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Anna and the King (TV series)

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Anna and the King
Yul Brynner and Samantha Eggar, 1972.
GenreSitcom
Based onThe King and I
by Rodgers and Hammerstein
Directed by
Starring
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Executive producerGene Reynolds
Producers
  • Bill Idelson
  • Harvey Miller
Running time30 mins.
Production company20th Century Fox Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 17 (1972-09-17) –
December 31, 1972 (1972-12-31)

Anna and the King is a television sitcom that aired Sunday nights at 7:30 pm (EST) on CBS as part of its 1972 fall lineup.

Overview

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Anna and the King is a non-musical adaptation of the film of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I (1956), which was in turn based on the 1944 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 more identified with that role than any other.

The plot, like that of the musical, involved the king's bringing to Siam of a British governess, Anna Leonowens (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 worldwide success (Brynner was still touring in the stage version until just before his death), this series was cancelled at midseason.

Cast

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Actor Role
Yul Brynner King Mongkut of Siam
Samantha Eggar Anna Leonowens
Brian Tochi Crown Prince Chulalongkorn
Eric Shea Louis Leonowens
Keye Luke Kralahome
Lisa Lu Lady Thiang
Rosalind Chao Princess Serena
Ratna Assan King Youngest Wife

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Pilot"Gene ReynoldsBill Idelson & Harvey MillerSeptember 17, 1972 (1972-09-17)
2"The Baby"Michael O'HerlihyJim FritzellSeptember 24, 1972 (1972-09-24)
3"The King or the Tiger?"Michael GordonJerry MayerOctober 1, 1972 (1972-10-01)
4"Chulalongkorn's Grades"James ShledonGene ThompsonOctober 8, 1972 (1972-10-08)
5"Anna's Romance"William WiardGene ThompsonOctober 15, 1972 (1972-10-15)
6"The Bicycle"Jack Donohue & William WiardMaurice RichlinOctober 22, 1972 (1972-10-22)
7"The Haunted Temple"Lee PhilipsJerry MayerNovember 5, 1972 (1972-11-05)
8"Louis, the Pawn"Hy AverbackBud FreemanNovember 12, 1972 (1972-11-12)
9"The Chimes"E.W. SwackhamerJerry MayerNovember 19, 1972 (1972-11-19)
10"Serana"Jeff CoreyLes & Tina PineNovember 26, 1972 (1972-11-26)
11"The Marriage of Prince Chula"William WiardBill Idelson & Harvey MillerDecember 10, 1972 (1972-12-10)
12"The King and the Egg"Terry BeckerAustin & Irma KalishDecember 17, 1972 (1972-12-17)
13"Louis' Love"Gerald MayerJim FritzellDecember 31, 1972 (1972-12-31)

Unsuccessful lawsuit by Margaret Landon

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Margaret Landon was unhappy with this series and charged the producers with "inaccurate and mutilated portrayals" of her literary property; she unsuccessfully sued for copyright infringement.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ Lawrence Meyer, "Court And “The King”", Washington Post, 21 November 1972, pg. B2
  2. ^ Landon v. Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., 384 F. Supp. 450 (S.D.N.Y. 1974), in Donald E. Biederman, Edward P. Pierson, Martin E. Silfen, Janna Glasser, Law and Business of the Entertainment Industries, 5th edition, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 2006, pp. 349-356

Sources

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anna and the King (TV series).
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