Colonel Parker didn't turn down Tony in WSS for Elvis because the part was too highbrow. It was the opposite. The Colonel regarded Tony as a "juvenile delinquent" and didn't want Elvis to sully his image playing urban trash. Elvis didn't find out about the offer until the film opened and was furious with The Colonel.
Off topic, but when the film opened my mother wouldn't let me see it. The ladies at her beauty parlor told her the film was about juvenile delinquents in New York who had sex and smoked marijuana. That's what I had been hoping.
Updated On: 10/27/21 at 08:51 AM
Was LaChanze ever actually about to take over as Eponine sometime in the '90s, or was that a rumor? I remember it being published in The Barricade (along with a rumor about Michael W. Smith as Enjolras), and neither came to fruition. The editor in chief was great and I didn't see her as the type to share stuff like that unless she was pretty confident it was happening.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
Going by the original post concerning deceased actors and actresses, I would have loved to see Madeline Kahn in “ Hello Dolly”. Dixie Carter in “ Sunset Blvd”. Diahann Carroll in “ Mame” or “ Master Class”.
David10086 said: "Going by the original post concerning deceased actors and actresses, I would have loved to see Madeline Kahn in “ Hello Dolly”. Dixie Carter in “ Sunset Blvd”. Diahann Carroll in “ Mame” or “ Master Class”."
Kahn actually did get to do Dolly in a regional tour in the early 90s. You can hear her doing the title number (partially up the octave!) on YouTube
NOWaWarning said: "David10086 said: "Going by the original post concerning deceased actors and actresses, I would have loved to see Madeline Kahn in “ Hello Dolly”. Dixie Carter in “ Sunset Blvd”. Diahann Carroll in “ Mame” or “ Master Class”."
Kahn actually did get to do Dolly in a regional tour in the early 90s. You can hear her doing the title number (partially up the octave!) on YouTube"
Why are any of those "impossible"? Ripley may not have all the notes for Sally...but other than that, all of those are feasible casting. O'Hara could certainly replace Foster if the show ends up recasting in a year?
Martin Short as Buddy in City of Angels. (With John Hamm as Stone. Though his singing abilities appear unknown, I've always suspected he could pull it off).
Ones where the parties are dead or too old to play these roles:
- Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon in The Matchmaker as Dolly and Horace - Deborah Kerr as Sally and Anne Bancroft as Phyllis in Follies - Jack Lemmon as Georg in She Loves Me - Maureen O'Hara as Lilli in Kiss Me Kate - James Dean as Prior Walter in Angels in America (yes I know this physically couldn't have happened because of when AIA came out even if Dean was alive. Let me dream.) - Michelle Pfeiffer as Jenna in Waitress - Amy Adams as Sarah in Guys and Dolls
One that COULD technically happen but probably never will: