How many actors have there been who, to their later regret, turned down plum sitcom roles?

Not what I'd call a 'Plum Role' but Larry Hagman turned down the lead role in The Waverly Wonders but I doubt he has any regrets since he passed it up in favor of Dallas.

Darren McGavin turned down the lead roles in I Dream of Jeannie, Hogan's Heroes & Run for Your Life.

Jerry Van Dyke turned down the role of Gilligan in favor of My Mother the Car.

I did not know that Jerry Van Dyke was up for the role for Gilligan

Gene Hackman I believe turned Brady Bunch down. I don't ever remember him saying anything about it. Can you even see him playing Mike Brady, though??? I can't.

As has been stated before, Mickey Rooney turned down the role of Archie
Bunker (and so did Jackie Gleason).

Gene Hackman I believe turned Brady Bunch down. I don't ever remember him saying anything about it. Can you even see him playing Mike Brady, though??? I can't.

He didn't exactly turn it down, He was under consideration and wanted to do it but he was virtually an unknown at the time and the producers wanted to go with someone that the viewers were more familiar with so they went with Robert Reed.

that another one I did not know about Micky Roney turning Down The Archie Role.

Not a sitcom but Mickey Rooney and Shirley Temple were both turned down for Our Gang AKA The Little Rascals.

Eddie Albert turned down the lead roles in Mister Ed and My Three Sons in order to pursue a movie career.

Rene' Auberjonois turned down the role of Bosley on Charlie's Angels, He also declined to reprise his role as Father Mulcahey on M*A*S*H when the movie was made into a series.

Lori Rom turned down the role of Phoebe Halliwell in Charmed.

Talk about a boneheaded decision for her.

Bea Benaderet was offered the role of Ethel Mertz on the "I Love Lucy", but she had to turned it down because she was already playing Blanche Morton on the "George Burns and Gracie Allen Show". :wave:

Eddie Albert turned down the lead roles in Mister Ed and My Three Sons in order to pursue a movie career.

With regard to My Three Sons, that must have been early on before the series was even titled. It's pretty well known that before that title was settled on, it was to be "The Fred MacMurray Show" -- seeming to indicate Fred was always the choice.

Wow can you imagine Jackie Gleason as Archie Bunker. One of these days meathead POW! Right in the kisser.

With regard to My Three Sons, that must have been early on before the series was even titled. It's pretty well known that before that title was settled on, it was to be "The Fred MacMurray Show" -- seeming to indicate Fred was always the choice.

I've been doing this for nearly 30 years and I very rarely give false information. I read about this in TV Guide years ago plus there are several sources online that back me up and not just IMDb or Wikipedia. If the facts are indeed incorrect then I'm not the one to blame.

Wow can you imagine Jackie Gleason as Archie Bunker. One of these days meathead POW! Right in the kisser.


i like see fan fiction of it ralph alice as edith and archie bunker or the honeymooners did live n queens could been new series lol

Darren McGavin turned down the lead roles in I Dream of Jeannie, Hogan's Heroes

I can NOT see him in either roll.

Tiffani Amber Theissen turned down the role of Paige Halliwell on Charmed. To which I must think, would I have watched the show after season 3 if she was Paige? To which I must say, yes!

I would have watched too.

Tiffani AND Alyssa? Talk about a dynamic duo of babes!

BTW, LB, I was wondering: do you think that perhaps I'll ever get my own appreciation thread on SitcomsOnline?

I did not know that Jerry Van Dyke was up for the role for Gilligan
yea, he read the pilot script and called it "The worst piece of crap I ever saw".

As has been stated before, Mickey Rooney turned down the role of Archie
Bunker (and so did Jackie Gleason).
and Harrison Ford was first considered for the role of Mike-only his name was going to be Richard.

Bea Benaderet was offered the role of Ethel Mertz on the "I Love Lucy", but she had to turned it down because she was already playing Blanche Morton on the "George Burns and Gracie Allen Show". :wave:
She was also considered for Granny on "THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES".

Wow can you imagine Jackie Gleason as Archie Bunker. One of these days meathead POW! Right in the kisser.

:lol: :rotflmao: :rofl:

I would have watched too.

Tiffani AND Alyssa? Talk about a dynamic duo of babes!

BTW, LB, I was wondering: do you think that perhaps I'll ever get my own appreciation thread on SitcomsOnline?


When you least expect it!

Robert Foxworth turned down the role of J.R. on Dallas.

Tom Poston was the first choice to play Maxwell Smart. Johnny Carson was the first choise to play Rob Petrie.

Tom Poston was the first choice to play Maxwell Smart. Johnny Carson was the first choise to play Rob Petrie.

Actually, Carl Reiner--who had just ended an illustrious nine-year association
with Sid Caesar on television, created Head of the Family as a starring
vehicle for himself. In the summer of 1959, he worked on the concept and
came up with the name Robert Petrie (he thought it sounded like a television
writer's name). In no time, he had written the pilot script (and several more
scripts). He didn't submit any scripts until thirteen had been finished. His
agent was amazed that anyone would write thirteen scripts for a series that
had neither a sponsor nor a network.

Reiner's agent, Harry Kalcheim (of the William Morris Agency) sent the scripts
to Peter Lawford, who had been interested in producing a TV series. Lawford
was the husband of Pat Kennedy (sister of the soon-to-be-President). He
gave the scripts to his father-in-law Joseph Kennedy, who okayed Reiner's
material and financed the pilot with Lawford.

The pilot did air on July 19, 1960, and was very well received by the sponsors.
But the sponsors opted to go instead "with horses and guns" because westerns
were still very popular at that time. But Kalcheim continued to remind Reiner
that Head of the Family was too good to just sit on the shelf.

Then Kalcheim brought Reiner together with Sheldon Leonard. When Carl
asked his opinion, Leonard said he believed that if they recasted the show,
it would have a very good chance. He just didn't think Carl was right for the
part. A seemingly endless string of candidates was eventually narrowed down
to two actors: Dick Van Dyke and Johnny Carson. And we all know the outcome.

[Source: The Dick Van Dyke Show, by Ginny Weissman & Coyne Steven
Sanders (1993)]

I've been doing this for nearly 30 years and I very rarely give false information. I read about this in TV Guide years ago plus there are several sources online that back me up and not just IMDb or Wikipedia. If the facts are indeed incorrect then I'm not the one to blame.

I never totally disputed your facts, as you seem to accuse me of doing. I was just pointing out that the proposal for a series that became My Three Sons must have been in a very early, formative stage if and when anyone other than MacMurray was considered for the lead role.

I've been watching M3S for more than 35 years and have tried to read all I can about the series. I would not trust Albert's memory on this point, if that's where the "fact" originated (before TV Guide or any other source picked it up). At TV.com, foremost M3S expert Geoff Brown makes no mention of Albert whatsoever, where it may have been appropriate to do so:

"Executive Producer Don Fedderson (1913-94) campaigned the series as a probable vehicle for movie veteran Fred MacMurray (1908-91), who was reluctant to star in it at all."

http://www.tv.com/my-three-sons/show/1349/summary.html?tag=tabs;summary

I never totally disputed your facts, as you seem to accuse me of doing.

That's what it sounded like to me, My apologies if I'm wrong. I also said that if I am wrong then my sources are to blame and not me.


I've been watching M3S for more than 35 years and have tried to read all I can about the series. I would not trust Albert's memory on this point.

Good for you! At least you've been able to see it all this time. My only source was Nick @ Nite or TV Waste Land. As for trusting Eddie Albert's memory, I read this in an issue from around 1965-66. I bought a huge collection of vintage TV Guides and one of them mentioned this alleged fact.


At TV.com, foremost M3S expert Geoff Brown makes no mention of Albert whatsoever.

Whether or not he's the foremost expert means nothing to me. Since TV Guide originally stated that Eddie Albert had been offered the role I have to go with that but they could very well have been wrong at the time so who really knows for sure? I wish I still had that TV Guide so I could copy the article and post it here but I sold the collection several years ago.

Michael J. Fox was originally considered the role of Charles in the CBS series, Charles In Charge(true story), but turned it down to stick with Family Ties. Damn, can you imagine a show without Alex leaving only the two girls, wife, and husband? That show would not have lasted a season at least with Michael J. Fox. It was a good move to stick with his own show.

Speaking of "Family Ties," I heard once that Matthew Broderick was once considered to play Alex P. Keaton, but he turned it down, b/c he felt that he didn't want to be committed to a full-time role.

There was a rumor that Clifton Davis was also consdiered to reprise his role as Clifton Curtis for the unsold pilot of "That's My Mama!" titled "That's My Mama Now!" but he had to decline, b/c he was preparing to work on "Amen" at that point.

Also, former Entertainment Tonight host John Tesh turned down the job of being host of "Hollywood Squares" and also former "Double Dare" host Marc Summer also turned down the job of hosting "Hollywood Squares" because it was rumored that him and Whoopi didn't get along too nicely.

Another non-sitcom, Amy Adams turned down the role of The Pink Ranger in one of the Mighty Morphin' Power rangers franchises. A good decision on her part as far as I'm concerned. Supposedly, Anneliese van der Pol turned down the voice of Kim Possible(although I don't know if that's true or not). And recently I read an article where Jojo turned down the chance to star as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana.

Heather Locklear was originally considered for the role of "Murphy Brown" but producers instead decided that they needed to make Murphy a bit older than originally written and they offered the role to Candace Bergin instead.

Also, several high profile actresses turned down roles on "Desperate Housewives": Calistia Flockharte was originally up for the role of Susan, while Sela Ward and Dana Delaney both turned down the role of Bree; Pamela Anderson auditioned for the role of Edie but was not offered the part.

Alyssa Milano was initally offered the role of Valerie Malone on "Beverly Hills, 90210" but turned it down.

Courtney Cox Arquette and Sherry Stringfield both auditioned for the role of Alison Parker on "Melrose Place" but were turned down in favor of Courtney Thorne Smith who they felt more embodied the role of Alison.

Sandy Duncan was considered for the role of Carrie Bliss on "Good Morning Miss Bliss" (renamed "Saved By The Bell") but the NBC execs moved her to "The Hogan Family". Hayley Mills was offered the role in the end.

Gabrielle Union was offered a part in the ABC show "Lost" but "didn't the show would be a hit" and turned it down. LOL.

Roma Downey turned down reading for a role on Melrose Place and wound up getting the starring role in "Touched by an angel".

David Acroyd left his Gary Ewing role in "Dallas" and decided not to go forward with the "Knots Landing" spinoff.

Ohh! Jean Stapleton was offered the role of lead character "Jessica" on "Murder She Wrote" but turned it down.

Leah Remini was considered the front-runner for the part of Monica Geller on "Friends" until that is NBC executives saw a tape of Courtney Cox and decided to give the role to her instead.

Lisa Kudrow was originally cast as Roz on "Frasier" until they discovered that she and Kelsey Grammar did not get along and had no chemistry and the role instead went to Peri Gilpin and Kudrow went on to star in the bigger hit "Friends" and win an Emmy for her work.

Alicia Silverstone was originally cast as Stella, Ted's doctor/girlfriend on How I Met Your Mother but backed out at the last minuet when Britney Spears announced she would guest star on the show, in fear of being overshadowed and the role went instead to Sarah Chalke.

Neve Campbell and Jennifer Love Hewitt are among the many actresses who tryed out for but were rejected for roles on "Baywatch". (Campbell was demmed to pale and Hewitt too short to don the iconic orange bathing suit).

Julia Louis Dreyfuss was considered the front-runner for the role of Grace Adler on "Will & Grace" before producers saw Debra Messing and cast her in the role. Also, Thomas Gibson and Eric McCormack each auditioned for each others roles on "Will and Grace" and "Dhrama & Greg". Gibson was a front-runner until producers decided him and Debra Messing didn't work well together. and at "Dharma & Greg" McCormack had the role of Greg until Jenna Elfman declared that she couldn't see herself kissing him everyday, the role isntead went to Gibson.

The role of Dorothy on "The Golden Girls" was initally offered to Doris Roberts who turned the role down. Elanie Stritch was also offered the part before Bea Arthur expressed interest in it. Laine Kazan was also initally considered for a role but ultimatley producers offered the role to Estelle Getty instead.

Linda Gray on "Dallas" originally was cast as Pam, but producers decided she wasn't innocent enough and instead offered her the role of Sue Ellen and cast Victoria Prinicpal in the role of Pam. Also, Lynda Carter was initally considered for the role of Pam, but instead went on to play Wonder Woman in the 70's classic, "Wonder Woman".

George Peppard was the first choice to play Blake Carrington on Dynasty, called Oil in the pilot he filmed. George didn't want to do it, so in came John Forsythe, fresh from the about-to-be-cancelled Charlie's Angels.
And by the by, John Forsythe got the Charlie's Angels part because the first choice (Gig Young) was so drunk when he came in to voice his part, Aaron Spelling had to can him.