Missed Opportunities

Did you know that Jerry Lewis turned down the role of the killer in CRUISING, the lead in BEING THERE, and the title role in CHARLY? What's more, he turned down the Robert Shaw part in JAWS, and the role of Salieri in AMADEUS. Also Peter Ustinov's part in LOGAN'S RUN. Can you imagine him as Humbert Humbert? Apparently he couldn't. And we will never have the privilege of knowing how he would have handled PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT -- he turned down a chance to star in and direct that film. He was also screen-tested for the Sterling Hayden role in THE GODFATHER and the John Hurt role in ALIEN, though it is unclear whether he was actually offered these parts or not. How different might be the history of American film in the seventies had he actually taken the roles of the wiretapper in THE CONVERSATION, Popeye Doyle in THE FRENCH CONNECTION, or Lex Luthor in SUPERMAN -- though I suppose we can be grateful to him, in a sense, for the opportunities given Gene Hackman, who certainly did not disappoint in these parts. Nor is it likely he could have improved on Jason Robards' portrayal of Ben Bradlee in ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, or on Rip Torn's performance in THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH. Perhaps most frustrating for the film buff is the knowledge that Alfred Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, died before realizing his hope of casting Lewis in a thriller. Lewis had previously turned down the Martin Balsam part in PSYCHO and the Sean Connery part in MARNIE. Equally tantalizing is the large Lewis role trimmed out of NASHVILLE during last-minute edits -- in interviews Lewis claims it as his masterwork. Robert Altman attempted to make it up to him, but an embittered Lewis turned down parts in Altman's next seven films. He also turned down the parts that went to Walter Matthau in both CHARLEY VARRICK and KING CREOLE, thus missing his chance to work with veteran director Don Siegel (as well as to appear opposite Elvis Presley). He also turned down the John Lithgow part in BLOW OUT and the part that was reworked for Richard Pryor in BLUE COLLAR. He refused the part Jack Lemmon played in THE CHINA SYNDROME, though it was later pointed out that the role was developed for Lemmon and Lewis was never offered it. He also refused the role of the off-screen voice of Charley in the hit television series CHARLEY'S ANGELS, a role taken by John Forsyth, later of DYNASTY. Unquestionably, EXCALIBUR would have been a different film completely had Lewis not dropped out during the first week of shooting to be replaced by Nicol Williamson as Merlin. He also turned down the role of the arsonist in BODY HEAT.

Strangely, Jerry Lewis was never considered for any part by Michael Cimino.

McSweeney's, 1999