- Susan Peters, The Big Shot, 1941. This little known Humprey Bogart noir was shot as Escape From Crime. Brenda Marshall was first choice for Ruth Carter. Then, director Lewis Seiler preferred Nancy Coleman – until she took over Olivia de Havilland’s role in The Gay Sisters. A lucky break for Peters.
- Faye Emerson, The Mask of Dimitrios, 1943. Change of Irana in the drama about men doing anything for money. They “will allow the innocent to hang, turn traitor, lie, cheat, steal… they will kill. They will appear brilliant, charming, generous. But they are deadly. Such a man was Dimitrios.” Aka Zachary Scott’s debut .
- Alexis Smith, Conflict, 1944. Humphrey Bogart is sure he’s committed the perfect murder of his wife to wed her younger sister… Smith beat Coleman and Eleanor Parker to the Evelyn role. Bogie detested being forced into the script but more or less reprised it with The Two Mrs Carrolls – also with the under-rated and/or ill-used Smith.
Birth year: 1912Death year: 2000Other name: Casting Calls: 3