- Jean-Paul Belmondo, À bout de souffle (Breathless), France, 1959. While planning Tirez sur le pianiste (Shoot the Piano Player), France, 1959, New Wave auteur François Truffaut wanted his star, the little Franco-Armenian singer, to meet another ex-critic, Jean-Luc Godard, about his first big film (based on a Truffaut idea). Godard preferred Laurent Terzieff when Aznavour passed and casually mentioned the raw, young actor nicknamed Bebel…Godard also considered another singer, Sacha Distel, which set the mind reeling then. And now.
- Georges Descrieres, Les trois mousquetaires, France, 1961. A clash of productions meant the cancellation of a splendid Musketeers affair with Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Sophia Loren – and “Aznave”. as the introspective Athos – for a smaller budget affair by Bernard Borderie, later known for directing the Angelique series.
- Oskar Werner, Fahrenheit 451, 1966. Who should the nouvelle vague icon François Truffaut choose to be Ray Bradbury’s fireman, Montag? Charles Aznavour star of his second feature, Tirez sur le pianiste (Shoot the Pianist) or Oskar Werner, a new global star due to Truffaut’s Jules et Jim? He also contacted Warren Beatty, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Marlon Brando, Montgomey Clift, Paul Newman, Peter O’Toole – and even signed Terence Stamp, before making the mistake of his life and giving the fireman to Werner, originally booked as Montag’s boss. Any of the others asleep would have better. As if Truffauit did not have enough to contend with – his first film in colour and in English – he found Werner had turned prima donna, his head enlarged by his Hollywood debut, Ship of Fools. He was jealous that Julie Christie had a double role and he did not, he argued constantly over (his dull) interpretation, refused one “dangerous” scene (as if a fireman would not have to deal with fire), even deliberately cut his hair to ruin continuity. If Truffaut hadn’t spent six years planning the film, he would have walked. Ran! Instead, he simply truncated Werner’s later scenes – and used a double, John Ketteringham, in most of them!
- Michael Sarrazin, They Shoot Horses Don’t They, 1969. French film-maker Jean-Pierre Mocky tried too make it with Bardot and le petit Charles. Charlie Chaplin, Joseph Losey and François Truffaut had also all tried to film Horace McCoy’s book during ts 35 year long journey to the screen.
Birth year: 1924Death year: 2018Other name: Casting Calls: 4