Was Chita Rivera ever considered for the West Side Story Musical??

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 7:35pm

Now, that I'm more educated on the subject, I want to know why Chita wasn't in the West Side Story Movie? Don't get me wrong, I love Moreno, but I'm sure there is a story out there to this. Maybe Chita wasn't even considered, Rita was maybe a bit more known than her, but then again, they already had the big name of Natalie Wood. Maybe Rita was one of their studio actors and they just used her? I don't know...does anyone have any information on this....also has anyone read Chita's remarks on the whole thing.

BTW, The Chita-Rita song in forbidden broadway is really funny.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 7:37pm

I don't know for sure, but I think it had something to do with star power. She just wasn't famous then and they wanted names for the movie. The original bway Maria (Carol Lawrence, I think) asked to be considered for the movie and the flat out turned her down, so maybe it has something to do with that.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 7:42pm

everyone said that she was great in "kiss of the spider woman" i felt she was a little too old for the role.she was about to die while dancing.and her voice is not too good either.vanessa williams..on the other hand was outstanding.besides the spider woman needs to be beautiful....just my point of view...not saying anything bad about chita..dont get mad at me people. just want to see if anyone agrees with me.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 7:45pm

Moreno was no more well-known than Rivera at the time (WSS made Moreno into a "name"). I've heard it had to do with Moreno being more "movie star pretty" than Rivera, who simply didn't photograph as well. Hollywood wanted slightly ethnic "types" (which is why Natalie Wood in a black wig can pass for Puerto Rican in Hollywood's eyes), not the real thing and Rivera looked too "ethnic" for them. Moreno had more of the "look" they wanted.

Updated On: 2/4/05 at 07:45 PM

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 7:46pm

hmmmm, well if she wasn't the established Chita Rivera that she was she wouldn't have gotten the role(refering the Kiss of the Spiderwoman) Updated On: 2/4/05 at 07:46 PM

[kudzu]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 7:51pm

I actually know the answer to this one, she was offered the role and turned it down to do another broadway musical.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 7:54pm

I guess it was Bye, Bye Birdie

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 7:55pm

Not sure what you're saying. Chita was not famous when she was cast in the stage version of WSS and was an unknown to Hollywood.

If you meant to say Moreno, the producers already had their star insurance by casting Wood, so they could cast virtual unknowns like Rivera, Beymer and Chakiris is the other lead roles. Moreno had been in a string of forgettable B-movies in supporting roles up to that point (with the exception of playing Tuptim in the movie version of the King & I), was not in any way a "name" at that point. She was cast because she could handle the dancing and singing (some of which was dubbed) and looked Latin (but not TOO Latin like Rivera).

Updated On: 2/4/05 at 07:55 PM

[Justice]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 8:00pm

The truth is that the camera does not like Chita. They originally wanted her as Spanish Rose in the Bye Bye Birdie film, but she couldn't pass the screen test, as the camera did not film her best features. What they did film was her dance moves so that the woman they did cast in the actual film could learn the moves.
Chita's one film (not counting her cameo in Chicago) was Sweet Charity. If you see this film, you will understand why she has not done more films. She did not have the suited look for the camera.

[kudzu]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 8:02pm

Yes that's it!

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 8:05pm

So Janet Leigh got the part in Bye, Bye Birdie right??? Also, is the character really called spanish Rose??

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 8:11pm

I think Chita has a great singing voice

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 8:43pm

Margo, I was referring to her Kiss of the Spiderwoman....later I made it clear....But I LOVE your information...and everyone else's...THANK YOU Updated On: 2/4/05 at 08:43 PM

Posted: 2/4/05 at 8:45pm

Wow I thought she was great in the Charity film. of course her role in it isn't supposed to be uber pretty or galmorous--but is Anita?

I saw her in the tour of KISS when I was 13 in Vancouver--and it remains one of the most thrilling experiences I've had in the theatre. I dunno--ti was a long time back (though I still have her awesome Tony performance clip from it on tape) but she never seemed like she "was going to die"... Part of this is cuz Marshall's choreogrpahy for the fantasy sequences was so well done--so he had her only do as much as she could--but certainly Vanessa's dancing was criticized as a comedown after Chita (although she waspriased on her voice and the new dimensions she brought to the role)

E

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/4/05 at 8:46pm

I figured that out after I posted and then saw your clarification.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 2/5/05 at 2:20pm

MTVMANN, the character is not called Spanish Rose. It is the title of one of the songs Rose sings in Bye, Bye Birdie.