In Reply to: classic cases of miscasting posted by ishmael on February 26, 2002 at 12:04:16:
Patty Duke in the part Judy Garland wanted in Valley Of The Dolls. A gawdawful film.Rex Reed in Myra Breckenridge. Not because the film is even worse than Valley Of The Dolls (it's one of the all-time crappy flicks), but because Reed is possibly the only actor in the known universe with less acting ability than Pamela Anderson Lee.
Tom Ewell in STATE FAIR (1961). Here is one of the great character actors, with the legendary Alice Faye as his co-star, singing a love song to a hog! A bad flick, although not nearly as bad as the aforementioned duo, and embarassing to watch.
John Wayne as Genghis Kahn in THE CONQUERER (1956). Remember, this was the same year he made THE SEARCHERS, which is one of the finest films of all time. Seeing The Duke playing an Oriental despot is really funny. He stinks and the film is even worse!
Johnny Ray is THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS. Ray was a pretty good singer but he had zero screen presence. Being in the same movie as Dan Dailey, Donald O'Conner, Marilyn Monroe, and Ethel Merman was a career killer for him. Not that the film was bad, it was okay, but because he became invisible whenever he had to share screen time with any of them.
Ava Gardner in the 1951 version of SHOWBOAT. Gardner was certainly beautiful and an excellent actress but she was all wrong for the part of Julie. She wasn't terrible but the movie needed somebody like the legendary Lena Horne in the part. Gardner was too young for the part. To see perfect casting, see the James Whale 1936 SHOWBOAT with Helen Morgan in the part.
Rosiland Russel in GYPSY. Playing Momma Rose, Russel was all wrong. She was one of the greatest comic actresses to ever grace the screen (just see His Girl Friday) and was a hell of a fine dramatic actress (see Picnic) too. But she was way wrong for Momma Rose. She couldn't sing and was not brassy enough while being too frenetic. The part was written for Ethel Merman and she should have played it. Bette Midler was near-perfection in the tv production.
Lee Marvin in PAINT YOUR WAGON. Marvin was an Oscar-winning actor. His Cat Ballou dual-role was classic. He was funny in PAINT YOUR WAGON except when he had to sing. Remember, this was a musical. He belonged in a musical like Ernest Borgnine belongs in a beauty contest.
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Follow Ups
- Valley of the Dolls and more - danj 23:15:53 02/26/02 (0)