Classic Female Lead Casting: Second Choices

Doris Day, Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Shirley Temple

Jul 20, 2009

Many of Hollywood's finest classic leading lady roles weren't ever supposed to be. These incredible casting lead accidents have made these films legendary over time.

Considering someone other than Claudette Colbert in 1934's It Happened One Night seems unthinkable. A coup like this appears as though it must have been the first and only choice for the casting director but, believe it or not, it wasn't the case. Many castings that came off as the quintessential choice often numbered second, third or even fourth on the 'possibles' list; such is the birth of the classic movie.

Had Ms. Day not been so apparently conscious of her All-American good-girl-next-door image, it might have been sweet Doris tempting Dustin Hoffman in that fateful seduction scene. Perhaps her impending commitment for The Doris Day Show (1968 – 72) made her nervous at the thought of everyone seeing Mrs. Robinson, and not Doris the lady, week after week.

Now knowing the finished work, it’s virtually impossible to imagine anything other than Anne Bancroft’s sultry, slightly wicked laugh at the suggestion she is trying to seduce The Graduate at odds with his life’s direction.

When Prince Rainier of Monaco waggled his finger in Grace’s direction, she appeared to all but run to the comforts of royal life, leaving the chaos and cacophony of Hollywood in her dust. Evidently, MGM felt the need to make the most of their property, rushing her into The Swan and just barely into High Society (both 1956) before she was done.

Grace was slated to be their Maggie as well but given the crown she was getting in exchange for the one she was giving up, it was likely no contest. Then again, the more voluptuous, fiery Elizabeth Taylor in Helen Rose’s classic gorgeous white chiffon was a far better choice for the tempestuous “Maggie the Cat” role than Grace ever would have been.

Similar to Ms. Kelly but earlier by seven years, Rita looked to be far too tempted by a palatial lifestyle. She didn’t accept the role that Columbia studio boss Harry Cohn had reportedly paid big bucks for when Prince Aly Khan beckoned. Judy Holliday had just been signed to a studio contract, was deemed okay as a substitute for the lead role in Born Yesterday and the rest is history.

Given the atypical beauty of the blonde actress, the slightly (!) nasal quality of her vocals and the brassy edge to her characterization, it’s a lucky thing for Judy that Rita had other things to do. Rita would have been fine; Judy was fabulous and her resulting Oscar attests to that.

The thirties were the domain of child star Shirley Temple and it seemed almost a given that an important female lead had to be offered to the dimpled imp before anyone else could be considered. The problem was that Darryl Zanuck owned Shirley’s contract and The Wizard of Oz was the property of MGM. Legend has it that Darryl’s refusal to loan Shirley was, in hindsight, one of the greatest casting mistakes never inked.

Frustrated at not being able to cast their first choice and thinking they had nothing to lose, the big bosses at MGM finally gave the role to a current contract player, Judy Garland, and simply hoped for the best. What they received in return was a masterpiece and what is generally considered to be one of the greatest performances by a youngster ever to grace the silver screen.

The copyright of the article Classic Female Lead Casting: Second Choices in Classic Films is owned by Deborah Read. Permission to republish Classic Female Lead Casting: Second Choices in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.