 Starring in the movie were Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Benson Fong, James Hong, Reiko Sato and the original Broadway cast members Jack Soo, Miyoshi Umeki, and Juanita Hall (an African American actress who previously played the Pacific Islander Bloody Mary in the Broadway and film productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific").Anna May Wong had been scheduled to play the part of Madam Liang, but she died in February 1961, before production began.Kwan won the role of Linda Low when she met Ross Hunter, the producer of "Flower Drum Song", at a party after he saw her film debut in the 1960 film adaptation of "The World of Suzie Wong".