# Iconic roles that almost went to other actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949 "2018-02-16T20:03:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/81 "2018-02-28T14:31:32Z")
Prior to the filming of Hannibal, Reeve was offered the part of primary antagonist Mason Verge. Not having read the novel, Reeve was initially enthusiastic about the opportunity. However, upon realizing that Verger was a quadriplegic, facially disfigured child rapist, Reeve withdrew from the project in disgust. The role was later accepted by secondary choice Gary Oldman. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/82 "2018-02-28T18:12:30Z")
[Frank Sinatra was the original choice for Dirty Harry.](https://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/08/30/frank-sinatra-and-others-originally-cast-as-dirty-harry/) > [@](#): > > Frank Sinatra was originally cast to play Dirty Harry, but a broken wrist he suffered while filming the Manchurian Candidate prevented him from hoisting Harry Calagan’s signature beast of a gun. So he had to quit. John Wayne was then offered the role, but he turned it down because he didn’t “like being offered Sinatra’s rejections.” Producers then went after Robert Mitchum, but he turned it down because he thought the role was a “piece of junk.” Burt Lancaster was then offered the role, but he turned it down because he didn’t agree with the movie’s violence. Finally Eastwood was offered the script and the rest was movie history. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/83 "2018-03-01T03:42:27Z")
In “His Girl Friday”, a remake of “The Front Page” director Howard Hawks decided to make Hildy Johnson a woman because he liked how his female secretary read the lines for Johnson during auditions. He wanted Carole Lombard whom he directed in “Twentieth Century” but she was too expensive. Other actresses such as Katherine Hepburn, Margaret Sullavan, Claudette Colbert, Ginger Rogers and Irene Dunne turned it down. Jean Arthur refused to do it and was suspended by the studio. Rosalind Russell felt that she was treated like an also ran when she was finally cast. To beef up her role she hired a writer to write some lines for her since there was a lot of ad libbing. Hawks also did a good job in casting a Ralph Bellamy look alike for the Bruce Baldwin role (had to throw that one in there). ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/84 "2018-03-01T16:03:17Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Prior to the filming of Hannibal, Reeve was offered the part of primary antagonist Mason Verge. Not having read the novel, Reeve was initially enthusiastic about the opportunity. However, upon realizing that Verger was a quadriplegic, facially disfigured child rapist, Reeve withdrew from the project in disgust. The role was later accepted by secondary choice Gary Oldman. Who is Reeve? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/85 "2018-03-01T16:06:56Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Who is Reeve? Presumably Christopher Reeve (Superman in the 1980s). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/86 "2018-03-01T16:26:51Z")
At that: Christopher Reeve turned down _American Gigolo_ (which gave Richard Gere his leading-man big break) and _Body Heat_ (which did likewise for William Hurt). ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/87 "2018-03-01T16:41:15Z")
I just read that the starring role in _Beetlejuice_ was originally offered to Sammy Davis, Jr., who turned it down. ---
**Author:** ![Ass\_For\_A\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Ass\_For\_A\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ass_For_A_Hat)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/88 "2018-03-01T17:36:35Z")
Steve McQueen, Al Pacino, James Caan, and Jack Nicholson were all offered the role of Capt. Willard in Apocalypse Now before Coppola gave the part to Harvey Keitel. Famously, Keitel was fired after a few weeks of shooting and replaced with Martin Sheen. Production was a breeze after that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/89 "2018-03-01T17:38:19Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Who is Reeve? > [@Andy\_L](#): > > Presumably Christopher Reeve (Superman in the 1980s). And presumably he was disgusted by the quadriplegic being such a despicable character, since Reeve had been paralyzed by that time from his horse riding accident. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/90 "2018-03-01T17:55:50Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > And presumably he was disgusted by the quadriplegic being such a despicable character, since Reeve had been paralyzed by that time from his horse riding accident. Interesting. I didn’t know that he had acted after his accident. > [@](#): > > The part of Mason Verger, one of Lecter’s two surviving victims, was originally offered to Christopher Reeve based on his work as a wheelchair-bound police officer in Above Suspicion (1995). I also didn’t know that he had portrayed a paralyzed character before his accident. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/91 "2018-03-01T18:08:56Z")
Chris Reeve starred in a remake of Rear Window after his accident. [Rear Window (1998 film) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_Window_(1998_film)) He also directed an HBO movie, “In the Gloaming”. [In the Gloaming (film) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Gloaming_(film)) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/92 "2018-03-01T18:57:03Z")
Reeve had also made a couple of guest appearances on. _Smallville_. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2018, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/93 "2018-03-01T21:10:26Z")
The role of Aragorn in **The Lord of the Rings** film series was originally going to be played by Stuart Townsend. He was replaced by Viggo Mortensen the day before shooting began because Peter Jackson decided he needed an older actor for the role. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/94 "2018-03-02T00:27:53Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > The role of Aragorn in **The Lord of the Rings** film series was originally going to be played by Stuart Townsend. He was replaced by Viggo Mortensen the day before shooting began because Peter Jackson decided he needed an older actor for the role. Yep, Viggo’s first day was Weathertop. They were desperately filming everything they could without Aragorn and really needed him there ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/95 "2018-03-02T02:22:14Z")
I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me sooner, but I’ve been watching John Byner on _Soap_ lately and it got me remembering. Byner was producer Garry Marshall’s first choice for the character of Mork from Ork in the _Happy Days_ episode which introduced the character. He turned it down and Robin Williams auditioned for the role. I believe he won the part by sitting on his face. The episode was such a smash that Williams was given his own show and became a breakthrough star. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/96 "2018-03-06T12:31:28Z")
Apparently the role of Superman was _thiiiiiiiiiiis_ close to going to Kevin Sorbo instead of Dean Cain, since the producers figured that Sorbo would be plausible playing a tall and broad-shouldered do-gooder with superstrength. Go figure, right? ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/97 "2018-03-06T14:43:44Z")
When John Ford made “Stagecoach” in the late 1930s, he decided that John Wayne was finally ready for a lead role in what would be Ford’s first talkie Western. There was resistance since Wayne had starred in Raoul Walsh’s 1930 “The Big Trail” which was a financial flop and sent Wayne to “poverty row”westerns, making about 80 in a decade. Studios also felt big budget westerns would not do well. Finally Ford found independent producer Walter Wagner who agreed to finance it if Ford cast Gary Cooper and Marlene Dietrich. Ford insisted on Wayne and ultimately a compromise was reached. Wagner contributed $250,000, half of what Ford wanted, but he could use John Wayne and Claire Trevor if Trevor was billed first. The movie was a financial and critical success, propelling Wayne into stardom. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/98 "2018-03-17T14:11:50Z")
According to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s recently released memoir Unmakes, when Ken Russell was tapped to direct _Amadeus_, he wanted ALW for the title (if minor) role. ALW knew he was not an actor, he couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag, and he was very busy with other projects. Nonetheless, Russell persisted until he dropped the project. Milos Forman eventually was signed to do the movie, asked ALW if he wanted to do it, and took “no” for an answer. Tom Hulce did such an amazing job it’s hard to image anyone else in the role. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/99 "2018-03-17T14:19:54Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Milos Forman eventually was signed to do the movie, asked ALW if he wanted to do it, and took “no” for an answer. Tom Hulce did such an amazing job it’s hard to image anyone else in the role. I can imagine Mark Hamill. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949/100 "2018-03-17T15:29:19Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I can imagine Mark Hamill. Aren’t you a little short for a Wolfgang? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iconic-roles-that-almost-went-to-other-actors/808949.md?page=6)