Casting All About Eve

the principal cast of eve. (left right) gary merrill, bette davis, george sanders, anne baxter, hugh marlowe , celeste holm

among actresses considered play margo channing mankiewicz s original inspiration, susan hayward, rejected zanuck young, marlene dietrich, dismissed german, , gertrude lawrence, ruled out of contention when lawyer insisted lawrence not have drink or smoke in film, , script rewritten allow sing torch song. zanuck favored barbara stanwyck, not available. tallulah bankhead considered, joan crawford, working on film damned don t cry.

eventually, role went claudette colbert, withdrew after injury shortly before filming began. mankiewicz briefly considered ingrid bergman aging diva role, before giving bette davis. davis, had ended 18-year association warner bros. after several poorly received films, accepted role after realizing 1 of best had ever read. channing had been conceived genteel , knowingly humorous, casting of davis, mankiewicz revised character more abrasive. mankiewicz praised davis both professionalism , caliber of performance.

anne baxter had spent decade in supporting roles , had won 1946 academy award best supporting actress razor s edge. got role of eve harrington after first choice, jeanne crain, became pregnant. crain @ height of popularity , had established career playing likable heroines; zanuck believed lacked bitch virtuosity required part , audiences not accept deceitful character.

the role of bill sampson intended john garfield or ronald reagan. reagan s future wife nancy davis considered karen richards , jose ferrer addison dewitt. zsa zsa gabor actively sought role of phoebe without realizing producers considering her, along angela lansbury, miss casswell.

mankiewicz admired thelma ritter , wrote character of birdie coonan after working on letter 3 wives in 1949. coonan 1 suspicious of eve harrington, confident ritter contribute shrewd characterization casting doubt on eve , providing counterpoint more theatrical personalities of other characters. marilyn monroe, relatively unknown @ time, cast miss casswell, referred dewitt graduate of copacabana school of dramatic art. monroe got part after lobbying campaign agent, despite zanuck s initial antipathy , belief better suited comedy. angela lansbury had been considered role. inexperienced monroe cowed bette davis, , took 11 takes complete scene in theatre lobby star; when davis barked @ her, monroe left set vomit. smaller roles filled gregory ratoff producer max fabian, barbara bates phoebe, young fan of eve harrington, , walter hampden master of ceremonies @ award presentation.