- Laurence Olivier, Wuthering Heights, 1938.
- Louis Jourdan, The Paradine Case, 1946. Alfred Hitchcock wanted Newton “and his horny hands of the devil.” Producer David Selznick had the prettier Frenchman under contract. “Worst flaw in the casting,” moaned Hitch, “detrimental to the story. That groom should’ve been a manure-smelling, stable-hand, a man who reeked of manure.” And so William Marsh had to become André Latour… Hitch was never happy with the stars imposed by David O Selznick – Peck, Louis Jourdan, Alida Valli – but gave in to finish his contract with the over-bossy DOS.
- Charles Laughton, The Blue Veil, 1950. Producer Jerry Wald felt he could convince Garbo to come back. Hah! He couldn’t even persuade Newton to stay aboard the re-tread of Le voile bleu, 1941.
- Edward G Robinson, The Ten Commandments, 1954.
- Donald Wolfit, Svengali, 1954. What was officially termed “erratic behaviour” led to one over-ze-top British ham being replaced by another – the eventually knighted stage star.
Birth year: 1905Death year: 1956Other name: Casting Calls: 5