- Bruce Bennett, Mildred Pierce, 1944. Coulouris tested, while Ralph Bellamy and Donald Woodas were listed for the weak-willed Bert, first husband of the titular Joan Crawford in her Oscar-winning classic, soapy film noir comeback after almost too many flops. The UK-born Coulouris was a member of Orson Welles Mercury Theatre company on stage, radio and Citizen Kane. Most of his 136 screen roles were in UK productions. As Herman Briz, Bennett had been the 1934 Tarzan. As Herman Brix, Bennet was Tarzan in a 1934 serial. In fact, a broken shoulder had ruled him out of the 1932 version which, of course, eventually starred the unknown Johnny Weissmuller.
- Lionel Barrymore, It’s a Wonderful Life, 1946.
- Charles Laughton, The Arch of Triumph, 1947. Russian drama teacher Michael Chekhov’s nephew and the Brit from Orson Welles’ Mercury theatre group were in the mix for the Nazi nasty. (Until comparing Erich Maria Remarque’s novel and the laughable script). With the Haake supposedly beefed up for him, Laughton was the same as in 1934’s Les Miserables. Absurd.
- Robert Douglas, Adventures of Don Juan, 1948. Correct change of the Duke of Lorca as Douglas gave better evil suavity than anyone. He more or less reprised Lorca in The Flame and the Arrow, 1949, Ivanhoe and The Prisoner of Zenda in 1951.
Birth year: 1903Death year: 1989Other name: Casting Calls: 4