" I Bet It's A Pip!"
" I Bet It's A Pip!"
#0" I Bet It's A Pip!"
Posted: 11/12/04 at 7:56am
Reportedly what Bette Davis said when offered the script of GONE WITH THE WIND. (I don't believe it.)
What other important films did big time actors turn down?
popcultureboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/23/03
#1re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 7:59amNowhere near the same league, but didn't Tom Selleck turn down the role of Indiana Jones?
#2re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:02amWhat happened with Shirly Temple and "The Wizard of Oz"? Was that her studios fault?
#3re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:06am
I've heard about Selleck and Indiana Jones and have heard the Shirley/Wizard story so many times I can't believe I'm vague on exactly what happened.
What about John Travolta turning down AMERICAN GIGOLO?
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#4re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:12am
Michelle Pfeiffer turned down Silence of the Lambs
I was under the impression that Davis was never offered GWTW because it was too much like Jezebel which she had just finished.
With Shirley Temple and WOO, I believe it was her mother that turned the show down.
#5re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:14amShirley probably hated her Mother after that..LOL !!!
popcultureboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/23/03
#6re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:17amThandie Newton had to decline the role that went to Lucy Liu in Charlie's Angels when shooting on Mission Impossible II went wildly out of control. And, after injuring himself on the set of the very same movie, Dougray Scott had to relinquish the role of Wolverine in X Men and we all know how that one turned out.
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#7re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:24am
no, if I recal correctly.. I grew an AVID Oz fan... Temple was under contract with Warner Bros and garland was under contract with MGM. MGM approached Oz about 'borrowing' Temple for Oz, but Warner Bros refused to loan he out, so MGM had to look through their contract stars and oplayers to find a viable Dorothy and someone, I forgot who.. Arthur Freed I believe, mentioned Garland championed for her to be screen tested for the role. Initially, the film began shooting under Richard Thorpe, and he had envisioned Dorothy to look somewhat like a grown up Temple. Thorpe was fired after two weeks and in the interim between directors, Dorothy was reimagined intow hat we know today.
I'll have to go flip through my books THE WIZARDRY OF OZ and THE MAKING OF THE WIZARD OF OZ and double check the facts.
#8re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:30am
Please check because I think Shirley was with Twentieth Century Fox. Was it Cukor who took off all the make up and blonde wig? Who got final director credit? Flemming or Vidor?
Shame on me for not remembering all of this perfectly. I used to hold on to movie history quite well.
PS: Should this turn into the official Judy Garland/Shirley Temple were the most amazing child stars thread?
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#9re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:32am
oh yes.. it WAS 20th Century Fox.. I am sorry.. the onld studio ystem can be quite frustrating to remember. lol. After Oz came out, Fox decided to rip it off with The Blur Bird starring Temple, but it BOMBED.
Thorpe started, Cukor filled in in the interim and reimagined Dorothy and her characterization, Fleming filmed all of the Oz sequences, but left to do Gone With The Wind, and Vidor came in and filmed the Kansas sequences. Fleming recieved final credit for the film.
#10re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:35am
Thanks Mr. Adorable. :)
I remember Shirley on a talk show - Dinah or David Frost - one of those - telling about the headline of the review - "The Blue Bird Lays an Egg."
broadwayguy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
#11re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 8:38amhahaha. oh yes. I think I have The Blue Bird SOMEWHERE On VHS.. If I can't find it, I shall have to geta nother copy. It's pretty funny. They rip off EVERY Ozian device MGM cooked up.
#12re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 9:10amGarland turned down THREE FACES OF EVE. She actually went into discussions with the director to do it, but ultimately nixed it. Joanne Woodward was second choice -- and got Oscar-ized for it.
#13re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 9:14am
Love THREE FACES OF EVE.
Never heard about Garland being offered that film.
NYadgal
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/04
#14re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 9:19am
Anthony Newly, James Booth and Lawrence Harvey all reportedly turned down ALFIE
NYadgal
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/04
#15re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 9:21amAlbert Finney turned down the role of Lawrence of Arabia in Lean's epic
NYadgal
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/04
#16re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 9:22amGary Cooper reportedly turned down the part of Rhett Butler.
NYadgal
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/04
#17re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 9:24am
Laurence Olivier, Richard Conte (Barzini) and John Marley (Jack Woltz) for the role of Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather, which was taken by Marlon Brando who was screen tested for Laurence of Arabia.
#18re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 9:25am
Mornin Addy. You're on a roll!
Glad someone puts in some time for the guys. :)
NYadgal
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/04
#19re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 9:30am
LOL...I love these subjects! 
You always start the best threads, Glebb
...now it's time to rack my brain about famous female turn-downs...
#20re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 1:06pm
The story regarding the casting of Dorothy goes like this: (according to Garland's biography) MGM bought the rights to Baum's Wizard of Oz as a vehicle for Judy Garland, who at the time was gaining popularity from radio appearances and small musical scenes in studio pictures, but had yet to find her niche. The announcement was made to Judy on her birthday in fact. Shortly there after, the studio decided that Judy was too old for the role, and wasn't a big enough draw yet, so the part was offered to Temple. It was eventually decided that Temple could not sing the role, her voice too "childish", and the part fell back to Garland.
The rest as they say, is history. :)
#21re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 4:28pmGwyneth Paltrow said she met with James Cameron regarding "Titanic." She did not know if he was checking her for the role, but said she was not interested in it.
EVIE
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/12/04
#22re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 4:32pm
Sorry for the stupid question, but what did she mean by "a pip"?
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#23re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 6:07pm
Not only did they want Shirley as Dorothy, they wanted W.C. Fields as the Wizard.
A young Robert Redford turned down both WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF and THE GRADUATE - providing huge breaks for George Segal and Dustin Hoffman.
Ricahrd Gere owes most of his career to Travolta, who turned down AMERICAN GIGOLO, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN and CHICAGO!
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#24re: ' I Bet It's A Pip!'
Posted: 11/12/04 at 6:27pm
Billy Crudup in TITANIC
Cher in A STAR IS BORN (Kristofferson version)
Nick Nolte in SUPERMAN(!!!)
Grace Kelly in MARNIE (Forbidden to do it by the monarchy because of racy subject matter)
Raquel Welch in CANNERY ROW (She sued)
Sissy Spacek in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (Kim Basinger was supposed to play Emma's best friend, Patsy)
Debra Winger in PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED, A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, BROADCAST NEWS, and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
Shirley Maclaine in POLTERGEIST (Her psychic told her not to)
Videos