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Oliver Reed, Hannibal Brooks, 1968. “While doing Countdown, an offer came in for me to be in some movie with an elephant. Bob [Altman] was laughing about it. He said: You know, you’ll make some money if you do that kinda stuff. But if you use your head and make good choices, you’ll do interesting work. You’ll never be a movie star but you’ll lead a more interesting life. And I went in and turned it down.”
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Rene Auberjonois, Images, 1972. Losing a role for the most stupid reason of all – another director’s ego! Peter Bogdanovich refused to release Michael for Robert Altman’s film. “He kept him for one scene, to stand on the street with a suitcase for a long shot,” said Altman, who never forgave The Zerox Director – so named for copying others’ styles.
- Paul Le Mat, Strange Invaders, 1982. Power Boothe, Mel Gibson and Michael Murphy were in the mix for Columbia U entomology prof Charles Bigelow who never figured that his wife was a disguised alien… Paul Le Mat was amusing, unconventional. Murphy would have been better. Indeed, it had been written for him. Yer he was rejected by the UK suits who obviously had never seen a Robert Altman in their sorry lives. No, M*A*S*H, McCabe and Mrs Miller, Nashville, That Cold Day in the Park, etc… Shame on them!
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 3