The Streetcar Not Named Brando
It’s impossible to imagine 'A Streetcar Named Desire' without Marlon Brando's raw, electrifying performance as Stanley Kowalski. His 1947 portrayal redefined stage acting. Yet, the play's director, Elia Kazan, initially had another actor in mind. The
role was first offered to John Garfield, a major movie star at the time. Garfield, however, made demands, including a guaranteed 10-month contract and top billing, which producer Irene Mayer Selznick refused. Only then did Kazan push for the relatively unknown Brando. Kazan sent the 23-year-old actor to meet playwright Tennessee Williams, who was instantly won over by Brando's reading, sealing a casting decision that would change theater history.
My Fair Lady Without Its Original Lady
Julie Andrews became a star playing Eliza Doolittle in 1956's 'My Fair Lady,' her voice and presence defining the role for a generation. But the part was not written for her. In fact, the show’s creators, Lerner and Loewe, desperately wanted Mary Martin, the reigning queen of Broadway who had starred in 'South Pacific' and 'Peter Pan'. Martin, however, turned it down after hearing a few of the songs, feeling the role wasn't for her. The producers then approached film star Deanna Durbin, who also passed. Only after an extensive search did they reluctantly audition a young Andrews, launching her international career and creating one of the most beloved musicals of all time.
The Sound of a Different Maria
Speaking of Mary Martin, while she passed on 'My Fair Lady,' her next project was another smash hit: 'The Sound of Music' (1959). Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote the part of Maria von Trapp specifically for her. But here’s the twist: the film world had other ideas. When it came time for the 1965 movie adaptation, Martin, then in her early 50s, was deemed too old to play the young postulant. The studio’s initial top choice was Doris Day, a massive box-office draw. After she turned it down, they considered stars like Leslie Caron and even Grace Kelly, who was intrigued but had already retired to become Princess of Monaco. The role ultimately went to Julie Andrews, fresh off being passed over for the film version of 'My Fair Lady,' cementing her status as a movie star.
The First Willy Loman Says No
Arthur Miller’s 'Death of a Salesman' (1949) is a titan of American drama, and the role of Willy Loman is one of its most demanding. Director Elia Kazan first offered the part to esteemed film actor Fredric March. It seemed like a perfect fit, but after reading the play, March turned it down, a decision he would later regret. With his first choice gone, Kazan pivoted and cast Lee J. Cobb, who delivered a legendary performance that defined the character on stage. March eventually got his chance to play Loman in the 1951 film adaptation, earning an Oscar nomination, but it was Cobb’s original stage portrayal that set the standard.
The Original Mama Rose of 'Gypsy'
The role of Mama Rose in 'Gypsy' (1959) is often called the King Lear of musical theater, and Ethel Merman’s explosive performance was the stuff of legend. Composer Jule Styne and lyricist Stephen Sondheim wrote the show with her voice and persona in mind. But Merman wasn't the only one considered for the role. Book writer Arthur Laurents initially wanted Judy Garland for the part, believing she could bring a vulnerability that Merman might lack. However, Garland’s notorious unreliability made producers nervous, and they ultimately went with the surefire powerhouse, Merman. The decision resulted in one of the most iconic performances of the Golden Age, though Merman was famously and painfully overlooked for the film version in favor of Rosalind Russell.
