Post by Arfies on Oct 21, 2010 15:58:13 GMT -5
This is from "Son of Any Wednesday" (Stein and Day, 1965) by Muriel Resnik about the making of her play, "Any Wednesday."
p. 67-69:
(after Resnick writes a note about her displeasure with the casting process dated Tuesday, December 17th, 1963):
They tried to sell me on a Hollywood actor, Dick York. I'd never heard of him. (Most of the candidates were names- or so I'd been told because they'd starred in television series. I never watch television). They arranged for us all to see Inherit the Wind, a film in which he'd had a featured part. It was impossible to judge from that. They flew him in.
On the sage of the Belasco he was a very good-looking, tall, slim, young man with high cheekbones- almost a younger, rougher version of Michael Rennie [who was to be in the play]. He read well and was very pleasant and attractive- a young leading-man type.
The producers huddled. George Morrison thought York could do it. They were all six against me. I had to give in. We cast Dick York.
Our rehearsal date was moved back to December 30th. York flew back to the Coast to move his wife and children east.
The Shuberts would not give us a theater to rehearse in, but the producers found a place. Two. We were to start at the old New Amsterdam Roof, stay there for four days, and then move to the old Riviera Gardens at Broadway and 97th Street.
Robert Randolph clamored to know the color of the set. So did Theoni Aldredge. George Morrison hadn't arrived yet.
Tharon Musser, who was going to do our lighting, was told that Mr. Rennie must have footlights. It was in his contract.
George and Granat were told that Mr. Rennie's shirts must be custom made.
Sandy [Dennis] said she was going to diet. Rosemary [Murphy] had already lost fifteen pounds.
Theoni said that if she didn't get a color for her set she'd simply have to go ahead with her gowns and the set would have to be built around them. Michael [Rennie] and Sandy [Dennis] both had THE star dressing room in their contracts. York was given star billing above the title. Michael's contract guaranteed that only his name and one other- Sandy's- would appear above the title.
It was a strange, tense, strained, and un-Christmas-like Christmas. I swung between a deep, brooding anxiety and manic optimism.
December 28th Dick York's clothes had arrived but he hadn't. Neither the producers nor his agents were able to contact him. Although he had a wife and a gaggle of small children, his home phone went unanswered.
The producers tried all day and during the night. At three o'clock that morning Howard spoke to a very small child who said his daddy wasn't home, and hung up.
The morning of the 29th, the day before rehearsal, the office was notified that due to a sudden illness Mr. York would not be able to do the role.
I went into my now accustomed state of shock, but rallied at once. "OK," I said, "we have just one day to cast Gene Hackman. Let's hope we can still get him."
We got him. George Morrison had been his dramatic coach and friend for years and was able to cope with the actor's wounded ego. The wounds were real, for Gene knew that the producers didn't want him. I don't think he knew then that Sandy refused to have him.
Gene's agent was negotiating with the producers. Sandy had to be told.
That afternoon she was at Kenneth's, becoming a sun-kissed blonde. George Morrison went to Kenneth's.
Her reaction was traumatic, which isn't easy when your entire head is wrapped in tin foil and someone is working all over it, but after a couple of hours, as she became blonder and blonder, she gradually accepted Gene Hackman as a fait accompli.
George Morrison told me that Gene was going on a diet, that Sandy would behave herself, and he'd like me to read the play to the cast in the morning.
. . .
p. 225, in the conclusion:
Dick York began co-starring with Elizabeth Montgomery in the television series, Bewitched.
___________________________________________
That's such a shame- more than likely, it was related to his back again.
Of course, if he had been cast in "Any Wednesday" (which, according to www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2821, opened on Feb. 18, 1964, he more than likely wouldn't have been able to do "Bewitched."
"Any Wednesday" was made into a movie starring Jane Fonda (www.imdb.com/title/tt0060112/) with Dean Jones in the Dick York/Gene Hackman role of Cass Henderson.
p. 67-69:
(after Resnick writes a note about her displeasure with the casting process dated Tuesday, December 17th, 1963):
They tried to sell me on a Hollywood actor, Dick York. I'd never heard of him. (Most of the candidates were names- or so I'd been told because they'd starred in television series. I never watch television). They arranged for us all to see Inherit the Wind, a film in which he'd had a featured part. It was impossible to judge from that. They flew him in.
On the sage of the Belasco he was a very good-looking, tall, slim, young man with high cheekbones- almost a younger, rougher version of Michael Rennie [who was to be in the play]. He read well and was very pleasant and attractive- a young leading-man type.
The producers huddled. George Morrison thought York could do it. They were all six against me. I had to give in. We cast Dick York.
Our rehearsal date was moved back to December 30th. York flew back to the Coast to move his wife and children east.
The Shuberts would not give us a theater to rehearse in, but the producers found a place. Two. We were to start at the old New Amsterdam Roof, stay there for four days, and then move to the old Riviera Gardens at Broadway and 97th Street.
Robert Randolph clamored to know the color of the set. So did Theoni Aldredge. George Morrison hadn't arrived yet.
Tharon Musser, who was going to do our lighting, was told that Mr. Rennie must have footlights. It was in his contract.
George and Granat were told that Mr. Rennie's shirts must be custom made.
Sandy [Dennis] said she was going to diet. Rosemary [Murphy] had already lost fifteen pounds.
Theoni said that if she didn't get a color for her set she'd simply have to go ahead with her gowns and the set would have to be built around them. Michael [Rennie] and Sandy [Dennis] both had THE star dressing room in their contracts. York was given star billing above the title. Michael's contract guaranteed that only his name and one other- Sandy's- would appear above the title.
It was a strange, tense, strained, and un-Christmas-like Christmas. I swung between a deep, brooding anxiety and manic optimism.
December 28th Dick York's clothes had arrived but he hadn't. Neither the producers nor his agents were able to contact him. Although he had a wife and a gaggle of small children, his home phone went unanswered.
The producers tried all day and during the night. At three o'clock that morning Howard spoke to a very small child who said his daddy wasn't home, and hung up.
The morning of the 29th, the day before rehearsal, the office was notified that due to a sudden illness Mr. York would not be able to do the role.
I went into my now accustomed state of shock, but rallied at once. "OK," I said, "we have just one day to cast Gene Hackman. Let's hope we can still get him."
We got him. George Morrison had been his dramatic coach and friend for years and was able to cope with the actor's wounded ego. The wounds were real, for Gene knew that the producers didn't want him. I don't think he knew then that Sandy refused to have him.
Gene's agent was negotiating with the producers. Sandy had to be told.
That afternoon she was at Kenneth's, becoming a sun-kissed blonde. George Morrison went to Kenneth's.
Her reaction was traumatic, which isn't easy when your entire head is wrapped in tin foil and someone is working all over it, but after a couple of hours, as she became blonder and blonder, she gradually accepted Gene Hackman as a fait accompli.
George Morrison told me that Gene was going on a diet, that Sandy would behave herself, and he'd like me to read the play to the cast in the morning.
. . .
p. 225, in the conclusion:
Dick York began co-starring with Elizabeth Montgomery in the television series, Bewitched.
___________________________________________
That's such a shame- more than likely, it was related to his back again.
Of course, if he had been cast in "Any Wednesday" (which, according to www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2821, opened on Feb. 18, 1964, he more than likely wouldn't have been able to do "Bewitched.""Any Wednesday" was made into a movie starring Jane Fonda (www.imdb.com/title/tt0060112/) with Dean Jones in the Dick York/Gene Hackman role of Cass Henderson.