- Vivian Blaine, Skirts Ahoy! 1951. Esther Williams heads three Waves at Chicago’s Great Lakes US Naval Training Centre in a film undecided about being swim-fest or something more serious about women’s changing roles in society. An un-credited Debbie Reynolds almost stole the show – the reason she won Singin’ in the Rain. Williams reported that veteran director Sidney Lanfield was a tyrant, and particularly cruel to Broadway’s Blaine. Lanfield was shipped out to TV series for the rest of his career.
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Audrey Hepburn, Roman Holiday, 1952. Frank Capra (and George Stevens) wanted Liz Taylor, William Wyler liked Suzanne Cloutier (the future Mrs Peter Ustinov) for the runaway Princess Ann. A further 28 actresses were seen, the good, bad and risible – like the current sex-bombs Yvonne De Carlo Diana Dors, Gina Lollobrigida, Sylvana Mangano, Shelley Winters. Apart from, perhaps, Vanessa Brown, Mona Freeman and Wanda Hendrix (even though her real name as Dixie), the Hollywood hopefuls – singer Rosemary Clooney(George’s aunt), Jeanne Crain, Nina Foch, Janet Leigh, Joan Leslie, June Lockhart, Dorothy Malone, Patricia Neal, Barbara Rush – were soon discarded, lacking the stature of Euro-royalty. Idem for the Euros – Swedish Bibi Andersson, and the French Capucine, Leslie Caron, Jeanne Moreau. Which left several perfect Brits Claire Bloom, Joan Collins, Glynis Johns, Kay Kendall, Deborah Kerr, Angela Lansbury, Moira Shearer, and, of course, Audrey, … soon gracing the Time cover, hailed by the New York Times as a “slender, elfin and wistful beauty, alternately regal and childlike” with, added Variety, a “delightful affectation in voice and delivery, controlled just enough to have charm and serve as a trademark,” (And, Indeed, it did for evermore).
- Ellen Burstyn, The Last Picture Show, 1971. Trouble was, Ellen was offered Genevieve or Ruth – and wanted Lois. Soon, there was nothing left for Dorothy.
Birth year: 1925Death year: 2018Other name: Casting Calls: 3