- Viviane Romance, La Belle équipe, (aka They Were Five), France, 1935. Heaps of years later, Jean Gabin’s leading lady Romance revealed that first, Feuillière, and then Marlene Dietrich were selected by réalisateur Julien Duvivier to play Gina, Jean Gabin’s lover. (Dietrich played that role for real during the 40s).
- Ingrid Bergman, Casablanca, 1941.
- Ruth Gordon, Harold and Maude, 1971. There were obviously quite a few possible Harolds, but surely Ruth was the only possible Maude – even if she couldn’t drive a car. Director Hal Ashby chatted up every funky old bird still breathing and insurable… Peggy Ashcroft, Elisabeth Bergner, Gladys Cooper, Edith Evans, Mildred Natwick, Dorothy Stickney.
- Denise Grey, La Boum, France, 1980. Based on the scenarist Danièle Thompson’s grandmother (her father, realisateur Gerard Oury’s mother), Poupette was the granny of the year – a great comeback for Grey in her first film for 15 years.
Birth year: 1907Death year: 1998Other name: Casting Calls: 4