Biography continued... Leading Lady   Kerr yearned for more colorful roles and the opportunity arose during the casting for From Here To Eternity. The role of Karen Holmes, the sexy adulterous wife living on an Army base in Hawaii, was initially set for Joan Crawford, but negotiations fell through when Crawford did not approve of her wardrobe or cameraman. Bert Allenberg, Kerr's manager, suggested to Harry Cohn that Deborah could do wonders with the role. Cohn first thought that the notion was ridiculous but producers Fred Zinnemann and Buddy Adler thought that it would be a terrific idea. So Deborah Kerr, cast against type, got the part. The film was a tremendous success and would eventually win eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Deborah won another nomination for Best Actress, but the winner that year would be newcomer Audrey Hepburn for Roman Holiday. Kerr changed gears in early 1954 by accepting the stage role of Laura Reynolds in the Robert Anderson play Tea and Sympathy. Her role as a young schoolmaster's wife who guides an insecure young boy (played by John Kerr, no relation to her) into manhood was a resounding success. Deborah's performance was praised by the critics and public and she won the Sarah Siddons Award for Best Actress. She would reprise the role for the film version two years later.   With John Kerr in Tea and Sympathy In early 1955, she began work on one of her most famous roles, that of Anna in The King and I. Yul Brynner, who played the King on Broadway for four years, personally chose Kerr for the film version. Although her songs would be dubbed by Marni Nixon, Kerr's Anna was a magical portrayal and it is the role that she is best remembered for. She won a third Academy Award nomination and the film was a huge box office success. It still remains on the list of all time box office champions.   A scene from The King And I

Kerr's career continued to flourish throughout the 1950's. She received yet another Academy Award nomination as well as her second New York Film Critics Award for her role as a nun stranded on a deserted island with Robert Mitchum in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957).  She starred opposite Cary Grant in An Affair To Remember in 1958. The film recently regained tremendous popularity due to the film Sleepless In Seattle. An Affair To Remember is a tearjerker of the first order and remains a favorite among romance buffs. Leading Lady continued...   With Robert Mitchum in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison