Indiana Jones
Let’s start with one of the more well known ‘almost cast’ actors that were supposed to play the role of the bullwhip wielding, fedora wearing, globe trotting professor of archaeology, Indiana Jones. Originally titled ‘The Adventures of Indiana Smith’, George Lucas was determined to cast a relatively unknown actor, so he was initially averse to putting Harrison Ford in the role as he was now world famous due to the success of Star Wars.
Lucas’s then wife and frequent collaborator Marcia Lucas suggested Tom Selleck for the role, and Lucas was onboard. The only problem was that Selleck had been cast in the lead role of a little show called Magnum P.I. you might have heard of it. Selleck was contractually obligated to film the pilot episode and if it were to be made into a full series. Both Steven Speilberg and George Lucas asked the show’s studio, CBS, if they could release Selleck from his contract 10 days early. Releasing their actor was in high demand they went ahead and greenlit the show, forcing him to drop out of the movie.
