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1. – Claude Rains, Mr Skeffington, 1943. David O Selznick wanted the book in 1940 for James Stephenson and Bette Davis but head bro Jack Warner won it and aimed, Tallulah Bankhead, Bette Davis, Irene Dunne, Merle Oberon, Norma Shearer and Gloria Swanson at Mrs S., wed to John Loder, Paul Lukas or Richard Waring – after James Stephenson died before the filming began. (Waring instead became Mrs S’ brother, Trippy Trellis). Davis rejected her Mrs role first time around. She “couldn’t play 50 at 32“– plus lines like “You’ve never loved anyone but yourself” were way too close to home. She then insisted on Claude Rains: her favourite “actor and colleague.” as Mr. Plus Vincent Sherman as her director., and, inevitably, had an affair with him. Which usually guaranteed more and better close-ups… The 30-day shooting schedule took 110 days. Because, said the scenarist twins Julius J and Philip G Epstein, “Bette Davis is a slow director.” 2
2. – John Dall,The Corn Is Green, 1944. The UK born American was due to reprise his Broadway role of Morgan Evans – aka the Welsh playwright and actor Emlyn Williams, in his tale of being aided by his schoolmistress (Bette Davis).. However Waring was drafted into the US Army. John Dall took over and won his only Oscar nomination.
Birth year: 1910Death year: 1993Other name: Casting Calls: 2