I never realized that. A new book has come out talking about castings that ALMOST happened. It sounds like a real good read.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08172008/gossip/pagesix/near_miss_casting_calamities_124771.htm

I heard about that one a few years ago, I believe Jackie Gleason was also offered the role but turned it down as well.

I heard about that one a few years ago, I believe Jackie Gleason was also offered the role but turned it down as well.


Wow, I never realized that either. I love Jackie Gleason, I think he would've made a decent Archie. Did you hear also that Harrison Ford was up for the role of Mike Stivic?

WOULD Harrison Ford's career have been different had he taken the role of Meathead on "All in the Family?"

Ford turned down the classic part of Archie Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, which ended up becoming Rob Reiner's breakout role.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08172008/gossip/pagesix/near_miss_casting_calamities_124771.htm

Wow, I never realized that either. I love Jackie Gleason, I think he would've made a decent Archie. Did you hear also that Harrison Ford was up for the role of Mike Stivic?

WOULD Harrison Ford's career have been different had he taken the role of Meathead on "All in the Family?"

Ford turned down the classic part of Archie Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, which ended up becoming Rob Reiner's breakout role.

That's the first time I've heard about Harrison Ford! Thanks for the info. :)

That's the first time I've heard about Harrison Ford! Thanks for the info. :)


Not a problem Charles. Thanks for posting! :)

that's also the first time I ever heard of Harrison Ford and Jackie Gleason being up for those roles. I knew about Mickey Rooney, though. He turned it down when he realized how controversial the character might become, and "I didn't want any part of that".

I didn't know about Harisson Ford either!!! :eek: But I think the most surprising is Rosie as Elaine!!! :eek:

Bing Crosby was the first choice for the role of Lt. Columbo. :eek3:

And Micky Dolenz auditioned for the part of the Fonz!

Bing Crosby was the first choice for the role of Lt. Columbo. :eek3:

And Micky Dolenz auditioned for the part of the Fonz!

Micky Dolenz as the Fonz?!? Thank goodness that didn't happen.

let's see...Loyd Bridges and Jack Lord were considered for Captain Kirk on "STAR TREK", Jerry Van Dyke was considered for Gilagen on "GILLAGANS ISLAND (he turned it down after reading the pilot script and calling it "The worst piece of crap I ever saw".) Carrol O'Connor was considered for the skipper (but they felt people would feel sorry for Gillagen every time the skipper yelled at him) Gene Hackman was wanted for Mike Brady.

Darren McGavin turned down the roles of:

Tony Nelson (I Dream of Jeannie)
Colonel Hogan (Hogan's Heroes)
Paul Bryan (Run for Your Life)

Raquel Welch auditioned for the role of Maryann on Gilligan's Island

Larry Hagman was offered the role of Joe Casey on the NBC bomb The Waverly Wonders. He passed it up in favor of another script, Dallas.

Denver Pyle was the first choice to play Marshal Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke not John Wayne as is commonly thought.

I knew....somehow, i cant SEE that idea working

I never realized that. A new book has come out talking about castings that ALMOST happened. It sounds like a real good read.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08172008/gossip/pagesix/near_miss_casting_calamities_124771.htm


I remember hearing that on THS

yes I heard that

Wow, I never realized that either. I love Jackie Gleason, I think he would've made a decent Archie. Did you hear also that Harrison Ford was up for the role of Mike Stivic?

WOULD Harrison Ford's career have been different had he taken the role of Meathead on "All in the Family?"

Ford turned down the classic part of Archie Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, which ended up becoming Rob Reiner's breakout role.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08172008/gossip/pagesix/near_miss_casting_calamities_124771.htm
Meathead Solo? Meathead Stvic and the Bunker of Doom?

Johnny Carson was first considered for Rob Petrie on "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW"-obviousley, the show would have had a different name, though!:lol:

Tom Poston was first considered for Maxwell Smart on "GET SMART".

Wayne Rogers first auditioned for Hawkeye on "MASH".

Julia Duffy was the first choice for Diane on "CHEERS'. And William Devane, then Fred Williamson was the first choice to play Sam. And John Ratzenberger first auditioned for Norm.

John Lithgrow was one of the actors first considered for Frasier.

Johnny Carson was first considered for Rob Petrie on "THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW"-obviousley, the show would have had a different name, though!:lol:

Carson was more than considered, The casting of the role actually came down to him and Dick Van Dyke.

Billy Mumy was offered the part of Eddie Munster but his parents didn't like the make-up he had to wear so the role went to Butch Patrick.

Fred and Lamont Sanford were originally to have been white with Barnard Hughes and Paul Sorvino in the roles but the producers changed their minds and made the characters black.

Raymond Burr was the last choice for the role of Perry Mason, He wanted to audition for the part but associate producer Gail Patrick Jackson repeatedly turned him down. She finally relented on the condition that he also audition for the role D.A. Hamilton Burger. The story goes that several big names auditioned for the role including Fred MacMurray and Robert Sterling who were both seriously considered but in the end it was creator Earle Stanley Gardner who after seeing Raymond Burr in his screen test jumped out of his chair and waved his arms shouting THAT'S PERRY MASON!

Orson Welles was originally offered the role of the narrator on the Twilight Zone but wanted too much money.

On the Munsters, Bert Lahr originally considered for Grandpa and John Carradine for Herman.
All in the Family: Penny Marshall for Gloria.
Lost in Space: Carroll O'Connor for Mr Smith.
Batman: Micky Rooney for the Penguin and Robert Morley for King Tut.

Batman: Micky Rooney for the Penguin and Robert Morley for King Tut.

At one time I had the Official Batman Batbook by Joel Eisner and I don't recall him mentioning this but that doesn't mean that it isn't true. However, He did mention the fact that Spencer Tracy was offered the role of the Penguin but would only accept it if he could kill Batman. The producers couldn't have their main character killed so they went with Burgess Meredith instead. Robert Morley was hired to play the Sandman but abruptly dropped out of the role when he found out that he'd be sharing equal billing with Julie Newmar as Catwoman whom the producers already had a commitment with. Since it was no longer a starring role, Morley wanted nothing to do with it and was replaced by Michael Rennie.

TV Guide at the time had touted Robert Morley as King Tut.

Among the roles mentioned on this thread...

Archie Bunker:
Mickey Rooney-- too many short jokes, and may have gained sympathy for what looked like the much taller Meathead verbally beating him up.
Jackie Gleason-- too many fat jokes; audiences would have expected him to be Ralph Kramden with more explicit dialogue.

My alternate pick: Norman Alden-- fans of My Three Sons might recall in the next-to-last season he played the control-freak father of Chip's girlfriend, which was a character like a more learned Archie Bunker. Though race and religion were never brought into it, he definitely thought himself the ruler over his wife and daughter; in the end having to face the reality that modern society and law do not still allow him such control.

Perry Mason:
Fred MacMurray-- may be a little more like Mason is described in the novels than Burr, but is less convincing as an aggressive arguer.
Robert Sterling-- don't know enough about him.

My aternate pick: Simon Oakland.

Gilligan:
Jerry Van Dyke-- he's more a slow, sad, pathetic kind of bungler than the fast-talking, loveable, disastrously helpful Gilligan. Wouldn't have worked as well.

Robert Petrie:
Johnny Carson-- might have worked, but I don't think he could have made himself look awkward and embarrassed as did DVD, which was a big part of the show. The Rob character would have been less stumbling and faux pas, and more comically devious with a leering smile.

Captain Kirk:
Lloyd Bridges-- could have worked, except he had an 'old-guard' appearance and demeanor; Star Trek was largely about making old things new.
Jack Lord-- this would have worked; the command presence he showed in Hawaii 5-0 was quite similar to what Cpt. Kirk had to be; but we don't know how he would have interacted with sci-fi creatures.

My alternate pick: perhaps a rather obscure actor, but John Lupton.

Grandpa (Munsters):
Bert Lahr-- maybe so; his comic deameanor fit a humorously spooky costumed creature; but he wouldn't have been as good with droll comebacks; and, as he claimed himself, whenever audiences see him, they think of 'that lion.'

penny marshall as gloria now that would been intresting to see long as she didnt cry like sally did think cause she was dating rob at the time and wanted to be close to him