Jenna Fischer as Sydney Bristow? Rosie O'Donnell as Elaine Benes?
TheMo...@aol.com
of Meathead on "All in the Family?"
Ford turned down the classic part of Archie Bunker's son-in-law,
Michael "Meathead" Stivic, which ended up becoming Rob Reiner's
breakout role.
And Rosie O'Donnell almost landed in our living room on a daily basis
as Jerry Seinfeld's female best friend, Elaine Benes, on "Seinfeld,"
the character Julia Louis-Dreyfus nailed.
A new book, "Mickey Rooney as Archie Bunker and Other TV Casting
Almosts" by Eila Mell, reveals hundreds of weird casting would-have-
beens.
"I interviewed tons of casting directors and discovered all these
castings that didn't happen either because some turned down the role,
or some didn't get it. Some were just totally wrong for the part and
just auditioned," Mell told Page Six.
* The legendary Rooney was offered the Archie Bunker part but turned
it down because he didn't want to play a bigot.
* Whitney Houston turned down the role of Denise Huxtable on "The
Cosby Show" because she wanted to have a singing career. Lisa Bonet
took the part.
* Rachel Dratch played Jenna Maroney in the pilot for "30 Rock," but
producers pulled the part from her and gave it to sexpot Jane
Krakowski.
* Casting directors thought "The Office" cutie Jenna Fischer wasn't
sexy enough to play Sydney Bristow on "Alias," so they handed the role
to Jennifer Garner.
* Leonardo DiCaprio almost landed on "Baywatch" as David Hasselhoff's
son.
* Courteney Cox's Monica Geller on "Friends" was nearly played by
Nancy McKeon, who had finished "The Facts of Life" years earlier.
Mell has another book out all about movies, titled "Casting Might Have
Beens."
Bluuuue rAjAh
80c5-41a1-a80...@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com:
> WOULD Harrison Ford's career have been different had he taken the role
> of Meathead on "All in the Family?"
>
> Ford turned down the classic part of Archie Bunker's son-in-law,
> Michael "Meathead" Stivic, which ended up becoming Rob Reiner's
> breakout role.
Ford might have become a really famous comedian, instead of a really
famous action hero. But he works best as an action hero, because he's a
pretty boy, and Reiner was better as Meathead, because he's the
everyman. Handsome Harrison might have badly damaged the show.
> And Rosie O'Donnell almost landed in our living room on a daily basis
> as Jerry Seinfeld's female best friend, Elaine Benes, on "Seinfeld,"
> the character Julia Louis-Dreyfus nailed.
The mere thought makes my skin crawl. ;(
> A new book, "Mickey Rooney as Archie Bunker and Other TV Casting
> Almosts" by Eila Mell, reveals hundreds of weird casting would-have-
> beens.
>
> "I interviewed tons of casting directors and discovered all these
> castings that didn't happen either because some turned down the role,
> or some didn't get it. Some were just totally wrong for the part and
> just auditioned," Mell told Page Six.
>
> * The legendary Rooney was offered the Archie Bunker part but turned
> it down because he didn't want to play a bigot.
But he was fine with that ridiculous Japanese caricature from Breakfast
at Tiffany's. :b
> * Whitney Houston turned down the role of Denise Huxtable on "The
> Cosby Show" because she wanted to have a singing career. Lisa Bonet
> took the part.
She probably wouldn't have met Bobby Brown and become a serious
crackhead.
> * Rachel Dratch played Jenna Maroney in the pilot for "30 Rock," but
> producers pulled the part from her and gave it to sexpot Jane
> Krakowski.
>
> * Casting directors thought "The Office" cutie Jenna Fischer wasn't
> sexy enough to play Sydney Bristow on "Alias," so they handed the role
> to Jennifer Garner.
I was quite impressed by Jenna's performance in Charlie Wilson's War.
It wasn't a huge stretch from what she does on the office, but it shows
that she has at least a little acting range.
> * Leonardo DiCaprio almost landed on "Baywatch" as David Hasselhoff's
> son.
It probably wouldn't have hurt him at all.
Rob Jensen
>* Casting directors thought "The Office" cutie Jenna Fischer wasn't
>sexy enough to play Sydney Bristow on "Alias," so they handed the role
>to Jennifer Garner.
Jenna Fischer as Sydney, John Krazinski as Vaughn. Now *that* would
have made a great show. As long as Rainn Wilson still had no chance
of playing Sark.
-- Rob
--
LORELAI: I am so done with plans. I am never, ever making one again.
It never works. I spend the day obsessing over why it didn't work
and what I could've done differently. I'm analyzing all my shortcomings
when all I really need to be doing is vowing to never, ever make a plan
ever again, which I'm doing now, having once again been the innocent
victim of my own stupid plans. God, I need some coffee.
Ian J. Ball
wrote:
>
> A new book, "Mickey Rooney as Archie Bunker and Other TV Casting
> Almosts" by Eila Mell, reveals hundreds of weird casting would-have-
> beens.
>
> sexy enough to play Sydney Bristow on "Alias," so they handed the role
> to Jennifer Garner.
What a major F-up, at least in the sexiness department (hint: Jennifer
Garner is a *MAN*, baby!!).
I'm not sure Fischer could have pulled off the physicality of the
role. But I do know that I would have actually cared what happened to
Syndey Bristow if she had played the part instead of Garner.
mike...@gmail.com
wrote:
Is the whole book written in bullet points?
sea...@altavista.com
> "MikeMWired...@live.com" <TheMott...@aol.com> wrote in news:53383578-
> 80c5-41a1-a806-3dc776ec5...@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com:
> > * Casting directors thought "The Office" cutie Jenna Fischer wasn't
> > sexy enough to play Sydney Bristow on "Alias," so they handed the role
> > to Jennifer Garner.
>
> I was quite impressed by Jenna's performance in Charlie Wilson's War.
> It wasn't a huge stretch from what she does on the office, but it shows
> that she has at least a little acting range.
She wasn't in Charlie Wilson's War. You're probably thinking of Amy
Adams.
shawn
wrote:
>"MikeMW...@live.com" <TheMo...@aol.com> wrote in news:53383578-
>80c5-41a1-a80...@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com:
>
>> WOULD Harrison Ford's career have been different had he taken the role
>> of Meathead on "All in the Family?"
>>
>> Ford turned down the classic part of Archie Bunker's son-in-law,
>> Michael "Meathead" Stivic, which ended up becoming Rob Reiner's
>> breakout role.
>
>Ford might have become a really famous comedian, instead of a really
>famous action hero. But he works best as an action hero, because he's a
>pretty boy, and Reiner was better as Meathead, because he's the
>everyman. Handsome Harrison might have badly damaged the show.
I don't know if he would have become a famous comedian. I think at
that point in his career his looks would have worked against him in
that role, which might have hurt him in future work. As you say that
might have also worked against the show so he might have been written
out after a year or two.
>> And Rosie O'Donnell almost landed in our living room on a daily basis
>> as Jerry Seinfeld's female best friend, Elaine Benes, on "Seinfeld,"
>> the character Julia Louis-Dreyfus nailed.
>
>The mere thought makes my skin crawl. ;(
Yeah, that wouldn't have been good. I don't think she would have
killed the show but it definitely wouldn't have been the same.
>> A new book, "Mickey Rooney as Archie Bunker and Other TV Casting
>> Almosts" by Eila Mell, reveals hundreds of weird casting would-have-
>> beens.
>>
>> "I interviewed tons of casting directors and discovered all these
>> castings that didn't happen either because some turned down the role,
>> or some didn't get it. Some were just totally wrong for the part and
>> just auditioned," Mell told Page Six.
>>
>> * The legendary Rooney was offered the Archie Bunker part but turned
>> it down because he didn't want to play a bigot.
>
>But he was fine with that ridiculous Japanese caricature from Breakfast
>at Tiffany's. :b
Rooney as Archie Bunker.... I'm having a hard time picturing what it
would have been like. Would he have made Archie more of a buffoon or
more comic? It doesn't seem likely that he would be doing a more
serious version.
>
>> * Whitney Houston turned down the role of Denise Huxtable on "The
>> Cosby Show" because she wanted to have a singing career. Lisa Bonet
>> took the part.
>
>She probably wouldn't have met Bobby Brown and become a serious
>crackhead.
That would have been good for her. Also she might have had more of an
acting career. I do think she would have still had a successful
singing career in time.
>> * Rachel Dratch played Jenna Maroney in the pilot for "30 Rock," but
>> producers pulled the part from her and gave it to sexpot Jane
>> Krakowski.
>>
>> * Casting directors thought "The Office" cutie Jenna Fischer wasn't
>> sexy enough to play Sydney Bristow on "Alias," so they handed the role
>> to Jennifer Garner.
>
>I was quite impressed by Jenna's performance in Charlie Wilson's War.
>It wasn't a huge stretch from what she does on the office, but it shows
>that she has at least a little acting range.
But would she have done well back when "Alias" was on the air. Maybe,
but somehow I don't think so.
>> * Leonardo DiCaprio almost landed on "Baywatch" as David Hasselhoff's
>> son.
>
>It probably wouldn't have hurt him at all.
Yeah, I can't see that being a problem. Almost any job is okay at that
young age, and isn't that likely to hurt him in the future.
sea...@altavista.com
> On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:45:17 GMT, Bluuuue rAjAh <Bluuuuue@Rajah.>
> wrote:
>
> >80c5-41a1-a806-3dc776ec5...@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com:
>
> >> of Meathead on "All in the Family?"
>
> >> Ford turned down the classic part of Archie Bunker's son-in-law,
> >> Michael "Meathead" Stivic, which ended up becoming Rob Reiner's
> >> breakout role.
>
> >Ford might have become a really famous comedian, instead of a really
> >famous action hero. But he works best as an action hero, because he's a
> >pretty boy, and Reiner was better as Meathead, because he's the
> >everyman. Handsome Harrison might have badly damaged the show.
>
> I don't know if he would have become a famous comedian. I think at
> that point in his career his looks would have worked against him in
> that role, which might have hurt him in future work. As you say that
> might have also worked against the show so he might have been written
> out after a year or two.
If he'd gotten that role, they probably would have down-played his
looks. If he grew his hair long, and slouched a bit, I think it could
have worked. He does have a certain goofy quality that comes out in
interviews, although we've rarely seen it his movies.
> >> And Rosie O'Donnell almost landed in our living room on a daily basis
> >> as Jerry Seinfeld's female best friend, Elaine Benes, on "Seinfeld,"
> >> the character Julia Louis-Dreyfus nailed.
>
> >The mere thought makes my skin crawl. ;(
>
> Yeah, that wouldn't have been good. I don't think she would have
> killed the show but it definitely wouldn't have been the same.
It certainly would have been different, and I have a hard time
imagining that it wouldn't have been worse.
> >> A new book, "Mickey Rooney as Archie Bunker and Other TV Casting
> >> Almosts" by Eila Mell, reveals hundreds of weird casting would-have-
> >> beens.
>
> >> "I interviewed tons of casting directors and discovered all these
> >> castings that didn't happen either because some turned down the role,
> >> or some didn't get it. Some were just totally wrong for the part and
> >> just auditioned," Mell told Page Six.
>
> >> * The legendary Rooney was offered the Archie Bunker part but turned
> >> it down because he didn't want to play a bigot.
>
> >But he was fine with that ridiculous Japanese caricature from Breakfast
> >at Tiffany's. :b
>
> Rooney as Archie Bunker.... I'm having a hard time picturing what it
> would have been like. Would he have made Archie more of a buffoon or
> more comic? It doesn't seem likely that he would be doing a more
> serious version.
I'd rather have seen Rosie O'Donnell playing Archie.
> >> * Whitney Houston turned down the role of Denise Huxtable on "The
> >> Cosby Show" because she wanted to have a singing career. Lisa Bonet
> >> took the part.
>
> >She probably wouldn't have met Bobby Brown and become a serious
> >crackhead.
>
> That would have been good for her. Also she might have had more of an
> acting career. I do think she would have still had a successful
> singing career in time.
And Lisa Bonet still managed to marry a rock star, as I recall. I
think Whitney would have found her way to crack one way or another.
> >> * Rachel Dratch played Jenna Maroney in the pilot for "30 Rock," but
> >> producers pulled the part from her and gave it to sexpot Jane
> >> Krakowski.
Am I the only one who finds Jane Krakowski not at all sexy? She does
a good job in that role, but part of what makes it funny for me is
that her character thinks she's so hot, and she really isn't.
> >> * Casting directors thought "The Office" cutie Jenna Fischer wasn't
> >> sexy enough to play Sydney Bristow on "Alias," so they handed the role
> >> to Jennifer Garner.
>
> >I was quite impressed by Jenna's performance in Charlie Wilson's War.
> >It wasn't a huge stretch from what she does on the office, but it shows
> >that she has at least a little acting range.
>
> But would she have done well back when "Alias" was on the air. Maybe,
> but somehow I don't think so.
I don't doubt that she's got the acting chops to pull it off, and
she's plenty sexy (remember, they have to de-glam her for "The
Office"). The only question for me would be whether she's athletic
enough. Maybe she is, but it's hard to tell when she's always behind
a desk.
> >> * Leonardo DiCaprio almost landed on "Baywatch" as David Hasselhoff's
> >> son.
>
> >It probably wouldn't have hurt him at all.
>
> Yeah, I can't see that being a problem. Almost any job is okay at that
> young age, and isn't that likely to hurt him in the future.
He did play some kid roles on sitcoms; that didn't hurt him. The
problem with "Baywatch" would have been that the show went on
forever. He could have still been there when Titanic came along. It
might not have killed his ascent to movie stardom, but it would have
delayed it.
Bluuuue rAjAh
news:d5f97909-0968-4bad...@8g2000hse.googlegroups.com:
There's no way to know, and he may have been just as good in that role
as in his others. He may have become just as bog a comedian as an
action hero, but her certainly wouldn't have done Star Wars or Raiders
of the Lost Ark.
Since All in the Family, Rob Reiner has hardly ever appeared in front of
the camera. Even if he succeeded in the role, Ford's subsequant career
may still have been difficult.
>> >> And Rosie O'Donnell almost landed in our living room on a daily
>> >> basis as Jerry Seinfeld's female best friend, Elaine Benes, on
>> >> "Seinfeld," the character Julia Louis-Dreyfus nailed.
>>
>> >The mere thought makes my skin crawl. ;(
>>
>> Yeah, that wouldn't have been good. I don't think she would have
>> killed the show but it definitely wouldn't have been the same.
>
> It certainly would have been different, and I have a hard time
> imagining that it wouldn't have been worse.
It certainly couldn't have been any better, and Mickey Rooney would have
had a hard time doing such a good job as Carol O'Connor.
I think most of us find her to be less sexy than the typical Hollywood
sex symbol. By the standards of normal people, of course, she's
amazing, but by Hollywood standards, she's got some qualities that are
likely to make her the butt of jokes. Julia-Louis Dreyfuss has that
same quality.
>> >> * Casting directors thought "The Office" cutie Jenna Fischer
>> >> wasn't sexy enough to play Sydney Bristow on "Alias," so they
>> >> handed the role to Jennifer Garner.
>>
>> >I was quite impressed by Jenna's performance in Charlie Wilson's
>> >War.
>
>> >It wasn't a huge stretch from what she does on the office, but it
>> >shows that she has at least a little acting range.
>>
>> But would she have done well back when "Alias" was on the air. Maybe,
>> but somehow I don't think so.
>
> I don't doubt that she's got the acting chops to pull it off, and
> she's plenty sexy (remember, they have to de-glam her for "The
> Office"). The only question for me would be whether she's athletic
> enough. Maybe she is, but it's hard to tell when she's always behind
> a desk.
She must have been very young when Alias started, which would make her
quite malleable. I don't know that Jennifer Garner was athletic before
she got that show, but it was all the stunts she had to do that got her
into shape. Now that she's not doing it any more, I don't think she's
in anywhere near the condition she used to be.
Rob Jensen
wrote:
>>> And Rosie O'Donnell almost landed in our living room on a daily basis
>>> as Jerry Seinfeld's female best friend, Elaine Benes, on "Seinfeld,"
>>> the character Julia Louis-Dreyfus nailed.
>>
>>The mere thought makes my skin crawl. ;(
>
>Yeah, that wouldn't have been good. I don't think she would have
>killed the show but it definitely wouldn't have been the same.
I'm not a Rosie hater, but Rosie playing Elaine would have killed the
show. Whether she was or wasn't out at the time is beside the point
that IMO no one would have believed that Jerry would have gone for
Rosie's basic personality type and thus, have been Jerry's
ex-girlfriend. And the fundamental reason is because Jerry and Elaine
-- and George and Kramer -- are all profoundly passive-aggressive
while Rosie is everything *but* passive-aggressive.
Rob Jensen
>> >> * Leonardo DiCaprio almost landed on "Baywatch" as David Hasselhoff's
>> >> son.
>>
>> >It probably wouldn't have hurt him at all.
>>
>> Yeah, I can't see that being a problem. Almost any job is okay at that
>> young age, and isn't that likely to hurt him in the future.
>
>He did play some kid roles on sitcoms; that didn't hurt him. The
>problem with "Baywatch" would have been that the show went on
>forever. He could have still been there when Titanic came along. It
>might not have killed his ascent to movie stardom, but it would have
>delayed it.
No. Baywatch pretty much killed the careers (and/or respectability)
of everyone who ever starred in it.
-- rob
Michael Black
> On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:44:47 -0700 (PDT), sea...@altavista.com wrote:
>
>>>>> * Leonardo DiCaprio almost landed on "Baywatch" as David Hasselhoff's
>>>>> son.
>>>
>>>> It probably wouldn't have hurt him at all.
>>>
>>> Yeah, I can't see that being a problem. Almost any job is okay at that
>>> young age, and isn't that likely to hurt him in the future.
>>
>> He did play some kid roles on sitcoms; that didn't hurt him. The
>> problem with "Baywatch" would have been that the show went on
>> forever. He could have still been there when Titanic came along. It
>> might not have killed his ascent to movie stardom, but it would have
>> delayed it.
>
> No. Baywatch pretty much killed the careers (and/or respectability)
> of everyone who ever starred in it.
>
That implies they would have headed towards a long career in the first
place.
"Hobie Buchannon" has barely had anything, before or after. If he'd
not been on "Baywatch", he'd be invisible.
Of course, there was "Baywatch" before there was "Baywatch", ie the
original with Parker Stevenson and Shawn Weatherly.
Michael
Bluuuue rAjAh
news:ccvla4hm29to3u8tj...@4ax.com:
> On Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:36:59 -0400, shawn <nanof...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>>> And Rosie O'Donnell almost landed in our living room on a daily
>>>> basis as Jerry Seinfeld's female best friend, Elaine Benes, on
>>>> "Seinfeld," the character Julia Louis-Dreyfus nailed.
>>>
>>>The mere thought makes my skin crawl. ;(
>>
>>Yeah, that wouldn't have been good. I don't think she would have
>>killed the show but it definitely wouldn't have been the same.
>
> I'm not a Rosie hater, but Rosie playing Elaine would have killed the
> show. Whether she was or wasn't out at the time is beside the point
> that IMO no one would have believed that Jerry would have gone for
> Rosie's basic personality type and thus, have been Jerry's
> ex-girlfriend. And the fundamental reason is because Jerry and Elaine
> -- and George and Kramer -- are all profoundly passive-aggressive
> while Rosie is everything *but* passive-aggressive.
Yeah, she's just plain aggressive. Is that a psychiatric disorder?
sea...@altavista.com
> On Tue, 19 Aug 2008, Rob Jensen wrote:
> > On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:44:47 -0700 (PDT), sea...@altavista.com wrote:
>
> >>>>> * Leonardo DiCaprio almost landed on "Baywatch" as David Hasselhoff's
> >>>>> son.
>
> >>>> It probably wouldn't have hurt him at all.
>
> >>> Yeah, I can't see that being a problem. Almost any job is okay at that
> >>> young age, and isn't that likely to hurt him in the future.
>
> >> He did play some kid roles on sitcoms; that didn't hurt him. The
> >> problem with "Baywatch" would have been that the show went on
> >> forever. He could have still been there when Titanic came along. It
> >> might not have killed his ascent to movie stardom, but it would have
> >> delayed it.
>
> > No. Baywatch pretty much killed the careers (and/or respectability)
> > of everyone who ever starred in it.
>
> That implies they would have headed towards a long career in the first
> place.
>
> "Hobie Buchannon" has barely had anything, before or after. If he'd
> not been on "Baywatch", he'd be invisible.
We don't know that. It might be the lingering "Baywatch" stench that
has kept him from getting any more work. If DiCaprio had gotten the
part, the other guy might be winning Oscars, and dating supermodels,
and hanging with Al Gore these days.
Rob Jensen
I think Billy Warlock would still have no career.
-- Rob
William December Starr
Bluuuue rAjAh <Bluuuuue@Rajah.> said:
> Rob Jensen <Shut...@aol.com> wrote in
> news:ccvla4hm29to3u8tj...@4ax.com:
>
>> I'm not a Rosie hater, but Rosie playing Elaine would have killed
>> the show. Whether she was or wasn't out at the time is beside
>> the point that IMO no one would have believed that Jerry would
>> have gone for Rosie's basic personality type and thus, have been
>> Jerry's ex-girlfriend. And the fundamental reason is because
>> Jerry and Elaine -- and George and Kramer -- are all profoundly
>> passive-aggressive while Rosie is everything *but* passive-aggressive.
>
> Yeah, she's just plain aggressive. Is that a psychiatric disorder?
No, just really annoying.
-- wds
Bluuuue rAjAh
news:g8lrvc$10i$1...@panix2.panix.com:
I think it is. Remember the classic George Carlin routine - Some people
are just plain stupid; some people are full of shit, and some people are
fucking nuts.