- Rita Hayworth, Only Angels Have Wings, 1938. Howard Hawks had his pilots. Now he needed… an ex-lover for Cary Grant. Between November 30-December 2, Hawks shot tests (opposite Jean Arthur, Richard Barthelmess, Sig Ruman, etc) with his #1 choice, Linda Winters – by Citizen Kane, she was called Dorothy Comingore… and indeed Susan Alexander Kane. Plus Rochelle Hudson (she made 111 screen roles in 37 years) and the unknown Beverly Holden. Then, following appeals from George Chasin, Hitchcock’s young agent, a certain Miss Hayworth won .. “because the camera loves her face.” But… “I needed help from Cary with Rita – extremely self-conscious, not at all spontaneous and at this point in her young career, not a particularly good actress.”
- Jane Russell, The Outlaw, 1940. Another call from Howard Hawks… He didn’t know that his producer (and co-director), Howard Hughes has selected Russell for Billy The Kid’s gal. It was Hughes’ over-emphasis on the “two good reasons”that made Russell a star that held up the movie in censor wrangles for three years.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2