As a postscript, Jackie Gleason was also offered "The Tonight Show" before Johnny Carson and turned it down. How Sweet THAT could have been!
Gary Begin
Gary Begin
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Maybe not sweet enough for Reggie Van Gleason's liking. 
Gleason had already tried a talk show in 1961(as an 'instant replacement' for his failed game show 'In the Picture'), but he was uncomfortable in the host role, and likely wouldn't have wanted to try it again. In the end, things worked out perfectly for Gleason and Carson-CBS gabe Gleason another shot on Saturday nights, and both had long runs in the formats they did best.
Gleason had already tried a talk show in 1961(as an 'instant replacement' for his failed game show 'In the Picture'), but he was uncomfortable in the host role, and likely wouldn't have wanted to try it again. In the end, things worked out perfectly for Gleason and Carson-CBS gabe Gleason another shot on Saturday nights, and both had long runs in the formats they did best.
I read that Gavin McLeod read for the role of Lou Grant but came across as not authoritative enough, but they liked him and had him read for Murray. This is kind of odd since he became quite authoritative on his next series "Love Boat."
I also read on "Golden Girls," Betty White and Rue McClanahan swapped parts as Rose was similar to Rue's character on "Maude," and Blanche was similar to Sue Ann on "Mary Tyler Moore." So rather than repeat themselves they swapped roles. And it futher said EVERYONE (Bea, Rue, Betty and Estelle) wanted the part of Sofia.
I also read that Bea Benaderet wanted to play Granny really bad, but Paul Henning thought Bea was too busty for his idea of "Granny" and Granny should be a wirely little 90 pound hill woman. Then Paul created a role of "Cousin Pearl" to keep Bea affiliated with the show.
I remember an interview given by Al "Grandpa Munster" Lewis who said both he and Fred Gwen were very much against Yvonne DeCarlo playing Lilly as both of them thought that Yvonne being an (in his words) actual movie star, would be able to relate well to having a secondary role on a minor black and white TV show. Then Lewis goes on to say "Boy were we wrong, who knew."
You have to remember a lot of these actors read for virtually everything but are never contenders. Press agents always like to say "I was up for this role, when their clients were never seriously in contention."
It's like with the movie "Gone With The Wind," virtually every actress and actor read for the leading parts of those show. Or "The Wizard of Oz," once they couldn't get Shirley Temple, they read some more actresses but in those days unless it was really a plum role the studios used someone from their own lot if at all possible.
I'm sure few if any of you have heard of my favourite Soap Opera from Australia called Prisoner Cell Block H, the leading lady "Bea Smith," was read for by 5 different actresses and eventually all 5 (including the one chosen to play Bea) all appeared in the show in major roles. Two of them Joan and Judy, outlasted the original character Bea, so sometimes in TV things happen.
But sometimes you can see miscastings like Mark Hamill as David in "Eight is Enough," obviously Hamill has talent but he just wasn't good in that role.
I also read on "Golden Girls," Betty White and Rue McClanahan swapped parts as Rose was similar to Rue's character on "Maude," and Blanche was similar to Sue Ann on "Mary Tyler Moore." So rather than repeat themselves they swapped roles. And it futher said EVERYONE (Bea, Rue, Betty and Estelle) wanted the part of Sofia.
I also read that Bea Benaderet wanted to play Granny really bad, but Paul Henning thought Bea was too busty for his idea of "Granny" and Granny should be a wirely little 90 pound hill woman. Then Paul created a role of "Cousin Pearl" to keep Bea affiliated with the show.
I remember an interview given by Al "Grandpa Munster" Lewis who said both he and Fred Gwen were very much against Yvonne DeCarlo playing Lilly as both of them thought that Yvonne being an (in his words) actual movie star, would be able to relate well to having a secondary role on a minor black and white TV show. Then Lewis goes on to say "Boy were we wrong, who knew."
You have to remember a lot of these actors read for virtually everything but are never contenders. Press agents always like to say "I was up for this role, when their clients were never seriously in contention."
It's like with the movie "Gone With The Wind," virtually every actress and actor read for the leading parts of those show. Or "The Wizard of Oz," once they couldn't get Shirley Temple, they read some more actresses but in those days unless it was really a plum role the studios used someone from their own lot if at all possible.
I'm sure few if any of you have heard of my favourite Soap Opera from Australia called Prisoner Cell Block H, the leading lady "Bea Smith," was read for by 5 different actresses and eventually all 5 (including the one chosen to play Bea) all appeared in the show in major roles. Two of them Joan and Judy, outlasted the original character Bea, so sometimes in TV things happen.
But sometimes you can see miscastings like Mark Hamill as David in "Eight is Enough," obviously Hamill has talent but he just wasn't good in that role.
Joyce Bulifant was considered for Carol Brady. I wonder if she would have dated Greg...uh, Barry Williams! ;D Supposedly, they also had three brunette girls and three blond boys on standby if they ever decided to reverse the genetics! I suppose that would have meant a rewrite of the theme song! ;D As it was, Bobby (Mike Lookinland) had to have his hair dyed to be dark enough to be a Brady brother!Corky Marlowe said:
firepoint525 said:
I read Joyce was actually set for the role but when Joyce was Carol, Alice the maid was going to be played by Kathleen Freeman, who you would probably not know but instantly recognize if you saw her face.
I've heard two versions one said that Ann B Davis replaced Freeman and Joyce didn't work well against Ann B Davis and the other thing I read said Henderson replaced Bulifant and Freeman didn't work against Florence.
I read in Sherwood Schwartz bio that only Susan "Cindy" Olsen got the part, all the rest of the kids were to be played off each other. Only Cindy was considered "a shoe-in" regardless of which way the casting went.
C
chris12
Guest
I read that Penny Marshall who was Rob Reiner's wife at the time was considered for the role of Gloria.
On the Full House season 1 dvd the director Jeff Franklin said on a commentary he was interested in Paul Reiser for Danny Tanner but he was committed to My Two Dads so he then taoed a pilot with John Posey then cast Bob Saget once he was available.
For Three's Comapany they taped a pilot with Susan Lanier as Chrissy.
On the Full House season 1 dvd the director Jeff Franklin said on a commentary he was interested in Paul Reiser for Danny Tanner but he was committed to My Two Dads so he then taoed a pilot with John Posey then cast Bob Saget once he was available.
For Three's Comapany they taped a pilot with Susan Lanier as Chrissy.
"Alice the maid was going to be played by Kathleen Freeman, who you would probably not know but instantly recognize if you saw her face. I've heard two versions one said that Ann B Davis replaced Freeman and Joyce didn't work well against Ann B Davis and the other thing I read said Henderson replaced Bulifant and Freeman didn't work against Florence."
Kathleen Freeman was a great charactor actor. Being plain and of rather...uh..sturdy build, she tended to play maids and service workers, but also often played stern, even mean teachers and authority figures. The Ann B. Davis maid (can't remember the character's name) was too sweet for the characters Freeman generally played.
Freeman's most notable performance was probably Sister Mary Stigmata in original Blues Brother movie. Talk about mean!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0293466/
Kathleen Freeman was a great charactor actor. Being plain and of rather...uh..sturdy build, she tended to play maids and service workers, but also often played stern, even mean teachers and authority figures. The Ann B. Davis maid (can't remember the character's name) was too sweet for the characters Freeman generally played.
Freeman's most notable performance was probably Sister Mary Stigmata in original Blues Brother movie. Talk about mean!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0293466/
When Charles Lane was dropped and Dick Martin was in the process of leaving from the Lucy Show, Lucille Ball actually offered a role to Peter Marshall ( a few years before he would go on to Hollywood Squares). He already did one Lucy Show playing her brother-in-law.
However Marshall didn't like dealing with Lucy's controlling ways and he didn't get along Vivian Vance so he turned down the role.
However Marshall didn't like dealing with Lucy's controlling ways and he didn't get along Vivian Vance so he turned down the role.
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