Colonel Lee

[titoli]

It came into my mind that Leone had gone to the USA to sign Lee Marvin for the role. But the actor, at the last moment, when everything seemed set,  declined and signed for Cat Ballou instead. I wonder if it was pure chance that Leone opted for an actor by the same name and that, in a register listing actors by their first names including a photograph of same, would follow the first pick. (Of course, he told interviewers that he picked him up because of the small parts he had played before). Or anyway it was the name that reminded him of LVC.  Leone was a liar as Fellini and I also reflected that he said that he had picked Eastwood because of the way he walked as seen from behind. Which reminds me of what Bertolucci told him before Leone engaged him to write OUTITW: that he liked the way he shot horses behinds. Leone probably adapted the line to justify his hiring Eastwood only because of the limited money available.   

[cigar joe]

Marvin was just working guest parts and series in the late 50s except for The Killers if I remember right

[stanton]

The Killers was made in 1964, but was originally made for TV, and for that fits well with Marvins role profile, before the Oscar for Cat Ballou turned him into a star for some years. Marvin worked mainly for TV shows in the early 60s, with only a few cinema appearances by playing 2nd fiddle to John Wayne. At least his roles there grew bigger from The Comancheros over Liberty Valance to Donovan's Reef

Cat Ballou was released in mid 65, so I doubt that its production really conflicted with FoD, and it was maybe The Killer which was shot at the same time. But made for TV it surely was shot quickly in only a few weeks. And the real lead was John Cassavetes btw.