Elvis Presley as Tony - West Side Story (1961) Discussion

[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

This:

The producers of West Side Story wanted Elvis as Tony but his manager Col. Parker said no. Elvis should have fired him.

is what I understand, coreyitn63. While it's true that Elvis Presley was the first person that Robert Wise approached for the role of Tony in the film version of West Side Story, there is much debate on how well Elvis would've played the role of Tony.

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[–] ZeoRangerFive 10 years ago

I really do think Elvis was an underrated actor who was shoehorned into garbage movies because of his a$$hole manager. Just look at his performances in Love Me Tender and King Creole, he was pretty damn good in those. For some reason I always thought he was considered for Bernardo, but now I realize that would have been dumb. Anyway, I would have LOVED to have seen him play Tony that would have been so interesting.

Dragonzord! Mastodon! Pterodactyl! Triceratops! Saber Toothed Tiger! Tyrannosaurus!

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[–] friendoffilm 10 years ago

Elvis Presley definitely had both the looks and the personality of an ex-gang member, as well as the singing voice, but I seriously wonder how well Elvis Presley's heavy Southern accent would've gone over in New York's Hollywood, especially in those days.

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[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] oprlvr33 9 years ago

There's an old saying around Tinseltown...Just because one can act, does not make them a full actor, nor entirely versatile.

While Elvis indeed could act (fairly well), the bulk of his roles were his own music/movies. A few of his more dramatic roles were okay, but not award-worthy. I could not realistically see him pulling off Tony, in such a deep magnitude as WSS. Richard was the absolute choice for the role. I would almost have seen Elvis attempting to be Tony. But no actor should ever do that. Acting is either natural or it's not ... Recall Elvis' botched attempts in the few Westerns he did (probably his crummy stage manager's fault as well.)

Peanutlee33

Exactly like your father...A big, stupid, muscle-headed moron!!!

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[–] friendoffilm 9 years ago

One has to ask, however, why Elvis Presley was the very first person that Robert Wise approached for the role of Tony in the film version of West Side Story.

I wonder, however, if West Side Story would've been rendered into just another Elvis Presley movie, if one g gets the drift.

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[–] oprlvr33 9 years ago

Humorously I had almost imagined the same premises, except that for, perhaps Wise had not seen most of Presley's films (including the Westerns) .. and basely considered the legendary King to be part of his hopeful film version on the potential of bias perhaps. Or simply a ratings issue; which would have made little sense, as WSS was not a TV show. In any face, Wise being a respected film producer, and an obvious Elvis fan, would have had some major (understated) budget issues on his hands in casting Presley, with having to hire a talent coach to justify casting a mediocre actor in a magnitude production.

Peanutlee33

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[–] friendoffilm 9 years ago

From what I understand and what I heard/read, Elvis Presley did date Natalie Wood for awhile at one point. I sincerely wonder if that, too might've been a factor in Robert Wise's having first approached Elvis Presley for the role of Tony in the film version of West Side Story.

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[–] oprlvr33 9 years ago

The things that make you go 'hmmmmm'

😍😘😀

Peanutlee33

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[–] marktayloruk 9 years ago

You wouldn't have had to dub him.Beymer was ludicrous casting.

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[–] friendoffilm 9 years ago

Hmmmm....never gave the idea that Elvis Presley wouldn't have had to be dubbed had he played Tony any consideration, but then again, since dubbing in movies was rather common back then, who knows what might've happened?

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[–] StrongRex (1319) 3 years ago

I see a lot posts by people condemning Beymer’s casting as Tony, but they never give examples of why it was bad casting.

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[–] Jes' Sayin' (6349) 3 years ago

Why would Wise approach Elvis? Wise probably had points and knew that including Elvis in the film had the potential to score huge box office.

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[–] spookyrat1 9 years ago

While Elvis indeed could act (fairly well), the bulk of his roles were his own music/movies. A few of his more dramatic roles were okay, but not award-worthy.

I admit it would be really interesting to have seen what sort of success he may have made of the role, but the sharp Colonel didn't want Elvis diluting the strength of his own brand at a time when he was at the height of his personal global popularity.🐭

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[–] dmnemaine 9 years ago

I don't know if Elvis (a singer in the baritone range) could have handled the tenor role of Tony. Seems almost as weird to me as Judy Garland being the original actress considered for Julie Jordan in the original film verison of Carousel. Fantastic singer. Wrong range.

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[–] friendoffilm 9 years ago

Hmmmmm....that's an interesting thought, dmnemaine. If that's the case, it's kind of too bad, because Elvis Presley had the looks and the personality of an ex-gang member, plus he did have a good voice and dancing ability. You may be right about Elvis Presley's not being able to handle the tenor range, too, however.

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[–] marktayloruk (2502) 3 years ago

Just let Elvis sing it his way.

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[–] greenbudgie 8 years ago

I wonder if P.J. Proby was ever considered? He was an Elvis impersonator who had a hit with the 'Maria' song from the movie here in the UK.

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[–] pontevedro 8 years ago

Timing is wrong. WSS was released in 1961 and Proby had only a couple of independent label singles at the time. His Wikipedia biography says that he had a couple of small roles in films early on, but they must have been uncredited. I think he would have too obscure at the time.

As for Elvis himself, I agree with an earlier poster who said that it would have made WSS story into an Elvis Presley movie, rather than the ensemble effect that came to be. It's interesting to think about, but it probably worked out for the best that he didn't.

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[–] greenbudgie 8 years ago

Thanks for the information about P.J. Proby. I've just thought of 'Somewhere' which is another song that PJ had a hit with in the UK so obviously he must have been a fan of this film.

I agree that it would have been a bad idea for Elvis to have been in 'West Side Story.' But it would have been good for the then obscure PJ.

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[–] mplo (2356) 3 years ago

Thank you, pontevedro. I was the poster that had the idea that had Elvis Presley played Tony in the original 1961 film version of West Side Story, that it might've ended up being just another Elvis Presley movie, but then again, who knows?

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[–] huwdj (4566) 3 years ago

That sounds like a very silly idea. But then again it was only 2-3 years after King Creole and he was good in that (at least I remember him as being so - long, long time since I saw it) so maybe it wasn't completely daft?

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