The King And I

1956

DirectorWalter Lang
ProducerCharles Brackett
Production Company20th Century Fox
Release DateJune 28th, 1956
CastDeborah Kerr (Anna Leonowens), Yul Brunner (King Mongkut of Siam), Rita Moreno (Tuptim), Terry Saunders (Lady Thiang), Martin Benson (Kralahome), Rex Thompson (Louis Leonowens), Patrick Adiarte (Prince Chulalongkorn), Alan Mowbray (Sir John Hay), Geoffrey Toone (Sir Edward Ramsay), Carlos Rivas (Lun Tha), Maria McClay (Royal Wife)

This American musical film was based on the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of the same name, based in turn on the 1944 novel “Anna and the King of Siam” by Margaret Landon. That novel in turn was based on memoirs written by Anna Leonowens, who became school teacher to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. No Thai actors were cast into any main character roles, although a few roles were given to Philippine-American and Chinese-American actors, and Brynner was of part East-Asian ancestry.

A widowed schoolteacher, Anna, arrives in Bangkok with her young son, Louis, after being summoned to tutor the many children of King Mongkut. Both are introduced to the intimidating Kralahome, Siam’s prime minister, who escorts them to the Royal Palace, where they will live, although Anna had been promised her own house. The King ignores her objections and introduces her to his head wife, Lady Thiang. Anna also meets a recent concubine, a young Burmese, Tuptim, and the fifteen children she will tutor, including his son and heir, Prince Chulalongkorn. In conversation with the other wives, Anna learns Tuptim is in love with Lun Tha, who brought her to Siam.

Maria McClay as one of the Royal Wives of King Mongkut of Siam played by Yul Brunner, seen here with Deborah Kerr as Anna Leonowens during the musical number known as the “March of the Siamese Children”.

Anna still wants her own house and teaches the children about the virtues of home life, to the King’s irritation, who disapproves of the influence of other cultures. She comes across Lun Tha and learns that he has been meeting Tuptim in secret. He asks her to arrange a rendezvous. The lovers meet under cover of darkness, and Lun Tha promises he will one day return to Siam and that they will escape together.

Maria appears as one of the Royal wives in various scenes throughout the movie.

Scenes Featuring Maria

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The Man Called X

1956-1957

Maria appeared in a single episode of the first season of this espionage drama in 1956. Before being adapted for television the series was quite well established as a radio drama that aired on CBS and NBC stations from 1944 to 1952. Maria played her part opposite Barry Sullivan in the lead role of agent Ken Thurston a.k.a. “Mr. X”, an American intelligence agent who takes on dangerous cases in exotic locations.

The Series was originally created by Jay Richard Kennedy who also adapted it for the small screen on behalf of Ziv Television Programs. 39 episodes were produced and broadcast from 1956 to 1957.

Episodes

S01 E10 – Local Hero (1956)

Maria plays “Sou Hei”, a member of a group of refugees desperately trying to escape from China. Will agent Ken Thurston, the man called “X”, be able to root out the traitor among them and help the cross the border alive?
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Omar Khayyam Production Schedules

Citizen News, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA, March – May, 1956

(Unknown Author)

Maria is listed in the production schedules of the day for her role in (The Loves Of) Omar Khayyam in almost every week’s release of the column.

Maria McClay