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You Won't Believe Who Was Almost Cast In Grease


A Vanity Fair retrospective on Grease has brought to light several surprising big names who were initially under consideration for roles in the beloved 1978 musical.

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After 38 years and innumerable professional and amateur stage performances all around the world, it’s still very hard to envisage anyone other than Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta playing the tuneful 1950s lovebirds Sandy and Danny.

However, it turns out two other actors were in the running for the lead roles - one of them already a major star on television, the other set to be part of the biggest cinema sensation in history.

Yes, the first actor offered the role of Danny in Grease was none other than Henry Winkler - best known as The Fonz in 1950s-set sitcom Happy Days - whilst one of the actresses in contention for Sandy was Carrie Fisher, who became a superstar later that year inStar Wars.

Henry Winkler was originally offered the role of Danny in the hit musical. Photo: ABC
Henry Winkler was originally offered the role of Danny in the hit musical. Photo: ABC

Winkler had reportedly been the studio Paramount’s top choice, but he declined over fear of typecasting as a 50s leather-clad bad boy - not unreasonable, given he has remained known primarily as The Fonz his entire career.

Fisher was considered as the director of Grease, Randal Kleiser, was a former roommate of George Lucas. Kleiser tried to judge her suitability for the role looking at some raw footage from Star Wars, but was "unable to judge either her acting or singing ability."

Can you imagine if Sandy was played by <i>Star Wars</i> actress Carrie Fisher? Photo: LucasFilm
Can you imagine if Sandy was played by Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher? Photo: LucasFilm

Nor was this the only major role of the time that Fisher came close to, as she had also been under consideration for horror movie Carrie.

Reportedly the actress who came closest to playing Sandy was Marie Osmond, but she too passed, as she "objected to Sandy’s transformation from good girl to bad girl."

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However, the makers of Grease had an even bigger name in their sights for the cameo of the Teen Angel in the Beauty School Dropout sequence, as the role that ultimately went to Frankie Avalon is said to have been originally intended for none other than Elvis Presley.

The studio originally wanted Elvis Presley to play the Teen Angel in Frenchie's dream sequence. Photo: Getty Images
The studio originally wanted Elvis Presley to play the Teen Angel in Frenchie's dream sequence. Photo: Getty Images

The King of Rock’n’Roll would of course die in August 1977 whilst Grease was in production.

Other surprising names who came close to appearing include Steven Ford - son of US President Gerald Ford - as football player Tom Chisum, and Deep Throat actor Harry Reems as Couch Calhoun.

(The latter was nixed by the studio, whilst the former reportedly ‘vanished’ during rehearsals.)

Grease would ultimately become the most successful big screen musical of all time, grossing just under US$395 million worldwide. Adjusted for inflation, its the 28th biggest box office hit ever.

Ben Bussey writes for Yahoo Movies UK

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