I was watching 'Cabaret' the other night and a question struck me that I thought some of the more knowlegdable broadway folk on this board could answer. Why was Joel Grey cast in 'Cabaret' the movie? I don't mean this in a negative way, but after Julie Andrews didn't get 'My Fair Lady' and Carol Channing didn't get 'Hello Dolly' why did hollywood cast Grey. With hollywood's track record, I thought that they would have wanted a bigger star for the role?
My guess is that they didn't want a star that overpowered Liza Minelli.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
I don't remember exactly, but I think one of the producers of the film insisted on Joel's being cast. Or someone insisted. I don't really remember who.
Well, the Emcee isn't really a starring role. Grey was billed last, so I don't think they were looking for a star. If Jill Hayworth had been cast as Sally over Minnelli, that would have been different.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
I agree he's great in the role and I love the fact that his performence was preserved for those of us who weren't first around to see it. Still it find it funny they didn't dump grey for someone alittle bit more hollywood. I don't know...
I think it's pretty clear. When you have someone who nailed a role the way he did, why even bother with anyone else? They knew they struck gold with him. Good for those producers who knew exactly what they were doing.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
Bob Fosse did NOT want to cast Grey as the MC, but the producers (I believe) told Fosse that CABARET came with Joel Grey, it wasn't a choice. Grey really did the role to perfection. And he has great chemistry with Liza in the scenes they share.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"