Mickey Rooney as Archie Bunker

Would Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts be the superstars they are today if they had not been turned down for roles on soap operas? Would Everybody Loves Raymond ever have been created if Ray Romano hadn't been fired from Newsradio? Would the character of Fonzie have become such a pop culture icon in the 1970s if it had been played by Micky Dolenz? How different would Lisa Kudrow's career have turned out if she had not been turned down for a spot on Saturday Night Live? MICKEY ROONEY AS ARCHIE BUNKER and Other TV Casting Almosts answers these questions and many more. Mickey Rooney was producer Norman Lear's first choice for the starring role of Archie Bunker on All in the Family. Worried about the public's reaction to the bigoted character, he turned the role down. Carroll O'Connor was cast and became a star. TV's most famous and infamous casting decisions are explored in MICKEY ROONEY AS ARCHIE BUNKER and Other TV Casting Almosts. You'll read the stories behind the choices that have altered the course of TV history. Inside you'll learn many fun facts including: Katie Holmes was the first choice to play Buffy the Vampire Slayer Rosie O'Donnell auditioned for Elaine on Seinfeld Gene Hackman was rejected for the part of Mike Brady Sandra Bullock didn't have the right look for Baywatch Lara Flynn Boyle was considered to play Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City The shows are listed alphabetically from According to Jim to Zorro. This book lets you imagine how different your favorite shows could have been.