- John Getz, Curly Sue, 1990. After Kevin Spacey dropped out for a stage date, William Atherton, George Clooney, Griffin Dunne, George Segal all passed on being Kelly Lynch’s snotty boyfriend. Atherton was fed up playing schmucks, Clooney was unknown (four years away from ER), Dunne was making My Girl and Segal found Walter was too much like his Albert in Look Who’s Talking. That’s how John Getz parts… 129 in 54 years.
- Charles Dance, Last Action Hero, 1993. Atherton, who starred in Spielberg’s cinema bow, The Sugarland Express, 1974, was rescued from this mess… even before Spielberg quit to make Schindler’s List.
- Michael Rooker, Mallrats, 1995. New Jersey auteur Kevin Smith’s first choice rather stupidly refused to be Jared Svenning – because the film was aimed at a teenage audience. (Er, what other kind was there…?) Rooker wasn’t so fussy and his most famous film was Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, 1986.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 3