Here is a second selection of casting tales from Hollywood history. As before, the caveat holds that much of what passes as Hollywood history is gossip, and when it comes to casting deals, the story may be clouded by hearsay, whimsy, and star egos.
Film buffs love these stories; we play the altered movies in our heads. Who has not loved Olivia De Havilland as Melanie, the decent, nurturing, gentle-bred wife in Gone with the Wind? But picture David O. Selznick’s earlier choice, Janet Gaynor, and you are imagining what Selznick wanted. Gaynor was an equally valid choice. (Her salary request was too high, and she probably came to regret it.) It is fascinating to consider the choices that directors and producers made, whether they reflect actors who were seen as inhabiting the same range of characterization or actors who were compromise hires, as in, ‘the head office wants you to use someone who’s on the payroll.’
Sometimes the proposed casting was insane, antithetical to the film as we think of it. If you can imagine Sonja Henie in The Farmer’s Daughter, Joan Crawford rolling in the surf with Burt Lancaster on the From Here to Eternity beach, or June Allyson as any of Eve’s three faces, you have a healthy imagination.
A sub-theme to this collection is the George Raft Follies: career missteps which, considering Raft’s drab style, were fortunate calls for movie buffs. It is hard to imagine Raft finding the sardonic notes Bogart put into Sam Spade. Raft’s loss was often Bogart’s gain, and this pattern is also a tribute to Bogart’s superior eye for stories.
We return to the casting trampoline:
The Grapes of Wrath (1940) – Beulah Bondi tested for Ma, and even sought out Okies to master their speech mannerisms. She was stunned when the part went to Jane Darwell, who went on to win an Oscar for her work.
Rebecca (1940) – Selznick tried to repeat the hype over the search for Scarlett when he cast the unnamed heroine in the film. He and director Alfred Hitchcock arranged readings and/or screen tests for at least 50 actresses (as listed in Dan Auiler’s Hitchcock’s Notebooks), narrowing the search down to Margaret Sullavan, whom Hitchcock favored, Ann Baxter, and Joan Fontaine, who won the part, although Hitch found her ‘coy and simpering’ in her test. Vivien Leigh was desperate to play the part so she could be with her husband, Laurence Olivier, but both Selznick and Hitchcock thought she was wrong for it. (Before Olivier signed, his role was offered to William Powell and Ronald Colman.)
High Sierra (1941) – It was planned as a Paul Muni vehicle, but Muni vowed he would take no more gangster roles and turned it down emphatically. George Raft had second pick, and when he declined, Bogart grabbed it and brought Mad Dog Earle to life.
The Maltese Falcon (1941) – This was offered to George Raft, but it struck him as a minor picture with a rookie director (John Huston). Bogart saw the rich humor in Huston’s script and grabbed it. Falcon is a triumph of every facet of production, from writing to casting to lighting and editing. Additional tidbit: the part of Brigid, played with sly wit by Mary Astor, was originally intended for Geraldine Fitzgerald.
Sergeant York (1941) – Jane Russell was considered for Gracie, York’s sweetheart, the part that went to Joan Leslie. This was a few years before The Outlaw (1943) established Russell as a sultry oomph girl.
Manpower (1941) – Edward G. Robinson replaced Bogart as Hank after George Raft insisted that he would not do the picture if Bogart was in it.
Bad Men of Missouri (1941) – Bogart was cast as Cole Younger but went on suspension in protest. He considered the film to be too minor in light of his growing stature in pictures, and having appeared in three westerns, he knew he looked out of place in the genre. Dennis Morgan played Cole.
The Sea Wolf (1941) – George Raft angrily turned down the part of Leach, describing it as little more than a bit. John Garfield played the part, earning good reviews.
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) – The lead role of George M. Cohan was offered to Fred Astaire, who declined. Cohan himself picked James Cagney as his portrayer.
The Pride of the Yankees(1942) – Baseball fans polled by The Sporting News picked Cleveland Indians pitcher Johnny Humphries to play Lou Gehrig, based on a strong facial resemblance. Those who saw Gary Cooper in the role probably forgot all about Humphries.
Random Harvest (1942) – Joan Crawford lobbied hard to play Paula. When the part went to Greer Garson, it was a sign that a new queen was in residence at MGM. Within a few months, Crawford was gone.
Saboteur (1942) – Hitchcock wanted Gary Cooper and either Barbara Stanwyck or Margaret Sullavan for his leads. He had previously sought Cooper and Stanwyck for Foreign Correspondent (1940) without success. Both were in constant demand, and Hitchcock later said that the top stars would not play in suspense films in the early 40’s. For Saboteur, he finally cast Robert Cummings and, at Universal’s insistence, Priscilla Lane, who was under contract at the studio. He offered the part of arch-villain Tobin to Harry Carey, which horrified Carey’s wife. She told Hitch that Carey would never play a traitor. Otto Kruger played Tobin with oily perfection.
Casablanca (1942) – It is apparently a myth that Ronald Reagan and Ann Sheridan were considered for the leads. Producer Hal Wallis planned this as an important release, and he wanted Bogart, who seemed headed for major stardom. George Raft did want to play Rick, but Wallis sensed that Bogart would bring more to the role.
Mrs. Miniver (1942) – Norma Shearer was first choice for the lead, but she refused to play the mother of a grown man (Richard Ney). Greer Garson took the part – and married her ‘son’ after the picture opened.
The Gay Sisters (1942) – Bette Davis and Mary Astor, who had just teamed successfully in The Great Lie (1941), had a chance to reteam in this soaper. But Bette was working on The Little Foxes (1941), and did not want to do two films in a row acting older than her age. The parts went to Barbara Stanwyck and Geraldine Fitzgerald.
Kings Row (1942) – Twentieth Century-Fox wanted this property for Henry Fonda, but Jack Warner acquired it. At Warners, both Ida Lupino and Olivia De Havilland turned down the part of Cassandra, which went to Betty Field.
Madame Curie (1943) – This was planned as a Garbo picture. When Garbo retired in 1941, Joan Crawford asked for it. The studio gave it to Greer Garson. Spencer Tracy was considered for Pierre (it would have been his fifth biographical role for MGM), but the part went to Walter Pidgeon.
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) – Vera Zorina did two weeks of location shooting as Maria, before director Sam Wood decided to replace her. Neither Wood nor Gary Cooper thought she was adequate. Paramount desperately sought Ingrid Bergman, who gamely sat for the close-cropped Maria haircut and joined the company in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Paramount later reached a settlement with a furious and humiliated Zorina.
Old Acquaintance (1943) – Bette Davis was cast as virtuous Kit, who struggles through a decades-long friendship with Millie, a jealous, backbiting woman. Warners needed a strong actress for Millie. Davis suggested Mary Astor. Jack Warner suggested Constance Bennett. Edmund Goulding, originally set to direct, wanted Miriam Hopkins, who had costarred with Davis in The Old Maid (1939). Davis found Hopkins to be insecure, demanding, and capricious, which were actually Millie’s qualities. Somewhere along the way, Norma Shearer, freshly retired from MGM, was given the script, but she thought Millie was horrible and that Kit was the only acceptable role. It is doubtful that Shearer would have gone back to work at Warners, anyway. Astor and Bennett would have made great Millies, but Hopkins got the part, with Vincent Sherman directing. Hopkins reportedly caused several tempest during the shoot.
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) – Ronald Reagan and Jack Benny turned down the part of Mortimer. Bob Hope wanted it, but Paramount wouldn’t release him. Cary Grant took it, but stated later it was his worst performance. It is certainly his most over-the-top acting, with double takes that Edgar Kennedy couldn’t top. For Jonathan, Frank Capra wanted Boris Karloff, but Karloff was still playing the part on Broadway (the movie was filmed in 1941), so Raymond Massey stepped in.
Gaslight (1944) – Paula, the role that brought Ingrid Bergman her first Oscar, was originally planned for Hedy Lamarr. Both Hedy and Irene Dunne passed on it.
The Lost Weekend (1945) – Ray Milland had been a light leading man for 15 years, and few thought he could pull such a raw performance out of himself as the tormented alcoholic Don Birnam. Cary Grant and Jose Ferrer (then a stage actor) were considered before Milland won the part.
Mildred Pierce (1945) – Bette Davis turned this down, reasoning that The Corn Is Green (1945) was a better property. Also on the short list for Mildred: Claudette Colbert, Barbara Stanwyck, and Rosalind Russell. All would have been good. But this was Joan Crawford’s baby. She campaigned for it, agreed to test for it, and used it and the Oscar it brought her to launch her comeback.
To Each His Own (1946) and The Farmer’s Daughter (1947) – Ingrid Bergman turned down both of these scripts, which brought Oscars to Olivia De Havilland and Loretta Young. Selznick originally owned Farmer’s Daughter, and considered not only Bergman but Dorothy McGuire and Sonja Henie to star in it. In the end he sold it to RKO.
The Snake Pit (1948) – Gene Tierney was first choice for the role of the young schizophrenic, but she got pregnant and dropped out. Ginger Rogers turned it down. Olivia De Havilland, at the peak of her career, took the role and gave a wrenching performance.
Red River (1948) – Director Howard Hawks offered the role of Matt to Burt Lancaster, but Lancaster was then committed to The Killers (1946). Hawks offered Gary Cooper the role of Dunson, but Cooper thought it was too dark. In the end, Montgomery Clift was Matt and John Wayne was Dunson.
All the King’s Men (1949) – Producer-director Robert Rossen offered John Wayne the part of Willie Stark. Wayne read the script, blew his top, and wrote a scathing letter to his agent for forwarding the script, which Wayne found to be anti-American, anti-social, and even anti-mother. The part went to Broderick Crawford. Both Crawford and Wayne received Best Actor noms in that year’s Oscars, Wayne for Sands of Iwo Jima. On Oscar night, Wayne must have produced the prototype of his Ethan Edwards glare as he watched Crawford win for Best Actor and King’s Men win Best Picture.
The Third Man (1949) – Cary Grant was considered for Harry Lime, the part played memorably by Orson Welles. Director Carol Reed wanted James Stewart for Holly Martins, but producer Selznick insisted on Joseph Cotten.
The Heiress (1949) – In preproduction, this was seen as a chance to reteam Olivia De Havilland and Errol Flynn. Saner minds prevailed, as Flynn was too weathered by this time to play Morris Townsend. In the end, Olivia and Montgomery Clift played Catherine and Morris.
Little Women (1949) – Selznick planned this for Jennifer Jones (as Jo), Diana Lynn (Amy), Bambi Linn (Beth), Rhonda Fleming (Meg), John Dall (Laurie), Anne Revere (Marmee), Charles Coburn (Laurie’s grandfather), and Elizabeth Patterson (Hannah). Selznick sold the project to MGM, and only Patterson made it into the cast.
Samson and Delilah (1949) – Steve Reeves and Burt Lancaster were considered for Samson, and Betty Hutton, Jean Simmons, Lana Turner, and Rita Hayworth for Delilah. In the end, Cecil B. DeMille cast Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr as hunk and hunkette.
The Barkleys of Broadway (1949) and Annie Get Your Gun (1950) – Judy Garland’s addictions and depression forced her to drop out of these films, to be replaced by Ginger Rogers and Betty Hutton.
Sunset Blvd. (1950) – Billy Wilder signed Gloria Swanson to play aging movie queen Norma Desmond after being turned down by Mae West, Pola Negri, and Mary Pickford. Pickford told him that if she played the part as written, she would outrage her old fans, and if she played it to please the fans, she would let down Wilder. The William Holden part was declined by Montgomery Clift and Fred MacMurray.
All About Eve (1950) Claudette Colbert injured her back on the set of Three Came Home (1950), forcing her to drop out of Eve, in which she was set to play Margo Channing. Bette Davis joined the project, which brought her the best role of her post-Warners career. The’ bumpy night’ line seems to have been written for no one but Bette.
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) – Olivia De Havilland was first choice to play Blanche, but she declined it. Robert Mitchum was offered the part of Stanley, but RKO would not release him. Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando got the the roles.
High Noon (1952) – Montgomery Clift turned down the part of Will Kane. Gary Cooper used it to win his second Oscar.
Come Back, Little Sheba (1952) – Bette Davis turned down Lola, the part that won an Oscar for Shirley Booth. Humphrey Bogart wanted to play Doc. He was the right age for the part, and he was expanding his range in the early 50’s. It is fascinating to think what he could have done with a serious dramatic role. Burt Lancaster, age 38, was cast, and was deemed too young for the part by some critics.
Stalag 17 (1953) – Kirk Douglas passed on Sefton, for which William Holden won the Oscar. Douglas later said it was his biggest career mistake.
From Here to Eternity (1953) – Deborah Kerr’s performance as Karen revitalized her career and led to a decade of plum parts in high profile pictures. Joan Crawford was nearly signed for the part, but she demanded her choice of cinematographer, and Columbia withdrew the offer. Joan Fontaine was offered the part. Harry Cohn wanted Rita Hayworth, who was then finishing out her Columbia contract with Miss Sadie Thompson (1953). In the end, Kerr was effective playing against type.
On the Waterfront (1954) – It was originally written for John Garfield, who died in 1952. Marlon Brando pondered over the script, and Frank Sinatra put in his name for it. Eventually Brando came on board. Grace Kelly turned down the role of Edie, only to see newcomer Eva Marie Saint win the Oscar for it.
East of Eden (1955) – Montgomery Clift, Marlon Brando, and Paul Newman were all approached before James Dean accepted the lead role.
Carousel (1956) – Frank Sinatra walked when he was told that Carousel would be filmed twice, in two different Cinemascope formats. Gordon MacRae took the lead, and in the end the production team found a way to shoot one print that could be converted to the other format.
The Three Faces of Eve (1957) – The part of Eve, an Oscar winner for Joanne Woodward, was offered to June Allyson, but husband Dick Powell told her it was wrong for her. Judy Garland was considered, but the studio (Fox) considered her unreliable. In another account, Judy declined the part, after initially deciding she could triumph in it. Orson Welles was considered for the part of Dr. Luther that went to Lee J. Cobb in the end.
Vertigo (1958) – Hitchcock planned to cast Vera Miles as Madeleine/Judy, but Miles got pregnant, and the iconic part went to Kim Novak.
The Blue Angel (1959) – This pale remake, with May Britt and Curt Jurgens, was conceived originally as a vehicle for Marilyn Monroe and Spencer Tracy. Tracy at least was briefly on board with the idea.
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) – The judge played by Joseph Welch was first offered to Spencer Tracy and Burl Ives. Lee Remick’s part was offered to Lana Turner, who left after a wardrobe dispute.
The Apartment (1960) – Paul Douglas was signed to play Jeff Sheldrake, but he died just before production, so Fred MacMurray did it. The studio suggested Groucho Marx for Dr. Dreyfuss, but Billy Wilder would have none of it and signed Jack Kruschen in the role.
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