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Movies
Related: About this forumwatching The Music Man (1962) for 1st time and Robert Preston is fantastic
digging the music and choreography
this is my favorite musical now and I'm not even halfway through
see it if you haven't
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watching The Music Man (1962) for 1st time and Robert Preston is fantastic (Original Post)
eShirl
22 hrs ago
OP
no_hypocrisy
(55,565 posts)1. Donald Trump IS Harold Hill.
intheflow
(30,279 posts)6. No.
Hill grew a heart. The felon never will.
amerikat
(5,235 posts)2. My favoite too.(nt)
Goonch
(5,733 posts)3. ;-{)........

LessAspin
(2,055 posts)4. Frank Sinatra
I recall reading where the movie studios offered the part to Frank Sinatra and a few other big name stars.
To their credit they all insisted that Robert Preston should get the role. Having seen Preston play the part on Broadway they knew he was born to play Harold Hill.
Despite Robert Preston's Tony-award winning performance in the Broadway production, Warner Bros. executives wanted a bankable star in the lead role of Professor Harold Hill for the movie. According to Shirley Jones, Frank Sinatra was offered the part, but Meredith Willson insisted on Preston and threatened to pull the movie rights.
Cary Grant was also approached, but told the Warner Bros. executives, "Not only will I not star in it, if Robert Preston doesn't star in it, I will not see it." Preston got the part, and the movie was a big success, despite Warner Bros' misgivings.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056262/
Cary Grant was also approached, but told the Warner Bros. executives, "Not only will I not star in it, if Robert Preston doesn't star in it, I will not see it." Preston got the part, and the movie was a big success, despite Warner Bros' misgivings.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056262/
eShirl
(20,500 posts)5. I have to agree with Frank and Cary
Midnight Writer
(25,890 posts)7. One of my all-time favorites.