- Jon Voight, Midnight Cowboy, 1969. Preferred producer-director Otto Preminger (and his Skidoo flop) to UK film-maker John Schlesinger’s US debut – it won Oscar nods for Voight and six others – and three statuettes. JPL’s career never recovered.
- Scott Wilson, The Gypsy Moths, 1969. Director John Frankenheimer wanted a Law close-up, landing after a parachute jump. JPL was hoisted by a crane, then released to float into the shot… except he put out his hand to break his fall, and broke his wrist. Bye bye, JPL. Hello, Scott.
- Ken Howard, Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon, 1969. For his sixth consecutive flop, producer-director-ogre Otto Preminger – totally out of whack with the 60s/70s public – skated between Howard, Austin Pendleton and a third Otto film for JPL as the seizure prone Arthur. Even Paramount vp Peter Bart said the drama – about three hospital patients, physically, mentally or sexually scarred, moving in together – was “intrinsically down beat and depressing.” Right.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 3