Robert Redford flatly turned down the lead role in THE GRADUATE. Bob's misguided decision, created a career opportunity for unknown actor, Dustin Hoffman

Doris Day as Mrs Robinson in the GRADUATE? Certainly not - unless you can see beyond the myths created by the Hollywood dream machine

Destiny made Judy Garland the quintessential Dorothy in WIZARD OF OZ because Shirley Temple was unavailable

Ingrid Bergman walked away for you role in  ANASTASIA. The director Anatole Litvak had actress Jennifer Jones as his first choice.

Director Elia Kazan was forced to use Vivien Leigh as his Blanche du Bois in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE when Olivia De Havilland informed him that a lady just didn't say and do those things on screen.

Producer Robert Evans wanted his wife, Ali MacGraw to follow her success in LOVE STORY in THE GREAT GATSBY but neither Jack Nicholson nor Warren Beatty were interest in having Mrs Evans play Daisy. "Nothing personal," they argued, "But Ali just can't act." 

Vivien Leigh thinking herself too young
for the role in SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER
made Kathrine Hepburn into a star

For THE DEFIANT ONES Wilder saw Marlon Brando as the racists white-man chained to a black-man. What Wilder thought to be a simple matter of typecasting turned into a farce, as he explains: "First I went to Brando, and Marlon said, "Yes, I'll do it, but I want to play the black man"  So, I asked Kirk Douglas. He said, "Yes, I'll do it, but I want to play both parts." Interestingly, before the lead  went to Tony Curtis, Wilder even considered Elvis Presley

Several Academy Award winning performances came about as the result of  second choice casting. Monty Clift said that he couldn't relate to the role of a ex-prizefighter ON THE WATERFRONT which landed Marlon Brando an Oscar. 

Fate dealt trumps for Peter O'Toole after he was cast by director, David Lean as Lawrence in LAWRENCE OF ARABIA because Albert Finney turned down the role. 

STARS WARS brought Harrison Ford fame but his stardom was not totally consolidated until he took over as a last minute replacement for Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK 

A studio whim created an opportunity for turning soapie-star PEYTON PLACE Mia Farrow into a movie star. Polanski wanted Tuesday Weld, for his ROSEMARY'S BABY but Paramount insisted on Farrow. They sought to cash on the fact that Mia had married Frank Sinatra 

Did you know in 1963 and in 1967 Robert Redford lost two great starring roles? The first, by a quirk of fate, the second his own mis-judgment. When  Roman Polanski wanted Redford for the role of Rosemary's husband Guy in ROSEMARY'S BABY Paramount stepped in and legally stopped negotiations - much to Robert's dismay