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September 10, 2020 1:40 pm  #1


Micky Dolenz and Henry Winkler

Listened to a recent interview with Micky Dolenz

He tells the story that he was up for the part of  The Fonz on Happy Days

In fact he says he and Henry Winkler were the last two up for the part.

And he says when Winkler saw him (Dolenz) he said "shite...I'll never get this now"...

What might have been... 

Last edited by unclefester (September 10, 2020 8:46 pm)

 

September 10, 2020 4:58 pm  #2


Re: Micky Dolenz and Henry Winkler

Funny story. Who would have thought.
 

 

September 11, 2020 5:18 am  #3


Re: Micky Dolenz and Henry Winkler

Interesting.  I'm not sure I can picture Dolenz as the Fonz.

 

September 11, 2020 7:16 am  #4


Re: Micky Dolenz and Henry Winkler

Me neither.

 

September 11, 2020 9:49 am  #5


Re: Micky Dolenz and Henry Winkler

This isn’t strictly music related, but I love how twists of casting fate can completely change not one but two TV shows.
 
For example, Lisa Kudrow was originally slated to play “Roz Doyle,” Frasier’s producer, on the eponymously named show. If she had gotten the job, she might not have been available for “Friends” and the fame and fortune that brought.
 
But there are tons of examples and some of them are astounding.
 
Consider:
 
-Mickey Rooney playing Archie Bunker. They pitched it to the former child star and he turned them down flat, telling the producers, “If you go on the air with that crap, they’re going to kill you dead in the streets.” He didn’t and ‘they’ didn’t.
 
-Speaking of which, Sally Struthers almost didn’t play Gloria. Penny Marshall aced her audition and was married to Rob Reiner, so it seemed like a perfect choice. But Norman Lear liked Sally’s vulnerability vs. Penny’s hard edge and the producer got his druthers with Struthers.
 
-John Wayne was the original choice to play Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke, but he rejected the idea because he was making more money in movies. He steered producers towards James Arness instead.
 
-An actress named Martha Hyer was who the creator of Green Acres had in mind when he wrote the role of Lisa Douglas. It went to Eva Gabor instead and the rest is Hungarian sitcom history.
 
-Van Johnson was offered the role of Eliot Ness on “The Untouchables,” but he wouldn’t touch it. It made a star out of Robert Stack instead.
 
-Remember the show “Dr. Kildaire,” that made a household name out of Richard Chamberlain? The first guy they wanted turned it down. Imagine if he hadn’t. He wouldn’t have been available to go where no one had gone before. His name? William Shatner.

-On that subject, Gene Roddenberry’s original vision for Star Trek had Martin Landau in the Spock role. Fortunately, it wasn't logical, and getting him proved to be Mission Impossible.

-Carl Reiner briefly considered Johnny Carson for the role of Rob Petrie. In which case it would not have been called “The Dick van Dyke Show.”
 
-Imagine Tammy Grimes as the head sorceress in “Bewitched.” She was first choice for the lead but when she had endless problems with the script, they changed their minds and put Elizabeth Montgomery in her place.
 
-David Carradine famously fronted Kung Fu. They wanted a real ringer for the role, though – Bruce Lee, which would have made a lot more sense.
  
-Matthew Broderick was offered the role of Alex Keaton in “Family Ties” but didn’t want to leave his Broadway show. Enter Michael J. Fox and immortality.
 
-And perhaps my favorite of all time – Peter Falk was not the original choice for Columbo. The role of the rumpled detective was originally offered to Bing Crosby! The already wealthy actor/singer turned it down because he didn't need the money and he thought it would interfere with his golf game!
 
(Info from “Forbidden Channels” by Penny Stallings)

 

September 12, 2020 11:44 pm  #6


Re: Micky Dolenz and Henry Winkler

unclefester wrote:

Listened to a recent interview with Micky Dolenz

He tells the story that he was up for the part of  The Fonz on Happy Days

In fact he says he and Henry Winkler were the last two up for the part.

And he says when Winkler saw him (Dolenz) he said "shite...I'll never get this now"...

What might have been... 

I vividly remember Dolenz in the Circus Boy.  I thought it was on longer than just two years.  I remember watching him every Saturday.  Great show but Bimbo, his pet elephant, wasn't nearly as talented as Lassie or Rin Tin Tin.

 

 

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