- John Gilbert, Queen Christina, 1933. Among those testing to be Garbo’s lover were Asther, Franchot Tone, even King Kong tough guy Bruce Cabot. The winner was Laurence Olivier. Until Garbo had problems doing love scenes with him as Don Antonio de la Prada – and insisted on MGM hiring her most famous lover (on and off-screen), even though his Metro contract and his career were in the toilet. After one more film, Gilbert (jilted by Garbo) died in 1936. The Danish Asther had also proposed to the glorious Swede – and was rejected in 1929, during their silent movie days.
- Paul Muni, The Good Earth, 1936. An early 1935 plan, was Asther and Barbara Stanwyck and Asther for the Chinese couple, Wang Lung and O-Lan (!). This was the only film with a credit for MGM’s in-house genius, Irving Thalberg – after his shock death at 36. His boss, LB Mayer, had told him: “The public won’t buy pictures about American farmers, and you want to give them Chinese farmers?” Thalberg, as usual, was right – three Oscars from six nominations!
Birth year: 1897Death year: 1981Other name: Casting Calls: 2