Iconic Roles and Actors

[pasty]

Watching a documentary abut the late great Norman Wisdom the other day, I didn't know that he was one of the original choices for Frank Spencer in "Some Mothers Do Have 'Em" but he turned it down, as did Ronnie Barker before Michael Crawford got the role. I also know Jim Broadbent was the original choice for Del-Boy in OFAH before David Jason got it.

Any other iconic roles that were meant for an actor that didn't end up playing it?

 

[Gwylan]

There are loads of these: ones I found out the other day were in Dad's Army. Mainwaring was supposed to have been played by Jon Pertwee and Jones by Jack Haig - hard now to think of anyone else in those roles

 

[Goldstone1976]

Laurence Olivier was originally slated for Brando's Vito Corleone in The Godfather

 

[Doc Lynam]

Danny La Rue was asked to play Minder but turned it down; Dennis Waterman stepped in.

 

[Dave the OAP]

I haven't got my glasses on so I read that as Islamic roles and actors

Laurence Olivier as the mad Mahdi in the film Gordon ( of Khartoum)

 

[greyseagull]

Matt Damon and Jake Gyllenhaal turned down the lead role in Avatar and the latter chose Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time instead

 

[Norman Potting]

There are loads of these: ones I found out the other day were in Dad's Army. Mainwaring was supposed to have been played by Jon Pertwee and Jones by Jack Haig - hard now to think of anyone else in those roles

Also read (probably Wikipedia so it must be correct) that David Jason was considered as Corporal Jones in Dad's Army, also that due to him appearing in "Do Not Adjust Your Set" (anyone old enough to recall that) he was almost a member of the Monty Python team.

Trivia fans - although Jim Broadbent missed out on being "Del Boy" which occcasional character did he play in OFAH?

 

[The Large One]

Also read (probably Wikipedia so it must be correct) that David Jason was considered as Corporal Jones in Dad's Army, also that due to him appearing in "Do Not Adjust Your Set" (anyone old enough to recall that) he was almost a member of the Monty Python team.

Trivia fans - although Jim Broadbent missed out on being "Del Boy" which occcasional character did he play in OFAH?

Roy Slater. John Challis (who ended up as Boycie) was also considered.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Apparently, Tom Selleck was first choice for Indiana Jones, John Travolta for Forrest Gump (!) and Michelle Pfeiffer for Clarice Starling

 

[father_and_son]

Danny La Rue was asked to play Minder but turned it down; Dennis Waterman stepped in.

...to write the theme and sing the theme...

 

[FRYG]

Will Smith turned down Matrix to be in Wild Wild West !

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Peter Sellers was first choice for Fagin in Lionel Bart's Oliver. Ron Moody who ended up in the role, was third or fourth choice.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Danny La Rue was asked to play Minder but turned it down; Dennis Waterman stepped in.

Don't think George Cole was first choice for Arthur Daley but for the life of me can't remember who was first choice.

 

[Postman Pat]

Don't think George Cole was first choice for Arthur Daley but for the life of me can't remember who was first choice.

Dennis Waterman wanted Denholm Elliott apparently.

 

[Gwylan]

Peter Sellers was first choice for Fagin in Lionel Bart's Oliver. Ron Moody who ended up in the role, was third or fourth choice.

And Ron Moody turned down the part of Dr Who ...

 

[GT49er]

There are loads of these: ones I found out the other day were in Dad's Army. Mainwaring was supposed to have been played by Jon Pertwee and Jones by Jack Haig - hard now to think of anyone else in those roles

Also at one time it was intended for Arthur Lowe to play the sergeant and John le Mesurier to be Captain Mainwaring - stroke of genius to switch them.

 

[vegster]

Also at one time it was intended for Arthur Lowe to play the sergeant and John le Mesurier to be Captain Mainwaring - stroke of genius to switch them.

Almost correct. The plan was for Lowe's Mainwaring to be a bit wet and for Le Mesurier to be the bolshy, loud sergeant, well that's what I heard. Croft and Perry did go back to the original idea though with It Ain't Half Hot Mum In which we had a rather dippy Captain Ashwood and our bombastic Sgt. Major Williams.

 

[tinycowboy]

Uncle Monty was meant to play Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.

 

[lawros left foot]

Ray Liotta turned down the role of Tony Soprano

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I think Tom Hanks turned down the role of Andy in Shawshank Redemption.