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John Canada Terrell,She’s Gotta Have It, 1985. For his breakthrogh “joint” – a 12-day shoestring shoot – Spike Lee wanted La Salle to be Greer Childs. Too shallow, said the actor. That. Was. The. Point. “Fierce, sexy, and funny,”said the New York Star’s Nicholas Rapold. Spike directed all ten episodes of the opening season of his series version in 2017.
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Tony Todd, Night of the Living Dead, 1990. “There IS a fate worse than death,” said posters. Yeah. Losing the lead..! George A Romero scripted the re-make of his 1968 horror classic and gave it to his trusty make-up effects man (and sometime actor) Tom Savini to direct – superbly. Tom tried all the inevitables for the heroic Ben: Laurence Fishburne, Ving Rhames… La Sallelost Ben to Todd – who lost ER’s Dr Peter Benton to La Salle! For 169 hours during 1990-2002 and two more in the series’ final 2009 year.
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Dennis Haysbert, Love Field, 1990. Michelle Pfeiffer lost her first two lovers from this inter-racial drama (not released until ’92). First, Denzel Washinghton, then after two days shooting, LaSalle was dropped – too young opposite her 60s’ period wig. Four years later he was Dr Peter Benton in Michael Crichton-Steven Spielberg’s TV series, ER. During 2001-2006, Haysbert was President David Palmer for 80 episodes of the real-time action series, 24.
- Richard Brooks, Law & Order, TV, 1990-2006. For 1988 pilot, NBC wanted La Salle as ADA Michael Moriarty’s assistant. Producer Dick Wolf, however, voted Brooks – and although Wolf was not yet an icon, nor his series the longest running drama on US TV (alongside Gunsmoke), the network caved in. But got its way during 1994-2009, when starring La Salle as Dr Peter Benton in 172 chapters of the ER medical drama.
- Avery Brooks, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, TV, 1993-1999.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 6