Rumpole of the Bailey interest in nineteenth-century anarchists, especially the Russian Peter Kropotkin from whom the title of the play was drawn. The character's name was later changed to Horace Rumpole when it was discovered that there was a real barrister called Horace Rumbold. The title of the play was briefly changed to "Jolly Old Jean Jacques Rousseau" before settling on the less esoteric "Rumpole of the Bailey". Mortimer was keen on Michael Hordern for the role of Rumpole. When Hordern proved unavailable, the part went to Australian-born actor Leo McKern. Mortimer was initially unenthusiastic about McKern's casting but changed his opinion upon seeing
Adam Zwar Cairns, Queensland where he was subsequently raised. His parents bought the family home from actor Leo McKern. Zwar is the son of author Desmond Zwar, who wrote the best-selling book "The Loneliest Man in the World" about Rudolf Hess. Zwar's mother Delphine was a longtime writer for the "House and Garden" magazine. From the age of thirteen, Zwar attended Smithfield High School and Brisbane Grammar School where he captained the cross country team in his senior year. After high school, he completed a journalism degree at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba. He subsequently began studying acting as well.