- Dennis Miller, Tarzan, The Ape Man, 1959.
- David Carradine, Kung Fu, 1972. The direct descendant of Western figures Kit Carson and Daniel Boone shot an eight-minute test as Caine in full Chinese make-up. ABC wanted Smith. Producer Jerry Thorpe thought him too menacing… which is exactly how he made his name, as the villain Falconetti in Rich Man, Poor Man, TV, 1976.
- John Saxon, Enter The Dragon, 1973. Bruce Lee (who also lost Kung Fu) offered to share the lead with Smith. He was delayed on another movie and Saxon filled in. Like cement. Starting at age eight, Smith won 274 screen roles in 78 years!
- Ron Ely, Doc Savage, The Man of Bronze, 1975. Producer George Pal bought rights to all 181 Doc Savage stories about by Kenneth Robeson (aka Lester Dent) and saw countless potential heroes. TV’s Tarzan won the role from the nearly Ape-Man of 1959. And ape was part of the word that best described the special-effects king’s final movie.
Birth year: 1933Death year: 2021Other name: Casting Calls: 4