
The Magnificent Seven series will air on MGM+.
