- Mona Freeman, Dear Ruth, 1946. William Holden, like his character Lieutenant Seacroft, was home from WWII – and intent on marrying his pen-pal, Ruth Wilkins. Only it was her kid sister (Mona Freeman) who had been penning the pal… Two more chapters followed. Dear Wife, about Ruth and Bill’s married life and Dear Brat – but you’ve guessed it – about Mona Freeman’s Miriam.
- Elizabeth Taylor, Little Women, 1948. Producer David O Selznick had obviously chosen his Jennifer Jones (his very own Susan Alexander) as Jo until selling his rights to MGM where Diana did not stand much of a chance against Liz as Amy March. Among her 62 screen roles, Lynn shared the infamous Bedtime for Bonzo, 1951, with future US President Ronald Reagan.
- Marguerite Chapman, The Green Promse, 1949. Lost the lead opposite B-movie hunk Robert Paige to become the loveliest Maid Marian in Rogues of Sherwood Forrest, 1950. Both Diana and Marguerite had more than 60 screen roles and were called back to work after retirement, when too ill to make films.
- Evelyn Keyes, Mrs Mike, 1949. June Allyson was suggested for the lead. Of course, she was. Dick Powell, her husband, was the star. And producer! Also considered for his Mountie’s Bostonian wife: Peggy Cummins, Barbara Bates, Barbara Bel Geddes, Betsy Drake, Joanne Dru.
- Maggie McNamara, The Moon Is Blue, 1952. Seems silly to say so, but bombastic director Otto Preminger forced Hollywood to grow up with films like this one where McNamara actually said the word “virgin.” And more than once. The pert Lynn and Terry Moore (who never looked like a virgin) served more than her paltry dozen screen roles.
- Dana Wynter, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1956. Diana’s father was in oil and her mother was a classical pianist At 12, Lynn was playing with the LA Junior Symphony Orchestra. At 30,. she was not into battling aliens, thank you very much!.
- Tammy Grimes, Play It As It Lays, 1972. Semi-retired and running Manhattan’s GO Travel Agency, she was tempted back as Anthony Perkins’ mother, went to LA to prep and had a fatal stroke. Her last film, director Jerry Thorpe’s thriller, Company of Killers, made in 1969, was released posthumously.
Birth year: 1926Death year: 1971Other name: Casting Calls: 7