- Carole Landis, A Gentleman At Heart, 1941. The treatment written for Don Ameche (asa Runyonesque bookmaker) had him opposite Annabella – or Simone Simon. Next draft? Annabella’s ex-husband, Tyrone Power and Loretta Young. Finally, Romero had Landis.
- Ingrid Bergman, For Whom The Bell Tolls, 1942. Barbara Britton, Frances Farmer, Betty Field, Paulette Goddard, Susan Hayward and Barbara Stanwyck were also seen for Gary Cooper’s gal. Plus the French Annabella, Mexico’s Esther Fernández, true Brit Vivien Leigh and Germany’s Luise Rainer and Vera Zorina. However, Ernest Hemingway insisted on Bergman (and Cooper) because he’d had them in mind when writing the book. In case Ingrid changed her mind, producer-director Sam Wood had the Austro-Hungarian Lenora Aubert waiting in the wings.
- Celeste Holm, Come To The Stable, 1948. The story (by future US ambassador to Italy, Clare Booth Luce) was about nuns. Hence, head Fox Darryl F Zanuck’s memo: “If the Church does not object, Annabella would be sensational as Sister Scolastica.” Maybe so, but Holm won it. And the support Oscar nomination.
Birth year: 1907Death year: 1996Other name: Suzanne Georgette CharpentierCasting Calls: 3