Billy Porter did an AMAZING rendition of "Last Midnight" on his album, The Corner of Broadway and Soul. He also tells the story about his audition. UGH. If only that had actually happened...
Oh, and John Goodman was actually set to play Edna in HAIRSPRAY when the show was going to Vegas, but pulled out last second, and Harvey Fierstein jumped in.
Richard Dreyfuss was rehearsing THE PRODUCERS in London, and was injured two weeks before the show opened, and Nathan Lane was begged to replace him, and did so... for preeetty penny.
lol
Got some stories, but they're all FILM. :)
Orson Welles, Anthony Quinn, and Marlon Brando were all offered Tevye in the FIDDLER ON THE ROOF film. Frank Sinatra and Danny Kaye actively pursued it, but Norm Jewison (Director) turned them down. Strangely enough, Danny Kaye had been offered to play Tevye in multiple productions, but always turned it down. Shame, he would have be perfection.
Danny was also in consideration for the film adaptation of KISS ME KATE, along with Judy Garland and Laurence Olivier.
Mary Martin and Danny Kaye were seriously considered by Walt Disney for MARY POPPINS.
Maureen O'Hara claims that she came to Disney with the idea of a film based on Poppins years before the Julie Andrews/Dick Van Dyke film. She was also originally set to be Anna in THE KING AND I.
Shirley MacLaine time!
ALL THAT JAZZ:
Bob Fosse offered the role of Audrey Paris to MacLaine, who claims she gave Fosse the inspiration to make a movie about his experiences as a heart attack survivor. Some say MacLaine turned Fosse down because he couldn't meet her salary demands.
THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS:
Shirley MacLaine campaigned to play the lead role. The studio rejected the idea.
THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN:
According to a friend of director Chuck Walters: "His first choice for the lead role was Shirley MacLaine, but Debbie campaigned to unseat her. She and Chuck were buddies, so she played that card big time! Debbie even called Shirley directly to talk her out of accepting the role. Shirley had tons of other offers, so she graciously stepped aside. That made it possible for Debbie to play the role and garner her only nomination as Best Actress."
She also heavily campaigned herself for Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady.
Barbara Mandrell auditioned for Mona for the WHOREHOUSE film, and Crystal Gayle screen tested for it. Along with Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson being considered for Ed.
Cher was offered Christine Baranski's role in MAMMA MIA!, and was considered for Mama Morton in CHICAGO. She was also supposed to star in A STAR IS BORN, before a new director took over and cast Barbra.
Sandy Duncan screen tested for Minnie in HELLO,DOLLY!, and for a short time the studio considered firing Striesand and hiring Doris Day to replace her when Walter Matthau couldn't get along with the star.
Brendan Fraser heavily campaigned for himself to play The Phantom in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, but the studio turned him down. Keira Knightley auditioned for Christine, and admitted that the audition was embarrassing saying "I knew I couldn't sing it." Katie Holmes turned it down, as did Catherine Zeta-Jones, because she had just come off Chicago and didn't want to do two movie musicals back to back. According to IMDB, Meat Loaf was offered the role of the Phantom.
WHOO! That's all I got for now. :)
Updated On: 1/6/13 at 09:40 PM
