In memory of Rock Brynner (La Grande Boissière, 1963)

We are very sorry to share the news of the death of Rock Brynner who graduated from La Grande Boissière in 1963. Rock was a dedicated Ecolint alumnus who remained very close with former classmates and attended several Alumni World Reunions. A larger-than-life character he had many careers. We are sharing the below tributes from alumni.

Charles Potter (LGB, 1962)

"Rock Brynner (LGB, 1963) passed away on Friday the 13th in Salisbury CT, following a long battle with cancer (multiple myeloma). 

He had a long and varied career as an actor, a writer, and a star raconteur. At Ecolint he was in several plays directed by John Mawson, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1960. Widely known as Red Hat the Clown in the late sixties, he was on the scene in Dublin, London, Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, and New York. He was a part of the group that founded the first Hard Rock Cafe in London in 1971. Rock starred in Dublin, London, and New York in his own adaptation of Jean Cocteau’s Opium Diary. He briefly served as Mohammed Ali’s bodyguard and as a roadie for The Band. He earned a doctorate in US History from Columbia and wrote half a dozen fine books. In his later years, he taught at Marist College. In the early 00's he traveled to Vladivostok where his family came from, and there began giving a series of lectures on the United States Constitution and then creating a Vladivostok Film Festival which continues to this day. He served on the New York State Commission on Human Rights and wrote a history of the state power authority. He was the son of Yul Brynner and Virginia Gilmore, and he is survived by an adopted daughter." 

Mohsen Tayebi (LGB, 1961)

"In school, he was my roommate, also a close friend with whom I always kept in touch over 65 years. His charm, intelligence, and original actions and lives from being a musician, and hippie to the bodyguard of Muhammad Ali, a restaurateur, a professor at university, and finally reviving the memory of his father in his original hometown is admirable among others. He was like a brother that although I had not seen for many years will keep close to my mind and heart. My sincere condolences to all friends who were close & loved him."

Elizabeth Frank (LGB, 1963)

"Dear Everyone, Charlie and Helene Potter had been in frequent touch with Rock, with whom over decades I spoke often on the phone. The Potters and I visited him just a couple of weeks ago and found him in good spirits, full of marvelous anecdotes, memories, laughter, mischief, and trenchant observations about the American political situation. He spoke about the end and said he’d had an amazing life (with a chapter on being a bodyguard to Muhammad Ali!) and accepted what he was very clear was coming—soon. His Ecolint friends were his true family."

Rudi Siddik (LGB, 1963)

"I was saddened to hear the news from Ecolint about Rock Brynner. It brought back many fond memories of the two years we spent as boarders with the Wyler family in Geneva. We practiced on his trampoline in the backyard and toured downtown together on our mopeds. We were classmates during our last year in high school (6CB). We reconnected in 2004 during my work travels to New York and Stamford, CT. Rock also stayed with us in Toronto during Christmas 2006 and signed personal copies of his book Empire & Odyssey for my family. He was always jovial, witty, and full of joie de vivre. Au revoir Rock. Ce fut un plaisir d’avoir fait votre connaissance."