Sir Patrick Stewart

Posted on by Tony CrawleyCategories:Actors

  1. Glyn Houston, Doctor Who #87: The Hand of Fear, 1976.      One Glyn for another as Donald’s younger brother took over Professor Watson from Stewart, Dinsdale Landen, Glyn Owen and Stephen Yardley – for the Doc4 Tom Baker yarn. Despite all the following offers, Stewart never managed to visit the Whoverse. He was busy with 147 screen roles during 1964-2017, including the Star Teek and X Men franchises, video games included.
  2. Emrys James, Doctor Who #112: State of Decay, TV, 1980.      There were 21 potential Aukons and all – except James – had been this way before, standing at the Whoverse portal, awaiting for a callback or not… Stewart, Peter Arne, Colin Baker, Steven Berkoff, John Carson, David Collings, Peter Gilmore, Michael Gothard, John Hallam, Donald Houston, Martin Jarvis, Michael Jayston, Ronald Lacey, William Lucas, Ian McKellen, John Normington, Anthony Valentine, Peter Vaughan, David Warner, Peter Wyngarde.
  3. James Warwick, Doctor Who #121: Earthshock, 1982.      In Doc5 Peter Davison’s Cybermen encounter, circa 2526, Commander Scott was offered to Stewart, Colin Baker (to be Doc6 in 1984-1986), Nicholas Ball, Andrew Burt, Lewis Collins, Peter Firth, Del Henney, Martin Jarvis, Tim Pigott-Smith, Patrick Ryecart, David Warner, Simon Williams. Plus Gareth Hunt (aka Mike Gambit) from TV’s 1976-1977 New Avengers and the more successful 1977-1983 Professionals: Bodie and Doyle, alias Lewis Collins and Martin Shaw.]
  4. Ian Bannen, Gorky Park, 1983.  The USSR banned locations for Hollywood’s version of the first of Martin Cruz Smith’s nine books about the Soviet Sherlock, militsiya officer Arkady Renko…  because of   negative stereotypes of Russians and Communism. (Ah yes but an American villain!).  Around that time, Patrick Stewart was known for playing not only Lenin but John le Carré’s Moscow spymeister, Karla. No wonder he was offered Chief Prosecutor Jamskov! 
  5. Paul Jerrico, Doctor Who (#123: Arc of Infinity), 1983.         …and again for The Castellan seven years later. His sf time would come. As Captain Jean-Luc Picard – in Star Trek: The Next Generation, TV, 1987-1994. Stewart played the father of the tenth Doctor Who, David Tennant, in Hamlet, 2009.
  6. Andrew Burt, Doctor Who #126: Terminus, TV, 1983.       Stewart Burt, Nicholas Ball, Tom Chabon, Paul Darrow, Michael Gothard, Del Henney, Bernard Hill, Patrick Mower, Anthony Valentine, David Warner were in the Valgard mix – to join Doc5 Peter Davison at the Terminus space station which proves to be a leper colony. Dissolve.

  7. Michael Gothard, Lifeforce,1984.
  8. Aubrey Morris, Lifeforce, 1984.  
  9. Peter Firth, Lifeforce,
  10. Chris Sullivan, Lifeforce, 1984.
  11. John Hallam, Lifeforce, 1984.
  12. Tom Adams, Doctor Who #130: Warriors of The Deep, TV, 1984.      Competing for Commander Vorshak in Doc5 Peter Davison’s finale were 13 of the astonishing army of 203 candidates for just 18 roles in that year’s Lifeforce movie: Stewart, Steven Berkoff, Kenneth Colley, Michael Craigh, Paul Darrow, Anton Diffring, Del Henney, Martin Jarvis, Ian McCulloch, Patrick Mower, David Warner, Simon Williams and Peter Wyngarde. Plus three outsiders: Brian Blessed, Peter Gilmore, Gareth Hunt.
  13. Glyn Houston, Doctor Who #131: The Awakening, TV, 1984.        A dozen of producer John Nathan-Taylor’s usual suspects were up for Colonel Ben Wolsey opposite Doc5 Peter Davison… Stewart, Houston, Joss Ackland, Terence Alexander, Michael Craig, James Ellis, Peter Gilmore, John Hallam, Jeremy Kemp, Conrad Phillips, John Stratton, Peter Vaughan.
  14. Maurice Colbourne, Doctor Who #133: Resurrection Of The Daleks, TV, 1984.      Producer John Nathan-Turner wanted a name for Commander Lytton… like Colbourne, Meg Bennett, Brian Blessed, Kenneth Cope, Timothy Dalton   (the future Lord President in #202: The End of Time, 2000), Leslie Grantham (not yet Dirty Den in EastEnders), Alfred Lynch, Clive Merrison (BBC Radio’s Sherlock Holmes), Terry Molloy (aka Davros), John Rhys-Davies, Maurice Roëves. Plus several of the Lifeforce brigade: Stewart, Nicholas Ball, Steven Berkoff, Tom Chadbon, Paul Darrow, Michael Gothard, Don Henderson, Del Henney (he became Colonel Archer), Martin Jarvis, Michael Jayston, Ed Peel, George Sewell, Anthony Valentine and David Warner. All 25 up for one role in a flaming Doctor Who… Preposterous!
  15. Del Henney, Doctor Who #133: Resurrection Of The Daleks, TV, 1984.        Stewart, Henney, Nicholas Ball, Michael Byrne, Tom Chadbon, Peter Firth, Tim Pigott-Smith, Patrick Ryecart, David Warner… most of the eleven actors up for Colonel Archer in the Doc5 Peter Davison adventure were Lifeforce contenders. The difference being Who was sf as ibn  science fiction and Lifeforce as in science fart.
  16. Forbes Collins, Doctor Who # 138: Vengeance on Varos, TV, 1984.      Stewart was also among the 20 names rung up the flagpole for the treacherous Chief Officer… Stewart, Collins, Tony Caunter, Tom Chadbon, Peter Childs, Michael Culver, James Ellis, Tom Georgeson, John Hallam, Terrence Hardiman, Don Henderson, John Hollis, Ronald Lacey, Edward Peel, Clifford Rose, John Savident, George Sewell, Donald Sumpter, Malcolm Tierney – and Stephen Yardley, who played Arak.
  17. Terence Alexander, Doctor Who #139: The Mark of the Rani, 1984.       Stewart, Alexander, Joss Ackland, Harry Andrews, Bernard Archard, Robin Bailey, George Baker, Ian Bannen, Geoffrey Bayldon, John Carson, Peter Cushing, Allan Cuthbertson, Frank Finlay, Robert Flemyng, Michael Gough, Dinsdale Landen, TP McKenna, Donald Pickering, Peter Sallis, Johmn Standing, Peter Vaughan… and the Z Cars cops James Ellis and Jeremy Kemp – 23 contenders for Lord Ravenworth. Phew! Actually, John Standing was the most suitable as he was the the fourth baronet in his family’s line. He just never used his title. 
  18. William Gaunt, Doctor Who #142: Revelation of the Daleks, 1985.       For the second time, 25 actors were up for a single rôle… An unlikely choice for a mercenary, Gaunt was selected late in the game after an exhausting Orcini search through Stewart, Joss Ackland, Ray Brooks, James Ellis, John Fraser, Peter Gilmore, Denis Lill, Philip Madoc, Peter Vaughan… Plus, of course Lifeforcers Stewart, Tom Adams, George Baker, John Carson, Frank Finlay, Julian Glover, Michael Gothard, Del Henney, Peter Jeffrey, TP McKenna, Patrick Mower, Clifford Rose, Nigel Stock, Anthony Valentine, David Warner and Frank Windsor.
  19. Michael Craig, Doctor Who #143: The Trial of a Time Lord, TV, 1986.      Up for for Commodore Travers in the Terror of the Vervoids section of the season-long marathon tale putting the very franchise in the dock as well as Doc6 Colin Baker – accused of meddling in other species’ affairs in a way unbecoming of a Time Lord.  Despite these dozen offers, Stewart was never a Whovian guest (perhaps that explains his knighthoood!). He  even turned down being  Doc8… or his foe in Doctor Who (The Movie) in  1996.
  20. Roscoe Lee Browne, Oliver & Company, 1987.      “Oliver Twist with dogs” is how Disney labelled the toon . More like Oliver Twist AS dogs…  Roscoe  took over voicing Francis when Patrick Stewart was way off in some galaxy as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. OIiver  opened on November 18, 1988 –  the 60th anniversary of the release of Mickey Mouse’s debut in Steamboat Willie. Read on… 

  21. Kenneth Mars, The Little Mermaid, 1989.     Maybe he would prefer a royal. Like King Triton. Apparently, the Disney suits were nuts about his Captain Jean-Luc Picard, helming the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation, 1987-1994.
  22. Anthony Hopkins,The Silence of the Lambs, 1989.
  23. David Ogden Stiers, Beauty and the Beast, 1990.      And that was the hassle, the Star Trek and X-Men franchises prevented such jobs as voicing Cogsworth, and the narrator (aka Big Ben in the French lingo version).   The rôle had been penned for John Cleese.
  24. Richard Dreyfuss, What About Bob? 1990.       For his Touchstone comedy, director Frank Oz first Stewart to be Bill Murray’s shrink: the very macho sounding Leo Marvin… but with kids named Sigmund and Anna. Next? Woody Allen. But Woody wouldn’t agree to be Bill Murray’s anything! (Dreyfuss and Murray didn’t get along, either).
  25. Alan Rickman,Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, 1990.    As Rickman kept passing, the Sheriff of Nottingham was offered to Stewart, Jon Finch, Michael Gambon, Richard E Grant, Ian McKellen, Sam Neill, Oliver Reed – even John Cleese! Then, Rickman won the right to play him his way, stealing much more than Robin, which had Kevin Costner allegedly, ordering  the curtailing of the Sheriff’s scenes.
  26. Jonathan Freeman, Aladdin, 1991.       Of all the Disney roles Stewart had to miss, this was “my biggest regret.”  Others up for Jafar, our hero’s foe, the Sultan’s evil vizier, were Tim Curry, Kesley Grammer, John Hurt, Christopher Lloyd, and Stewart’s future X-Men co-star, Ian McKellen. Channeling Boris Karloff with Vincent Price, Freeman remained in Jafar mode for the next 20 years of sequels and video games.
  27. Ed(ward) Ivory, The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1992. Stewart and an ailing Vincent Price were up for voicing Santa in the toon version of Tim Burton’s poem written when he was a Disney animator in the 80s. Henry Selick directed as Burton was tied up with Batman Returns and Ed Wood to come.
  28. Rowan Atkinson, The Lion King, 1993.      Also in the mix to voice Zazu in the 32nd Disney toon – Bambi meets Hamlet in Africa! – were Stewart, Chris Barrie, Simon Callow, David Jason, Spike Milligan, Vic Reeves. Plus various UK comedy giants: Peter Cook and Dudley Moore; The Two Ronnies: Barker and Ronnie Corbett; The Goodies: Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Odie; and the Monty Pythons: John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Michael Palin.
  29. Maurice LaMarche,  Animaniacs, TV, 1993-1998.   When Stewart passed on voicing The Brain in  Steven Sielberg’s very own Loony Tunesseries, LaMarche took over. And the veteran of 364 screen gigs up to 2020 (mainly voices: Woody Allen, Mister Freeze, Grumpy, Charlton Heston, Inspector Gadget, Mortimer Mouse, Pepe Le Pew, Popeye,  Tony Randall, Josef Stalin, Red Tornado, George Washington, Oscar Wildcat, and Yosemite Sam  in  the real Looney Tunes).  He based Brain on Orson Welles. And so accurately that the Canadian was asked by Tim Burton to dub Vincent D’Onofrio’s Welles in Ed Wood, 1993, and in The Simpsons, 1995-2018.

  30. David Ogden Stiers, Pocahontas, 1994.      
    When did you ever hear anyone say: Man I hated the movie, kept trying to work out where I’d heard the Governor’s voice before… Disney barred Richard White from voicing Governor Ratcliffe because the public would recognise him as Gaston’s voice in the 1990 Beauty and the Beast toon. As if actors cannot change their voices. And then… and then !!… Disney gave it to DOS and had him also voice his own manservant, Wiggins! (Like Michael Caine playing Batman and Alfred!) Which tended t prove an actor can change his voice, wouldn’t you say… Five Brits were also in the frame: Stewart, Brians Blessed and Cox, Rupert Everett, Stephen Fry. Well, there were no US accents in the 17th Century.

  31. Keith David, Gargoyles, TV, 1994-1996.       The pitch: Night creatures (heroes in Scotland) pledge to guard the Big Apple from adversity. The role was Goliath. And the rule of Stewart’s agent was the correct salary. Creator Greg Wrisman even thought of asking the already cast Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis to talk their fellow Trekkie into lowering his fee for 13 episodes. His agent wuld not let him. Not for Goliath…
  32. John Rhys-Davies, Gargoyles, TV, 1995-1996. … or Macbeth. And as if 13 episodes didn’t sound unlucky enough, UK actors are superstitiously wary of saying Macbeth. They call it… The Scottish Play.
  33. John Saint Ryan, Gargoyles, TV, 1995-1996.         …And not for King Arthur for just two episodes, either.
  34. Tony Jay, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1995.      Once again, mission impossible. Fellow Brits Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen were also up for Ferollo – until directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale went back to their loved deep-voiced Monsieur D’Arque from Beauty and the Beast, 1990.
  35. Jim Broadbent, Richard III, 1995.       Stewart passed on Ian McKellen’s modernisation of Shakespeare. Both (multi) winners of London’s Laurence Olivier award, they joined up for the X-Men series, 1999-2005.
  36. Gary Martin,Red Dwarf #43 : Epideme, TV, 1996.    Long their X-Menand Harry Potterfranchises, Stewart and Alan Rickman passed on  voicing the titular virus (intelligent but with an annoying personality).  Voice artist Martin was a pal of Danny John-Jules – had even  accompanied him  to his initial audition for Cat.
  37. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Batman & Robin, 1996.

  38. Paul McGann, Doctor Who (The Movie), TV, 1996.
  39. Eric Roberts, Doctor Who (The Movie), TV, 1996.

  40. Rip Torn, Hercules, 1996.       Stewart, James Belushi, John Goodman, Gregory Peck were in the Zeus loop. Apart from Peck, they all went on to supply voices for other Disney characters. For example, after losing Aladdin and The Lion King roles due to Star Trek, etc, Stewart was finally able to go where no man had gone before and become Mr Woolensworth in (alas!) the paltry poultry pic, Chicken Little, 2004.   And The Great Prince (much better) in Bambi II, 2005. Top billing, too.  
  41. Christopher Lloyd, Anastasia, 1997.         Stewart and two other Brits – Tim Curry and Jonathan Pryce – were also up for voicing the mad Russian monk, Rasputin. But Back To The Future’s Doc Brown beat Star Trek’s Jean-Luc Picard, Dr Frank-N-Furter (of The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and Brazil’s Sam Lowry.
  42. Christopher Lloyd, My Favourite Martian, 1998.        A Martian makes a visit – and friends with Jeff Daniels’s reporter. There goes the neighbourhood (title of aother Daniels’ movie, circa 1992). The five possibilityies for “Uncle Martin”   were Michael Douglas, Charlton Heston (!), Bill Murray (a tad obvious), Martin Sheen – and Star Trek’s latest skipper.]
  43. Brian Blessed, Tarzan, 1998.       With Stewart as  overly occupied as usual, , Clayton went to another boisterous Yorkshireman. (As per recently usual, Ian McKellen was also in the frame). Blessed (who also supplied the ape man’s yell) once declared that this booming villain was one of his two favourite roles. T’other being his six chapters as King Richard IV opposite Rowan Atkinson’s Black Adder, TV, 1983.
  44. Ian McKellan, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, 2001-2003.
  45. Tom Hardy, Star Trek: Nemesis, 2002.         The 10th Trek… At one point, arch villain Prator Shinzon of Remus was to be a clone of Captain Picard, with Stewart in both roles. However, the SFX budget was already stretched enough… on digitally removing Jonathan Frakes back hair for a the honeymoon love scene!
  46. Anthony Head, Little Britain, TV, 2003-2006.         Stewart topped the producers’ lists for the UK Prime Minister, but one of the comedy series star duo,   David Walliams – who played the PM’s toadying, gay assistant, Sebastian – voted for Head. “Because next to Steve Martin, he’s the only man I’ll ever turn gay for.”
  47. Johnny Depp, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, 2004.
    Picard was among the choices for chocolatier Willy Wonka. Hardly surprising as he became a great chum of director Tim Burton while working on the (much cut) narration of The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993. Tim’s wish list went from ole Beetlejuice Michael Keaton, to… Rowan Atkinson, Dan Aykroyd, Nicolas Cage, Jim Carrey, Chevy Chase, Warwick Davis, Robert De Niro, James Gandolfini, Dwayne Johnson, Ian McKellen, Marilyn Manson, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, John Neville, Leslie Nielsen, Brad Pitt, Peter Sallis, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, Will Smith, Ben Stiller, Christopher Walken, Robin Williams. And the surviving Monty Python crew (also up for the 1970 version): John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin. Among the five exec producers, author Roald  Dahl’s widow, Liccy, wanted her husband’s favourite Willy – Dustin Hoffman.     If not possible she voted for UK comics, Eddie Izzard or David Walliams. She was quite happy with Depp… who found Willy’s voice while riffing on a stoned George W Bush!

  48. Jeremy Irons, Eragon, 2005.      Like his fellow knight, Sir Ian McKellan, Stewart was not free for novelist Christopher Paolini’s fantasy characters due to shooting X-Men: The Last Stand.
  49. Timothy Dalton, Doctor Who #202: The End of Time, TV 2009.  Too busy to be The Narrator – actually, the Time Lord President, himself, in the Christmas special two-parter concluding with the regeneration of the fatally injuired Doc10 David Tennant into Doc11 Matt Smith…. and, indeed, of writer-producer Russell T Davies, who had brught the series back from the grave in 2005, into the new Whoverse architect, Steven Moffat.
  50. Chevy Chase, Community, TV, 2009-2014.       An odd substitute for the mighty Stewart as a rich, retired entrepreneur, Chase lasted 85 of the 97 episodes… and surprised us all by his best work, a highly nuanced portrait of Pierce Hawthorne. Ironically, Hawthorne is rich due to his moist-towelette company… and Cornelius Crane Chase’s family fortune also derives from personal sanitation product.
  51. Jude Law, Rise of the Guardians, 2011.  Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd and Patrick Stewart were also considered for voicing the evil spirit of the DreamWorks toon adventure, Pitch Black.
  52. Kenneth Cranham, Maleficent, 2012.      Change of King Henry’s bottom on the throne in Disney’s live-action take on the Charles Perrault fairy tale. Not released until 2014.

  

 

 

 

 

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  52