- George E Stone, 42nd Street, 1932. “Sawyer, you’re going out a youngster, but you’ve got to come back a star!” – the line (often misquoted) of the musical of all time. It saved Warner Bros from bankruptcy and was still 13th on the AFI’s Greatest Movie Musicals list 73 years later! Stone beat McHugh to the role of Andy Lee in the film debuts of incomparable choreographer Busby Berkeley and Ruby Keeler (then Mrs Al Jolson) as Peggy Sawyer – the New York Times praised her ingratiating personality, and her songs and dances.
- Humphrey Bogart, Manpower, 1941. This was The Year of Bogie. Just not in Diana Barrymore’s screen debut. George Raft made it clear. “I ain’t working with him.”
- Robert Osterloh, White Heat, 1949. After seven films together, James Cagney regretted that the budget did not allow room for his pal. They made one more movie together.
- Frank Faylen, It’s a Wonderful Life, 1946.
Birth year: 1898Death year: 1981Other name: Casting Calls: 4