- Charles Bickford, The Song of Bernadette, 1943. About ten actors tested for Father Peyramale, parish priest of the the French girl who had a vision of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes in 1858. They included Hampden, Brooklyn’s three-times Hamlet on Broadway – 1918, 1925, 1934. (Only one other US actor, Maurice Evans, shares the same record). Also in the mix: Lee J Cobb, Donald Crisp, Cedric Hardwicke and Thomas Mitchell. (Cobb was later given Dr T Duzous). Bickford became very close with Jennifer Jones (wife of producer Davd O Selznick) who played Bernadette. They also co-starred in DOS’s Duel in the Sun. In fact, one hour after hearing about Bickford’s death in 1967, Jones attempted suicide.
Birth year: 1879Death year: 1965Other name: Casting Calls: 1