- Norma Shearer, The Barrets of Wimpole Street, 1934. MGM genius Irving Thalberg wanted the stage star to reprise her Elizabeth Barrett. She owed it to posterity, he said. She wasn’t convinced. Not even after he promised to destroy the film, “burn it and send it up in smoke,” if she did not like it. She did repeat the role, but on Broadway only – in 1935 and 1945. Her sole film was a cameo – as herself – in Stage Door Canteen. 1943
- Luise Rainer, The Good Earth, 1936. The stage star was tested among numerous non-Asian actors for the key role of O-Lan – which won Rainer the first (and only) consecutive Best Actress Oscar winner. This was the sole film with a credit for MGM’s in-house genius, Irving Thalberg – after his tragic death at 36. His boss, LB Maye, had told him: “The public won’t buy pictures about American farmers, and you want to give them Chinese farmers?” Thalberg, as usual, was right – three Oscars from six nominations!
- Claudette Colbert, Since You Went Away, 1943. Although (in)famous for rejecting each and every film offer reaching her Broadway sanctum, The First Lady of the Theatre (a title shared with her friend, Helen Hayes) was determined to be Anne Hilton from Margaret Buell Wilder’s WWII novel. Producer-writer David O Selznick, did not agree. (Nor, indeed, about Hayes). He searched on through Irene Dunne, Ann Harding and Rosalind Russell until finding his indomitable all-American mother in… the French Colbert! And she really ruled the “story of the Unconquerable Fortress: the American Home.” At 40, she was not keen on being be the US Mrs Miniver, a 40ish mother of two teen daughters (Selznick’s future second wife, Jennifer Jones, and Shirley Temple in a comeback at 15). DOS got his way. By saying the picture would help morale – giving her $150,000. And four directors, DOS included!
- Edith Evans, The Nun’s Story, 1959. The negotiations were long and hard but Dame Edith ended up as Mother Emmanuel.
Birth year: 1898Death year: 1974Other name: Casting Calls: 4