The King and I (1956)

More than your eyes have ever seen... More than your heart has ever known! The King and I was one of the successes of Russian-born United States-based film and stage actor Yul Brynner (1920-1985), famous for his completely bald head. His portrayal of King Mongkut of Siam in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical 'The King and I' was immediately a sensation. He played the role 4,625 times on stage and won two Tony Awards. For the film version, The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956) opposite Deborah Kerr as the widow who accepts a job as a live-in governess to the King of Siam's children, he also won the Academy Award.


German postcard by ISV, no. A 50. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Yul Brynner in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


West-German postcard by ISV, no. A 55. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Deborah Kerr in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 3334. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Rita Moreno, as the Burmese character Tuptim, in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956). Collection: Marlene Pilaete.


Spanish postcard by Archivo Bermejo, no. 239/5920, 1959. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Yul Brynner in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).

An immediate sensation

In 1946, The young Yul Brynner co-starred with Mary Martin in a Broadway production of 'Lute Song'. A few years later, he made his film debut in the Film Noir Port of New York (László Benedek, 1949) with Scott Brady.

The next year, at the urging of Mary Martin, he auditioned for Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's new musical, 'The King and I' (1951).

Yul Brynner became an immediate sensation. The part of King Mongkut would become his most famous role which he played 4625 times on stage. Brynner shaved his head for his role and continued to shave his head for the rest of his life.

Brynner's shaven head was unusual at the time, and his striking appearance helped to give him an exotic appeal. He won Tony Awards for both the first production in 1951 and for the Broadway revival in 1985.

In 1956, Yul Brynner also appeared in the film version, The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956), opposite Deborah Kerr as Mrs. Anna Leonowens. For his role, he won an Academy Award as Best Actor. Brynner is one of only nine people who have won both a Tony Award and an Academy Award for the same role.

Deborah Kerr won the Golden Globe Award for The King and I (1956). Her vocals in the film were dubbed by Marni Nixon. Kerr established a warm rapport with Nixon. According to Nixon, she and Kerr worked at least a week on each musical number and Nixon closely followed Kerr's movements during rehearsals on the set.


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 875. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Yul Brynner and Patrick Adiarte in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 876. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 877. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Rita Moreno and Carlos Rivas in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 878. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).

Governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam

'The King and I' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel 'Anna and the King of Siam' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. The musical's plot relates to the experiences of Anna, a British schoolteacher who is hired as part of the King's drive to modernise his country. The relationship between the King and Anna is marked by conflict through much of the piece, as well as by a love to which neither can admit.

In 1950, theatrical attorney Fanny Holtzmann sought a part for her client, veteran British actress Gertrude Lawrence. Holtzmann realised that Landon's book would provide an ideal vehicle. Holtzmann initially wanted Cole Porter to write the score, but he declined. She was going to approach Noël Coward next but happened to meet Dorothy Hammerstein (Oscar Hammerstein's wife) in Manhattan. Holtzmann told Dorothy that she wanted Rodgers and Hammerstein to create a show for Lawrence, and asked her to see her husband read a book that Holtzmann would send over.

In fact, both Dorothy Rodgers and Dorothy Hammerstein had read the novel in 1944 and had urged their husbands to consider it as a possible subject for a musical. Dorothy Hammerstein had known Gertrude Lawrence since 1925 when they had both appeared in André Charlot's London Revue of 1924 on Broadway and on tour in North America. Rodgers and Hammerstein were initially reluctant but agreed to write the musical. The pair initially sought Rex Harrison to play the supporting part of the King, a role he had played in the 1946 film made from Landon's book, Anna and the King of Siam (John Cromwell, 1946), but he was unavailable. They settled on the young actor and television director Yul Brynner.

The musical won Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Actress (for Lawrence) and Best Featured Actor (for Brynner). Lawrence died unexpectedly of cancer a year and a half after the opening, and the role of Anna was played by several actresses during the remainder of the Broadway run of 1,246 performances. A hit West End London run and U.S. national tour followed, together with the film version, The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956), for which Yul Brynner won an Academy Award, and the musical was recorded several times. In later revivals, Brynner came to dominate his role and the musical, starring in a four-year national tour culminating in a 1985 Broadway run shortly before his death.

Yul Brynner also starred in a non-musical 1972 TV comedy series, with Samantha Eggar as "Anna Owens". CBS cancelled the series in mid-season after 13 episodes. It followed the main storyline of the musical, focusing on the relationship between the title characters. Christopher Renshaw directed major revivals on Broadway (1996), winning the Tony Award for Best Revival, and in the West End (2000). A 2015 Broadway revival won another Tony for Best Revival. Both professional and amateur revivals of 'The King and I' continue to be staged regularly throughout the English-speaking world.


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 879. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 880. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


British postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. D 916. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Yul Brynner in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).


German postcard by Kolibri-Verlag, Minden-Westf., no. 2392. Photo: 20th Century Fox. Yul Brynner in The King and I (Walter Lang, 1956).

Sources: Wikipedia and IMDb.