- Laraine Day, The Locket, 1946. Alias What Nancy Wanted by Norma Barzman, wife of blacklisted writer Ben Barzman. She sold it to actor Hume Cronyn, who planned a film with his wife, Tandy. No go. He then sold it to RKO where Day had recently landed after MGM gave her promised Undercurrent to Katharine Hepburn. RKO roles were better, said Day, and this was her was her favourite.
- Ellen Corby, I Remember Mama, 1948. Tandy went off to A Woman’s Vengeance. Aunt Trina earned an Oscar nod for Corby – who won two Emmy awards as the Grandma of The Waltons, 1972-79.
- Celeste Holm, All About Eve, 1950.
- Vivien Leigh, A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951. For once, the Broadway star was signed but the studio wanted more Star Power – to boost the unknown Marlon Brando. And so Scarlett O’Hara became Blanche DuBois… for the rest of her bipolar life. She got an Oscar. Jessica got hers for Driving With Miss Daisy… 38 years later.
Birth year: 1909Death year: 1994Other name: Casting Calls: 4