- Van Johnson, The War Against Mrs Hadley, 1941. Sterling was originally set as the humble US Army corporal running off with Jean Rogers, the alienated daughter of Fay Bainter’s awful society snob who blames FDR and WWII for upsetting her social whirl. In his third movie, Johnson made a suitable sub.
- Van Johnson, Gentle Annie, 1944. When Sterling quit to join the US Air Corps, Johnson – already cast as outlaw Cottonwood Goss – vaulted into the saddle of his brother, Violet. But the 1942 shoot was shuttered after four weeks when director Woody Van Dyke fell ill. Two years on, with Andrew Marton helming, the original cast swent thataway and Paul Langton became Violet.
Birth year: 1917Death year: 2006Other name: Casting Calls: 2