Anna and the King (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Anna and the King is a short-lived sitcom
broadcast in the United States
by CBS
as part of its 1972 fall lineup
.
film of Rodgers and Hammerstein
's The King and I
, which was in turn based on the novel
Anna and the King of Siam
by Margaret Landon
. Unlike the majority of attempts to turn hit films into television series, Anna and the King featured the original film's star, Yul Brynner
, who was probably more identified with that role than any other that he ever played.
The plot, like that of the musical, involved the king's bringing to Siam
of a British
governess, Anna Owens (portrayed here by Samantha Eggar
), to educate his 12 year old son and heir, Crown Prince
Chulalongkorn (Brian Tochi
). As time goes on, the two develop a platonic
infatuation with each other, despite the low status of women in Siamese society, which appalls Anna, as does the king's related practice of polygamy
. Also appearing regularly was a member of the royal household, Kralahome (Keye Luke
).
While the musical, both film and stage versions, was a tremendous worldwide success (Brynner was still touring in the stage version until just before his death), this series was cancelled at midseason.
was unhappy with this series and charged the producers with "inaccurate and mutilated portrayals" of her literary property; she unsuccessfully sued for copyright infringement.
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
broadcast in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
as part of its 1972 fall lineup
1972-73 United States network television schedule
This was the television schedule on all three United States television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1972. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with a few exceptions, such as Monday Night Football....
.
Overview
Anna and the King is a non-musical adaptation of the 19561956 in film
The year 1956 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 5 - The Ten Commandments opens in cinemas and becomes one of the most successful and popular movies of all time, currently ranking 5th on the list of all time moneymakers * February 5 - First showing of documentary films by...
film of Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
's The King and I
The King and I
The King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...
, which was in turn based on the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Anna and the King of Siam
Anna and the King of Siam (book)
Anna and the King of Siam is a 1944 semi-fictionalized biographical novel by Margaret Landon.In the early 1860s, Anna Leonowens, a widow with two young children, was invited to Siam by King Mongkut , who wanted her to teach his children and wives the English language and introduce them to British...
by Margaret Landon
Margaret Landon
Margaret Landon was an American writer best remembered for Anna and the King of Siam, her best-selling 1944 novel of the life of Anna Leonowens which eventually sold over a million copies and translated into more than twenty languages...
. Unlike the majority of attempts to turn hit films into television series, Anna and the King featured the original film's star, Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on...
, who was probably more identified with that role than any other that he ever played.
The plot, like that of the musical, involved the king's bringing to Siam
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
of a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
governess, Anna Owens (portrayed here by Samantha Eggar
Samantha Eggar
Samantha Eggar is an English film, television and voice actress.-Early life:She was born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar in Hampstead, London to an Anglo-Irish father and a mother of Dutch and Portuguese descent...
), to educate his 12 year old son and heir, Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Chulalongkorn (Brian Tochi
Brian Tochi
Brian Keith Tochihara , better known as Brian Tochi, is a U.S. actor, screen-writer, movie director and producer. He was widely recognized as the most popular East Asian child actor working in U.S. television during the late 1960s through much of the 1970s having appeared in various T.V. series and...
). As time goes on, the two develop a platonic
Platonic love
Platonic love is a chaste and strong type of love that is non-sexual.-Amor Platonicus:The term amor platonicus was coined as early as the 15th century by the Florentine scholar Marsilio Ficino. Platonic love in this original sense of the term is examined in Plato's dialogue the Symposium, which has...
infatuation with each other, despite the low status of women in Siamese society, which appalls Anna, as does the king's related practice of polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
. Also appearing regularly was a member of the royal household, Kralahome (Keye Luke
Keye Luke
Keye Luke was a Chinese-born American actor. He was the first Chinese-American contract player signed with RKO, Universal and, later, MGM and is generally acknowledged as the leading Asian-American actor of this era of American cinema.-Background:...
).
While the musical, both film and stage versions, was a tremendous worldwide success (Brynner was still touring in the stage version until just before his death), this series was cancelled at midseason.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Yul Brynner Yul Brynner Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on... |
King Mongkut of Siam |
| Samantha Eggar Samantha Eggar Samantha Eggar is an English film, television and voice actress.-Early life:She was born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar in Hampstead, London to an Anglo-Irish father and a mother of Dutch and Portuguese descent... |
Anna Owens |
| Brian Tochi Brian Tochi Brian Keith Tochihara , better known as Brian Tochi, is a U.S. actor, screen-writer, movie director and producer. He was widely recognized as the most popular East Asian child actor working in U.S. television during the late 1960s through much of the 1970s having appeared in various T.V. series and... |
Crown Prince Chulalongkorn |
| Eric Shea Eric Shea Eric Shea , is an American actor. A professional child actor since the age of six, he is best known for his roles in the feature films Yours, Mine and Ours, The Poseidon Adventure, Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies, and The Castaway Cowboy, as well as for his numerous guest-starring appearances... |
Louis Owens |
| Keye Luke Keye Luke Keye Luke was a Chinese-born American actor. He was the first Chinese-American contract player signed with RKO, Universal and, later, MGM and is generally acknowledged as the leading Asian-American actor of this era of American cinema.-Background:... |
Kralahome |
| Lisa Lu Lisa Lu Lisa Lu is a Chinese-American actress and documentary producer.-Life and career:Lu was born in Peking, China . Beginning in her teens, she was active in Chinese opera, or Kunqu, before emigrating to the United States... |
Lady Thiang |
| Rosalind Chao Rosalind Chao Rosalind Chao is a Chinese American actress. Chao's most prolific roles have been as a star of CBS' AfterMASH portraying South Korean refugee Soon-Lee Klinger for both seasons, and the recurring character Keiko O'Brien with 27 appearances on the syndicated science fiction series Star Trek: The... |
Princess Serena |
Episodes
| Ep # | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot | September 17, 1972 |
| 2 | "The Baby" | September 24, 1972 |
| 3 | "The King or the Tiger?" | October 1, 1972 |
| 4 | "Chulalongkorn's Grades" | October 8, 1972 |
| 5 | "Anna's Romance" | October 15, 1972 |
| 6 | "The Bicycle" | October 22, 1972 |
| 7 | "The Haunted Temple" | November 5, 1972 |
| 8 | "Louis, the Pawn" | November 12, 1972 |
| 9 | "The Chimes" | November 19, 1972 |
| 10 | "Serana" | November 26, 1972 |
| 11 | "The Marriage of Prince Chula" | December 10, 1972 |
| 12 | "The King and the Egg" | December 17, 1972 |
| 13 | "Louis' Love" | December 31, 1972 |
Unsuccessful lawsuit by Margaret Landon
Margaret LandonMargaret Landon
Margaret Landon was an American writer best remembered for Anna and the King of Siam, her best-selling 1944 novel of the life of Anna Leonowens which eventually sold over a million copies and translated into more than twenty languages...
was unhappy with this series and charged the producers with "inaccurate and mutilated portrayals" of her literary property; she unsuccessfully sued for copyright infringement.