Mick the Jester

Mick:

Bow down, sir, for thee is not worthy. So you don't want to play 6 degrees of Separation, huh? Actually, usually it is done with Kevin Bacon as the end product, since he originated the game.

Believe it or not, the actor who had turned down the role of Fast Eddie was none other than Jack Lemmon. The actor who lost the part to Newman was Cliff Robertson. The film that was held up for Liz & Newman was TWO FOR THE SEE SAW (1962), directed by Robert Wise, and I think it was that film that Mitchum got his ass in trouble over, dallying with Ms. MacLaine. WHAT A WAY TO GO (1964) was made several years later. Yes, it did have Mitchum and MacLaine in it, and Paul Newman as a matter of fact. Piper Laurie won an Oscar for her role in THE HUSTLER, and it was Kim Novak who had turned it down. Laurie was much better than Novak would have been. So hey, you liked my pulling Jake LaMotta, Vincent Gardenia, and Willie Mosconi out of my hat. I got a few more awaiting your inquiries, sir.

I did not remember, or maybe never knew that Manson had targeted McQueen. That is hot trivia, Mick! The answer to your latest question is fairly easy. That would be the hulking George Kennedy, who in 1955 when SGT. BILKO; YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH series was on, spinning off of 16 years in the Army, was their technical advisor. After that he worked at Warner Brothers TV studios and did a ton of TV roles, like MAVERICK, CHEYENNE, & RIVERBOAT. His first major film role was in LONELY ARE THE BRAVE (1962). There are rumors that he was an slave extra in SPARTACUS, filmed in 1959, and that in the famous "I am Spartacus" scene, he is the last slave to yell that line as the camera focuses for a moment on his ruddy face.

Let's talk about the BILKO show. What was Phil Silver's Sgt. Bilko's first name? What actor, later to play a prominent role on RAWHIDE was in several episodes? Did you remember that Ed Sullivan was in two episodes? Who was the most famous of the 17 writers on that show? What famous comedian, tall and lanky, was on several episodes? What actor play Col. Hall? How about Cpl. Rocco?

At Your Service: Glenn

Mick wrote:

I'll say no to the 1-6 because I didn't see many movies after the 60's. With all your knowledge and facts of the movies you could pass for Jack Webb, just the facts ma'am just the facts! Newman's earlier rival was James Dean but he died in the mid fifties so I will guess and say Marlon Brando? I think the movie that was held up for liz and Newman & ended up with mitch & Maclain was What a way to go. That's the one that mitch got into trouble "again" for having an affair with Shirley and his wife told him his ass would end up in divorce court and homeless or something like that. I don't know who was to play the Piper Laurie part. You have me there so I will guess Shirley Maclain.As Paul Harvey would say, and now for the rest of the story. Psycho Charlie Manson had submitted a script to Steve Mcqueen's movie company and of course it was turned down so he bent his twisted mind on murdering my favorite actor, Steve Mcqueen.Who was the actor now but not then that served in Patton's Third Army and was the military adviser on Phil Silver's "Sgt Bilko" You'll never get rich tv series? He accidentally walked on camera in that show and it stayed in the episode and the rest is history.

Regards; Mick the Jester who was better than Woody Allen