1. – Scott Brady, Welcome Back, Kotter, TV, 1977. When George Kennedy abruptly pulled out of guesting as a gym teacher who slapped John Travolta’s character, agents started responding to a code red casting alert. Story Editor Mark Evanier answered one call suggesting Sutton, aka Sgt. Carter in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.. “He’d be fine except for one thing – he’s dead!” The agent screamed: “What!?” Evanier repeated: “Your client died about two years ago.” Now the agent was furious. “My client isn’t dead! How can you say that about a man? You don’t know what you’re talking about!” They argued for about three minutes until Evanier said: “Look, I’ll make this simple. If you can get him here, he’s got the part.” And hung up. Five minutes later, the agent called back. “Have you seen Simon Oakland lately?”
Birth year: 1923Death year: 1974Other name: Casting Calls: 1