- George C Scott, The New Centurions, 1972. “There were a number of movie roles,” said Ed, the TV newspaperman Lou Grant, “that I didn’t get because of the snobbism and discrimination in the film industry.”
- Robert Shaw, The Sting, 1973. “In each case, I was informed they didn’t want a TV face.”
- Paul Mazursky, A Star Is Born, 1976.
- Ralph Waite, Roots, 1977. The great Lou Grant star remembered it all in a Hollywood Reporter interview published – by chance – three days before his death at 91 on August 19, 2021. “First of all, I never thought I had a chance to be in it,” he told Scott Feinberg. “It was being directed by David Greene, the director I had a little conflict with in Rich Man, Poor Man I thought he certainly wouldn’t want me back. But the producer wanted me. But they first off put me in the role of the first mate, eventually played by Ralph Waite. I thought;: I’ve done those roles before. I’d rather do something new.”’ And then we talked about the captain” – Captain Thomas Davies
- Jackie Cooper, Superman 1978.
- Jack Lemmon, Missing, 1982. “Ed was very, very interested, so were the producers,” says Costa-Gavras. “I liked him, very much. But I needed someone less… robust. More fragile. Jack is always vulnerable in his films once he’s outside of America.”
- Danny De Vito, Hercules, 1997. Being a man of certain experience, standing and fame, De Vito refused to audition for Philoctetes. Asner, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons and the inevitable unknown (Dick Latessa) were not so shy. Only Buttons knew the score. “I know what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna give this part to Danny De Vito!”
Birth year: 1929Death year: 2021Other name: Casting Calls: 7