Figure 1.--This is a scene from the musical film version of the 'King And I'. Yul Brynnerplayed the King and Deborah Kerr Anna. They are surounded by the princes and princesses. ex Thompson playeed Louis Leonowens seen at extrene right. Patrick Adiarte played Prince Chulalongkorn. Louis wears a tunic suit wiyth a white collar and small bow. To be historically accurate, the tunic should have been a little longer.

'The King and I' is another of the wonderful Broadway musicals created by Richard Rodgers and atist Oscar Hammerstein. It is based on a an actual people. Anna Leonowen was a British governess. She and herson traveled to half way around the world to care for the children of King Mongkut of Siam (erly-1860s as part of his modernization effort. Siam (modern Thailand) was the only country in Southeast Asian not by colonized by the Europeans. His modernization effort was violated his traditional views, but pursued to ward off the Europeans. Leonowen left a memoir. Margaret Landon's published a novel, Anna and the King of Siam (1944). This served as the basis for the first non-musical film version (1946), the Broadway musical (1951) and the nusical film version (1956). The plot all revolves around the developing relationship of Leonowen and the King. While based on actual people, the plot pursues many imagined plot lines. Rodgers and Hammerstein initially wanted Rex Harrison to play the King. Evetually a young actor and television director Yul Brynner was chosen. Gertrude Lawrence, an established British stage actress was chosen fo Anna. The Broadway play was a huge hit, winning 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. Deborah Kerr replaced her in the film version. Rex Thompson playeed Louis Leonowens. Patrick Adiarte played Prince Chulalongkorn. The film was also a major success.