Anna Leonowens eccentric Victorian female traveler". The novel was adapted as a hit musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein, "The King and I" (1951), starring Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner, which ran 1,246 performances on Broadway and was also a hit in London and on tour. In 1956, a film version was released, with Deborah Kerr starring in the role of Leonowens and Brynner reprising his role as the king. Revived many times on stage (with Brynner starring in revivals until 1985), the musical has remained a favourite of the theatregoing public. The humorous depiction of Mongkut as a polka-dancing despot, as well
The Jazz Singer (1980 film) write a script but MGM rejected it, worried it was "too Jewish". The film was picked up by Paramount and EMI but Paramount dropped out. Sidney Furie was hired to direct. Deborah Raffin was cast as the female lead. Furie wanted a number of changes, notably the ending. Foreman left the project. Herbert Baker was hired to write a new script. Ten days before filming began, Arthur Laurents was brought in to work on the script. During the course of the rewrites the character played by Raffin changed to one that she was no longer suitable to play (she had