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Typecasting was
at once the making or breaking of an actors career. The studio
system had complete control over which role would be in their
best interest. However, not always were the directors able to get
the lead actor (for whatever reason) They then had to re-think
and offer the role against typecast or to a complete unknown
actor. Today we can no longer imagine any other actor in
these Hollywood classic films. (1)
Can you imagine CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF starring Grace
Kelly? Not for a minute. Liz will always be remembered as Maggie the Cat
(2)
Mae West was first choice however it was to become Gloria
Swanson's swan song in Billy Wilder's SUNSET BOULEVARD. As
Wilder recalls, Mae West was so offended by the offer she did not
speak to him for several years whereas Swanson kissed Wilder's
his feet.
(3) Doris Day as Mrs Robinson in the GRADUATE? Certainly not - unless you can see beyond the myths created by the Hollywood
dream machine
(3) Destiny made Judy Garland the quintessential Dorothy in WIZARD OF OZ because Shirley Temple was
unavailable
(5) Ingrid Bergman walked away
for you role in ANASTASIA. The director Anatole Litvak
had actress Jennifer Jones as his first choice.
(6)
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.
(7)
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."
(8) Insightful second choice casting by
director Michael Curtiz produced further classic hits and unlikely opportunities, such as Joan Crawford seizing the role in MILDRED PIERCE only because
her arch-rival Bette Davis turned it down.... citing she didn't
want... "the bitch of a role..."
(9) And Vivien Leigh thinking herself too young to play the lead in SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER made Kathrine Hepburn into a star.
(10) A studio whim
a studio created an unprecedented 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
Second
Choice Casting Male Leads
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