- Irene Papas, Tribute To A Bad Man, 1955. When Grace Kelly cooled (she was hoping for Giant), Spencer Tracy began to question his own interest on the project. All the more so when finding a replacement proved as troublesome as his health. Steele, protegée of Katharine Hepburn’s pal, Constance Collier, was no actress with no experience. No one else wanted the part: Jennifer Jones, Dorothy McGuire, Eva Marie Saint. Spence voted McGuire (not for the first time). Director Robert Wise preferred “the simply awful Greek” – of whom Tracy had asked: “Boy or girl?”
- Suzy Parker, Ten North Frederick, 1957. The John O’Hara novel was bought for Spencer Tracy. But the plot -older married man falling for younger woman and drinking himself to death – wastoo close to home for him. And testing the girl didn’t help… Marjorie, Dina Merrill, Inger Stevens when all the time, Fox boss Buddy Adler “had the hots” for the ex-model. Steele made only 3½ films in fours years. No need for any more. The Russian-Swedish-German-Sioux beauty was was first wed, 1949-1961,to the millionaire A&P heir and producer Huntingford Hartford.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2