Peter Finch and Harry Baird in a pre-production still of CLEOPATRA (1963). Because of production problems, Finch and director Rouben Mamoulian as well. Stephen Boyd was also set to play Mark Antony but the role went to Richard Burton. Baird would eventually star in a couple of PEPLUM films, including THOR & THE AMAZON WOMEN (1963).
Peter Finch as Caesar. IMO, a much better choice than Rex Harrison.
Above and below: Stephen Boyd as Mark Antony.
Keith Baxter, Stephen Boyd and director Rouben Mamoulian. British actor Keith Baxter was set to play Octavian but was replaced by Roddy McDowall.
A test shot.
3 comments:
It's my understanding that, at one point, they had considered Laurence Olivier for the role of Caesar.
Quite a different production, I'm sure! Yes; I've always felt that Rex Harrison was a very odd choice for Julius Caesar.
Maybe it was feared that Olivier's brilliance would have overshadowed the other male characters.
Octavian and Mark Anthony are more important in the story than is Julius Caesar.
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