- Robert Ryan, The Tall Men, 1954. In the mix for the Texas to Montana cattle drive boss mix in a tale of “tall men – and long shadows.” And a Gable far too old for his $830,000 role. He would have been happier with Dexter. He’d signed on but Ryan was taller, so much so that The King had to gain inches on a wooden box! Frank Sinatra made Dexter a producer after he saved Ole Blue Eyes from drowning during the Hawaii locations for None But The Brave, on May 10, 1964. Brad is The Magnificent Seventh hat no one remembers by name. Of Serbian descent, she was the second husband of Peggy Lee.
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Dean Martin, What a Way to Go!, 1963. A certain Louisa May Foster takes her shrink through her five late husbands – every one a laugh. (If only). Prepared for Marilyn Monroe before her tragic death, I Love Louisawas given to Elizabeth Taylor with Marilyn’s Marlon Brando. Or Richard Burton (of course), Tony Curtis, Kirk Douglas, Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Rock Hudson, Burt Lancaster, Stdeve McQueen Marcello Mastroianni, David Niven. Finally, Shirley MacLaine wed Robert Mitchum, Paul Newman, Dick Van Dyke… even Brad Dexter, the Magnificent Seventh that everyone forgets, but not Frank Sinatra who wanted $500,000 or no show. Oh and Dean Martin as a department store mogul called Lennie Crawley, no less. This is where I usually say: And you can never go wrong with a Crawley. Not this (terrible) time! Steve McQueen and Charlton Heston were up for Hubby #2, Paul Newman’s American in Paris artist. Sounded like a reprise for Gene Kelly. Except he was Hubby #4, described as a song and dance man about to break into Hollywood – what at age 51! Yes, the movie was that bad. “An abomination,” said The New Leader critic John Simon.
Birth year: 1917Death year: 2002Other name: Casting Calls: 2