- Van Johnson, Brigadoon, 1953. Once the silly Broadway hit became another Gene Kelly MGMusical, the search began for his pal, Jeff. Losing their way in the Scottish Highland, they find a town that comes back to life for a day once a century. (Yes, that silly!). Candidates included Wayne, Bill Hayes, Donald O’Connor. Plus Steve Allen just before he changed TV forever with the Tonight show.
- Les Tremayne, Susan Slept Here, 1953. Change of lawyer for well, it was between Dan Dailey, Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum – until Dick Powell signed for his 58th and final movie role before TV producing and film directing. (Debbie Reynolds was Susan). Tremayne was the Brit (curbing his London accent) to become the third most famous radio voice in the American ‘40s… after President Franklin D Roosevelt and Bing Crosby.
- John Vernon, 1984, 1955. “This is a story of the future. Not the future of space ships and men from other planets, but the immediate future…” Hollywood agent-turned-producer Charles K Feldman won rights to George Orwell’s novel in 1949, before passing it to pothers – such as Patton’s Frank McCarthy. Finally, a certain N Peter Rathvon co-produced with a UK combine… and wanted the rather avuncular David Wayne as the Big Brother. Rathvon’s second – and final film – was Tarzan and the Lost Safari later that year with Gordon Scott in the ape man’s colour debut.
- Marlon Brando, Teahouse of the August Moon, 1956. It was the time when Brando got everything he wanted – boys, girls, men, women, movies. Even though Wayne has been announced to repeat his Broadway role of Sakini, the Japanese interpreter for US forces in Okinawa.
- Peter Sellers, The World of Henry Orient, 1964. Proving how long the tale was on the shelf, Wayne was no longer a movie name (How To Marry A Millionaire) but a TV character face (Batman’s Mad Hatter) by the time it was made.
- Anthony Newley, Doctor Dolittle, 1967. As if Fox didn’t have enough trouble finding the suitably-aged romantic interest for Dr Rex Harrison, it plainly had no idea for Dolittle pal, Matthew Mugg… going from Danny Kaye and David Wayne in their mid-50s to old Bing Crosby at age 64. “Must go younger, ” said producer Arthur P Jacobs. He didn’t have to look far. The great Tony Newley, 36, had already helped out on the music with his usual composing partner Leslie Bricusse. Or Newberg and Brickman as they called themselves. Harrison called him much worse in his anti-Semitic tirades against his more talented co-star disrupting their scenes as often as possible and insisting Tony’s role be reduced.
Birth year: 1914Death year: 1995Other name: Casting Calls: 6