- Paul Muni, Juarez, 1938. Three years earlier, Hal B Wallis, production chief at Warner Bros (and future producer of his own films at Paramount) first planned the biopic of Mexico’s liberator (from French rule) and first indigenous head of state (1858-1872) in the postcolonial Americas, Benito Juárez. Wallis chose Adlier for the role. By 1038, it had passed to another Yiddish stage star, Paul Muni. With his contract’s unique clause that all his films should be titled after his characters. Muni was as bad as his make-up. Head bro Jack Warner was furious. “You mean we’re paying Muni all this dough and we can’t even recognise him?” No but you always knew who he wasplaying… Scarface, Dr Socrates, The Story of Louis Pasteur, The Life of Emile Zola, etc.
Birth year: 1903Death year: 1984Other name: Casting Calls: 1