Saturday, December 31, 2011

Screen Junkies remember Tom Selleck as Indy

From an article: "8 Classic Characters That Were Almost Played By Someone Else" Screen Junkies mention the original selection of Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones

Indiana Jones: Playing a globe-trotting archeologist who tangles with Nazis and other villains to obtain mystical artifacts turned Harrison Ford into an action superstar after his earlier turn as Han Solo in “Star Wars.” Ford was a last minute replacement after Tom Selleck was forced to turn down the role. Selleck was under contract with “Magnum P.I.” when he was cast to play Indiana Jones in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Selleck was unable to get out of his contract in time to shoot the movie, so director Steven Spielberg went with Ford in his place.




http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-lists/8-classic-characters-that-were-almost-played-by-someone-else/

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Tom Selleck on 'rotten deal' - Raiders of the Lost Ark

TOM SELLECK is still waiting to work with STEVEN SPIELBERG, more than a quarter of a century after he missed out on the chance to play INDIANA JONES. Selleck was offered the role of the swashbuckling archeologist in 1981's Raider's of the Lost Ark, but was contracted to star in Magnum, P.I. and a studio dispute forced Spielberg to hire Harrison Ford instead. The director promised Selleck they would make a movie together - and the 62 year old is still waiting. He says,

"I still have a letter from Steven Spielberg saying what a rotten deal I'd gotten and that I had a part out there and somewhere along the line we are going to work together. "I haven't played that card yet."

-December 2007

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Chevy Chase was also considered for Indiana Jones

Seriously?

from the site:

The role: Indiana Jones
Who got it: Harrison Ford

It sounds completely absurd, but, according to Popeater and IMDb, Chevy Chase was amongst the actors considered for the part of Indiana Jones in the franchise’s first installment. The Indiana Jones series became one of the decade’s most lucrative movie franchises and allowed Steven Spielberg to recover from the failure of his previous film, 1941, starring Chase’s SNL cohorts Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. It’s hard to imagine Chevy Chase’s Raiders being any good, and I imagine he was pretty far down the casting list. Chase’s portrayal of Indiana Jones would have been laughable at best and might have caused Spielberg’s career to slump even further.






http://splitsider.com/2011/09/the-lost-roles-of-chevy-chase

Tom Selleck's mustache in other moview

Here's what happens when you put Tom Selleck's legendary mustache in other films

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Selleck missing out on Indy role makes list of missed choices

Movie Holes list: 50 Original Casting Choices


With the rehabilitated curiosity – stemming from the footage that was recently released… albeit 25 years later! – in Eric Stoltz’s engagement as Marty McFly in “Back to the Future” pre-Michael J.Fox, and of course the big casting switcheroo on “The Hangover 2” (Mel Gibson swapped for Liam Neeson), thought it might be fun to take a look back at some of the could-have-been’s of the celluloid struggle.
The following list includes roles that some passed on, movies that an actor or actress was forced to pull out of for one reason or another (ultimately having to be replaced), and some, like Stoltz, that were vetoed either just before – or at the start of – a particular film’s shoot.

43. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – Tom Selleck as ‘Indiana Jones’
It was a done deal. TV star Tom Selleck would play adventure-seeking archaeologist Indiana Jones in a film by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Unfortunately the pilot of a TV series that Selleck had filmed (“Magnum P.I”) was picked up and Selleck was legally obligated to it. So the moustached-hunk was off to Hawaii, and “Raiders” was a hero short. Spielberg suggested that Lucas hire his “Star Wars” star Harrison Ford to play “Raiders”’ superman, but Lucas was dead against using actors he’d used before (always has been). Lucas eventually agreed that Ford was the best man for the job.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Tom Selleck interview: talks Indiana Jones role

from an interview September 30, 2010 with Collider


What did you think Magnum was going to be when it started?

Tom: Thirteen paychecks. We were picked up, and that was the best thing that ever happened. I didn’t know past that. It almost didn’t go because CBS got in a fight with Universal. Universal said, “We’re not shooting it in Hawaii,” and CBS said, “We bought a show for Hawaii.” It was off the schedule after it sold, so it was a bit of a roller-coaster for awhile. Then, I went over there to start it and the Screen Actors Guild went on strike. I was stuck with a rent I couldn’t afford and worked for my landlady for seven bucks and hour, so I didn’t have to give up my security deposit until the show actually started.

Is that when you almost got the Indiana Jones role?

Tom: Yeah, I couldn’t do it. Bob Daly wouldn’t let me do it. I got offered Indiana Jones, after I did the pilot. While it turned out I could’ve done both, CBS said, “No, we’ve got a contract.”

Was that disappointing?

Tom: Yeah.

More disappointing when you saw the box office?

Tom: No. Steven [Spielberg] and George [Lucas] let me read the script. Up until then, I was pretty philosophic because I thought Magnum was probably going to sell and I told them that. They said, “We’re not worried about that. We’ve got cards to play with the network.” I screen-tested without seeing the script, and they let me go into an office when they made me the offer, so that I could read the script. I went, “Oh, my God!” because it was all there. It was on paper. They held out the offer for about a month. Harrison gets sick of this because he’s indelible. He’s Indiana Jones. It’s just an interesting story and I’m proud that I didn’t drive my car into a wall. I lived up to my contract and things didn’t work out so badly.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Photoshopped Tom Selleck & Sean Young photo "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

Back in the early 80s, you took the measure of a man based on the luxuriousness of his perm and mustache, and so it was that when casting Raiders of the Lost Ark, the obvious first choice was apparently Tom Selleck.

Check out this photo shopped masterpiece of "Raiders" starring Tom and the always wonderful Sean Young.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The really big problem for Selleck was how the timing worked out - CBS, naturally, would have had no problem having Selleck star in the picture under normal circumstances. Who wouldn’t want the star of their upcoming series to be the lead in a major motion picture? It’s great publicity.

The problem was that Magnum P.I. was developed for a specific purpose - to make use of the sets and production equipment left in Hawaii from the filming of the long-running series Hawaii 5-0.
Therefore, since that series was still filming until the beginning of 1980, CBS could not film Magnum P.I. any earlier than early 1980, which directly conflicted with the March 1980 filming schedule for Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Thus, CBS told Selleck he could not do the film.

That’s fairly well known, but what’s a bit less well known is that, as it turned out, there was a television writer’s strike in the Spring of 1980 that halted production of Magnum P.I. long enough that production was delayed for a few months, giving Selleck plenty of time to do Raiders of the Lost Ark…if it hadn’t already been given to another actor.

Pretty sad.

As a cute gag, in one of the very last episodes of Magnum P.I. ever made, Selleck was finally given the chance to play Indiana Jones, with “The Legend of the Lost Art.”

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Selleck Still Waiting for Indiana Jones Payback

Tom Selleck is still waiting to work with STEVEN SPIELBERG, more than a quarter of a century after he missed out on the chance to play INDIANA JONES. Selleck was offered the role of the swashbuckling archeologist in 1981's Raider's of the Lost Ark, but was contracted to star in Magnum, P.I. and a studio dispute forced Spielberg to hire Harrison Ford instead.

The director promised Selleck they would make a movie together - and the 62 year old is still waiting. He says, "I still have a letter from Steven Spielberg saying what a rotten deal I'd gotten and that I had a part out there and somewhere along the line we are going to work together. I haven't played that card yet." (IG/CA/MT)

BY: WENN | Wednesday, December 5, 2007

http://www.atpictures.com/news.php?id=4523

Monday, June 20, 2011

WATCH: Fanmade "Raiders of the Lost Ark" trailer with Tom Selleck

Trailer rotated in white and black (in homage to the serial of adventures of the years 30 and 40) of this movie directed by Steven Spielberg and taken place by George Lucas, and that it has an excellent trio main character:

- Tom Selleck (Indiana Jones). Lucas´s woman, Marcia, thought of the actor to interpret the character. Tom carries out his test together with Sean Young, being so good his performance that the producers gave him the paper in April of 1.980. "Selleck was ideal", Lucas thought.

- Debra Winger (Marion Ravenwood). The young actress you presents to the tests for the paper of Marion in January of 1.980, being in all the lists of candidates of Spielberg, Lucas, Frank Marshall and Kathy Kennedy until April of that same year. Being selected for the paper of Marion, after to win a voting by hand run of with to its but strong rival. Sean Young.

- Danny De Vito. (Sallah). Spielberg thought of the actor so that interprets the Bedouin Egyptian softly and friend of Indy. The actor accepts it charmed.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Would Tom Selleck made a good Indiana Jones?

Would Tom Selleck made a good Indiana Jones? - Op-Ed by Cassam Looch

It's part of movie folklore now, but pictures have been released of Tom Selleck's screen test for Indiana Jones. The TV star was one of the first to be offered the iconic role for 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', but turned it down to see out his contract on 'Magnum P.I'.

In a costume similar to the one that Harrison Ford made his own, Selleck is complete with his own trademark: the moustache that has become his calling card.

The daring adventures of the archaeologist went on to spawn three sequels and countless spin-offs, but would any of that have been possible with Selleck in the lead role?

Producer George Lucas was the man pushing for Selleck, reportedly wanting to opt for an unknown actor rather than some of the established names that had been put forward. He also wanted to avoid casting Ford again, having worked with him on the 'Star Wars' films and 'American Graffiti'.

Director Steven Spielberg, however, knew that Ford would be perfect and when Selleck eventually dropped out Spielberg got his man.

Other names rumoured to be in the frame were Nick Nolte, Steve Martin, Bill Murray and Jack Nicholson. We can't really imagine any of those donning the hat, leather jacket and whip for the series. Or maybe we just don't want to.

Selleck has gone on to find success on the big screen with 'Three Men and a Baby' and its sequel, as well as a few other hits, but nothing matches the one that got away.

Indeed he has tried (and failed) to find other action hero roles in films like 'Quigley Down Under' and 'High Road to China', which mimic the formula perfected by Spielberg, Lucas and Ford. Well perfected for three films anyway.

Ironically, having opted to stick with 'Magnum P.I.', Selleck was left twiddling his thumbs as a writers strike delayed filming by six months... just enough time to have completed 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'.

Surely the video footage of this screen test would be the holy grail for Indiana Jones fans.







http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/blog/article/199532/would-tom-selleck-have-made-a-good-indiana-jones.html

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones Raiders poster

This is a great job by the folks at


http://geeksofdoom.com/2010/10/17/mustache-on-or-off-tom-selleck-replaces-harrison-ford-on-indiana-jones-poster/2010-10-17-tom_selleck_indy/

Tom Selleck "haunted" by Indiana Jones role?

Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones?
It almost happened.
The handsome mustachioed star was offered the iconic role back in 1981, but was forced to turn it down due to a recently signed contract with Universal Studios - the hut TV series "Magnum P.I."
“We ended up doing a screen test with Tom Selleck and Sean Young and it was really, really good,” George Lucas said in an interview. “They’re both terrific actors and it turned out really well.”
Instead, the 6’3” actor went on to play detective Thomas Magnum on the ‘80s hit, “Magnum P.I.”
Ironically, Selleck would have had time plenty of time to film “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” due to a six-month writer’s strike.

The Daily Mail reports that Selleck, now 66, is "haunted" by the missed opportunity which help make Harrison Ford famous.

Sure, Selleck did ok.

But "Three Men and a Baby", "Her Alibi", "Blue Blood" and several other roles doesn't ease the pain of the success missed with the Indy franchise.




Read more: http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/06/07/tom-selleck-haunted-by-missed-chance-to-play-indiana-jones/#ixzz1OhpGK3wF


Read more: http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/06/07/tom-selleck-haunted-by-missed-chance-to-play-indiana-jones/#ixzz1Ohoyyg7V

Tom Selleck Screen Test for "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

Screen test shots of the actor auditioning for the role of the famed archaeologist/adventurer have emerged, with the star even donning the wide-brimmed hat made famous by HarrisonFord in the Indiana Jones franchise.



Reports claim that Selleck was forced to turn down the role in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as he had signed to star in cult TV series "Magnum PI" and the studio would not release him.

In a cruel twist of fate, shooting on the series was delayed by six months due to writers' strikes, meaning Selleck could have done both.

One person who will certainly be happy that Selleck passed on the part is Ford, whose status as a leading man was cemented by the role and the following prequel and sequels.

He went on to star in box office hits such as Patriot Games, Airforce One and What Lies Beneath. He most recently reprised the role in 2008 in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Magnum PI, meanwhile, ran for eight years and Selleck went on to star in a number of big-screen hits including "Three Men and a Baby."


Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/film/865659-tom-selleck-screen-test-shots-for-indiana-jones-emerge#ixzz1OgJKzZ00