- Miles O”Keeffe, Tarzan The Ape Man, 1980.
- John Malkovich, The Glass Menagerie, 1987. For his sixth and last directing gig, Paul Newman had most of the recent stage cast of the Tennessee Williams piece – including Mrs Newman (surprise, surpriser) as Amanda Wingfield. The problem was her son. Neither Williams of the New Haven cast or John Sayles from the Williamstown production, were available. Newman called Malkovich, who gave him his rules. “Here’s the thing… I kinda know how I want to do it. So maybe we should meet and if you… think that the way I see it is not your way, then you shouldn’t use me.” They had some bust-ups, but let the work do the work.
- Pierce Brosnan, The Deceivers, 1989. When UK director Stephen Frears was booked to direct by the Merchant-Ivory duo: producers Ismail Merchant and James Ivory.
- Robbie Coltrane, Frogs For Snakes, 1998. “Gives new meaning to… being willing to kill for a role,” said Chicago critic Roger Ebert of this mess about some Manhattan actors supporting themselves between roles by acting as gangsters and hit men. (Coltrane’s car number plate read: 2BNOT2B).
Birth year: 1951Death year: 2023Other name: Casting Calls: 4