Movies/Shows in which actors exchanged roles
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- DirectorWilliam A. WellmanStarsJames CagneyJean HarlowEdward WoodsAn Irish-American street punk tries to make it big in the world of organized crime."Edward Woods was originally hired for the lead role of Tom Powers and James Cagney was hired to play Matt Doyle, his friend. However, once director William A. Wellman got to know both of them and saw Cagney in rehearsals, he realized that Cagney would be far more effective in the star role than Woods, so he switched them. "
- DirectorLew LandersStarsBoris KarloffBela LugosiLester MatthewsA brilliant surgeon with a morbid obsession for instruments of torture grows dangerously obsessed with a young socialite whose life he's saved.It's believed, but not definitely known, that the Lugosi role was originally conceived for Karloff and vice versa, but that Universal switched them so Karloff could play the henchman.
The henchman's role is much smaller than the main villain's, but it comes with a grotesque make-up job, and Universal wanted their star Karloff to appear in the "monster" role. - DirectorVictor FlemingStarsSpencer TracyIngrid BergmanLana TurnerDr. Jekyll allows his dark side to run wild when he drinks a potion that turns him into the evil Mr. Hyde."The studio had originally cast Ingrid Bergman in the Beatrix Emery role and Lana Turner in the Ivy Peterson role. Bergman felt the role of Ivy was more challenging and persuaded the producers to switch roles with Turner."
- DirectorHenry KosterStarsCary GrantLoretta YoungDavid NivenA debonair angel comes to Earth to help an Episcopalian bishop and his wife in their quest to raise money for the new church."Originally Cary Grant played the bishop and David Niven the angel. When original director William A. Seiter left the film, Henry Koster replaced him and viewed what had been shot so far. He realized that the two were in the wrong roles. It took some convincing because Grant wanted the title role of the Bishop. He soon accepted the change and his role as the angel was one of the most widely praised of his career. "
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordKatharine RossIn 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America.According to Life.com, the role of the Sundance Kid "almost went to Jack Lemmon before the relatively little-known Redford won a starring part. Even then, he was supposed to play Butch Cassidy before he switched roles with Newman."
- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsJohn BelushiDan AykroydKathryn WalkerA quiet man's peaceful suburban lifestyle is threatened by the new, obnoxious couple that moves in next door."John Belushi was originally cast in the role of Vic and Dan Aykroyd in the role of Earl. The two decided to switch roles just prior to filming the movie. "
- CreatorSusan HarrisStarsBea ArthurBetty WhiteRue McClanahanFour previously married women live together in Miami, sharing their various experiences together and enjoying themselves despite hard times."Rue McClanahan was to play Rose and Betty White was to play Blanche (The producers originally wanted Rue to play a version of her naive Vivian Cavender character from 'Maude' (1972) and Betty White to play a version of her man-hungry Sue Ann Nivens from 'Mary Tyler Moore' (1970).) They switched roles because they didn't want to be typecast."
- DirectorTom StoppardStarsGary OldmanTim RothRichard DreyfussTwo minor characters from the play 'Hamlet' stumble around unaware of their scripted lives and unable to deviate from them.According to IMDB, Tim Roth was originally cast as Rosencrantz and Gary Oldman as Guildenstern. Ironically, the two characters are constantly mixing up their own names.
- DirectorJoaquim Dos SantosStarsSusan EisenbergCarl LumblyFred SavageAres creates a war machine called the Annihilator to escalate a civil war in Kasnia. Hawk, Dove, and Wonder Woman try to stop his plans."The bickering brother superheroes Hawk and Dove are voiced by Fred Savage and Jason Hervey, who played the brothers on the TV series 'The Wonder Years' (1988); unlike 'The Wonder Years', however, Savage voiced the older, more aggressive brother (Hawk/Hank Hall) while Hervey voiced the younger, more docile brother (Dove/Don Hall). It was originally intended for their relationship to match 'The Wonder Years', but during the voice reading session, they unexpectedly switched roles for one of the readings and that was kept for the episode."
- DirectorDavid Gordon GreenStarsSeth RogenJames FrancoGary ColeA process server and his marijuana dealer wind up on the run from hitmen and a corrupt police officer after he witnesses his dealer's boss murder a competitor while trying to serve papers on him."Seth Rogen originally wrote the part of Saul Silver for himself to play, it wasn't until the table read that he realized James Franco would be funnier in the role of Saul."