Top Ten… Original Casting Choices!
The inspiration for this list came while watching the bonus features on my Planet of the Apes boxset. There’s a fascinating bit of footage that stars Charlton Heston in the same role he played in the movie and Edward G. Robinson as Dr. Zaius. Apparently, this short scene was shot in order to show the studio execs that the makeup could be believable and to convince them to finance the movie. It of course worked, but Maurice Evans played Zaius in the finished film. That got me to thinking about other original casting choices so let’s take a gander at the top ten original casting choices! I’ve included both a picture of the actor considered for the part as well as a pic of the actor who finally got the part for comparison. Anyway. Onward!
10. Ronald Reagan IS… Rick Blaine!
Eventually played by: Humphrey Bogart
To be honest, there’s every chance this is just Hollywood bullshit, but there’s a rumor that wont go away that future president Ronald Reagan was offered the lead in Casablanca, but turned it down. With Reagan in the lead, it would’ve been an acceptable movie; Bogart made it a classic. That said, Bogart became one of the most popular movie stars ever and Regan somehow became one of the most (bafflingly) popular presidents ever, so all’s well that ends well, I guess.
9. Tom Selleck IS… Indiana Jones!
Eventually played by: Harrison Ford
To be honest, this one might have worked. Selleck has that same laconic charm as Harrison Ford (although, admittedly, he has far less of it) and if we couldn’t have Ford, Selleck would’ve done. That said, I don’t think it would’ve turned into the franchise it became with Selleck in the lead.
8. Laurence Olivier IS… Don Corleone!
Eventually played by: Marlon Brando
Another one that I kinda see working. Someone on IMDB commented that Olivier would’ve acted rather than stuffing his cheeks with cotton wool and mumbling, but that’s a bit unfair, methinks. Brando turned in an incredible performance, but surley I’m not the only one who’d love to see what the world’s greatest Shakesperian would’ve done with the role.
7. James Cagney IS… Robin Hood!
Eventually played by: Errol Flynn
Ok, so now we’re getting into the stuff I really don’t see working. Whilst making A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Cagney as Bottom, a studio exec suggested Cagney as Robin Hood. Had Cagney not walked off the Warner Bros. lot, he would’ve been the man in tights and Erroll Flynn would’ve been an also-ran. Cagney is one of my favorite actors, but I can’t imagine him in green tights spitting out dialouge about Normans and Saxons and “every free man in England” in his stacatto Bronx accent.
6. Nicholas Cage IS… Superman!
Eventually played by: Brandon Routh
Believe it or not, there was a while there when the next Superman movie was going to be Kevin Smith’s Superman Lives directed by Tim Burton and starring Nicholas Cage as the Man of Steel. Tim Burton being Tim Burton, this wouldn’t have been a Superman story as we know them, but it would’ve been a Burtonised nightmare starring a hero that looks like that picture above. Still think Brandon Routh sucked?
5. Robert Redford IS… Rocky Balboa!
Eventually played by: Sylvester Stallone
When Sylvester Stallone pitched Rocky to studio executives they were all over the idea like a dog eating beetroot, but with one condition. They didn’t want Stallone – previously seen in only softcore porn and Corman exploitation – playing the lead in his own movie and would much rather have a bankable star as Rocky. Their first choice? Robert Redford. The blonde haired, blue eyed Sundance festival founder as the Itallian Stallion? Apollo would’ve put his ass on the mat in the first round.
4. Christopher Walken IS… Han Solo!
Eventually played by: Harrison Ford.
The part of Han Solo was offered to Harrison Ford, Kurt Russell and Christopher Walken. With Russell in the part I reckon the trilogy would’ve gone ahead much as it did, but with Christopher Walken Captain Solo is something I really can’t imagine. Walken, as awesome as he is, just doesn’t have the laconic charm to play the rougeish Han Solo.
3. Al Pacino IS… John Rambo!
Eventually played by: Sylvester Stallone.
Let me first say that the Rambo of the movies is something very different from the Rambo of the book “First Blood” by David Morrell and, in a pervese sort of way, I can kinda see Al Pacino as the Rambo of the novel, but as the Rambo of the movies – especially First Blood Part II and Rambo III – Al Pacino is about the last guy I’d put in that role. Can you really see Tony Montana stripped to the waist sporting a bandana, a bandolier and a Browning? Thought not.
EDIT: Since posting this, I’ve noticed the astonishing similarity between the two pictures above. Creepy…
2. Frank Sinatra IS… Harry Callahan!
Eventually played by: Clint Eastwood.
Sinatra might have done it his way, but saints be praised Clint got to do Dirty Harry HIS way. To be fair, Sinatra – in a round about sort of way – played John McLane long before Bruce Willis did (no, really, swear to god – see below) but by the time the seventies rolled around and Dirty Harry went into production, Ol’ Blue Eyes was a little too old to play the eponymous detective. That said, Charles Bronson was pretty awesome in Death Wish despite his advanced years, but seriously, can you really see the Chairman of the Board wielding a .44 Magnum and asking punks if they feel lucky?
1. Adam West IS… James Bond!
Eventually played by: George Lazenby
Yup, you read that right, Adam West was approached to take over from Sean Connery but declined saying that he felt Bond should be British. Now, hear me out. I think Adam West could’ve been a great Bond – he certainly was good looking enough (and certainly looked the part – look at that picture, just add a gun and you have 007), could handle himself physically and was great with a one liner, but perhaps it’s for the best that he never took the part. Among others considered for the role are Richard Burton, Jeremy Brett (if only), Oliver Reed, Christopher Reeve, Burt Reynolds, James Brolin, Steve Reeves (!), Ewan McGregor, Clint Eastwood (really) and Sam Neil.
A note on the Frank Sinatra/John McLane:
John McLane – or, as he was originally named Joe Leland – first appeared in the novel “The Detective” by Roderick Thorp. This movie was made into a film starring Frankie. The novel’s sequel “Nothing Lasts Forever” became the basis for Die Hard with the character renamed John McLane and played by Bruce Willis.
Anyway, leave a comment if you have anything interesting to say. Hell, leave a comment even if you don’t. Something on comics soon, I swear! End transmission.
Comments
Comment from Marty Michaels
Time May 19, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Fuckin’ A! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the comment. Always cool to meet another Stallone fan.
Comment from James Tyler
Time May 21, 2010 at 12:16 am
The ventual pick for the last Superman was a brilliant one. I didn’t love the film, but I didn’t hate it – and in some angles he looked just like Reeves. Which was pretty cool.
I had no idea about Sellek as Jones. It might have worked, but it would have been a completely different character I reckon and the Indy we got in FOrd was just the perfect fit.
I had no idea on Adam West either. Eastwood I knew about but West is an odd choice. One that sprung to mind was Sean Connery, who seems to turn down a lot of roles for not undestanding them including a lead in the Matrix and of course, Sybok, which was thankfully cast with Luckenbill who was the best part of Star Trek 5.
Oddly (as I just mentioned Jay and Silent Bob in a reply to you over at TPM) when making Mallrats, the studio wanted to go another direction with casting Jason Mewes and wanted Seth Green in the role. Considering Jay and Bob have become cult icons that gave Smith more than a few pennies in his pocket, would it have been the same if Mewes was ditched?
Comment from Dianna Trent
Time May 19, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Love the physical similarities between Sly & Pacino you have there!
As for Redford playing ROCKY?!??! NO WAY!! He’s an excellent actor but Italian, he ain’t! I know Ryan O’Neal was approached for it, too. But those guys don’t have what Sly’s character has. There’s only one ROCKY & that’s Stallone.