Tommy Chong

  1. Bill Murray, Stripes, 1980.  Or what would have been Cheech and Chong Join the Army…  if the duo’s manager hadn’t insisted (without them knowing) on 25% of Ivan Reitman’s next five films.  The script was rebooted for Murray and his pal, the scripter Harold Ramis, with C&C’s stoner stuff handed to Judge Rheinhold’s Elmo.  The pitch was  “the story of a man who wanted to keep the world safe for democracy…and meet girls.”There was a kinship with Goldie Hawn’s Private Benjamin, 1979 – PJ Soles wore the same uniform in both movies. The comedy made Murrayt and Ramis and increased US Army recruitment by 10%. Honest!
  2. Whoopi Goldberg, The Lion King, 1994.     Cheech and Chong was a great idea for the hyneas, Banzai and Shenzi. Cheech Marin was in. Chong, as always out… Way out. Somewhere. Whoopie became Shenzi.  

 Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls:  2