Anybody know which role Tommy Kirk was going to play before he got fired? (see his IMDB profile for the story) I guess it had to be either the Dennis Hopper or Michael Anderson Jr character. I'm guessing it was the MA role. He would have fit that part well. I think DH already had a working relationship with Henry Hathaway. Too bad, with a little luck TK's career might have taken off. He did some nice work for Disney.
share Maybe he was playing Jeremy Slate's part, Ben the deputy who doesn't trust John or the rest of the Elder brothers? I'm not sure, just proposing another idea. Sorry, Corriganville.
"Congratulations, Major. It appears that at last you have found yourself a real war." Ben Tyreen
According to the trivia section for this film on IMDb:
"Michael Anderson Jr replaced Tommy Kirk at very short notice."
"Dadoo4050: and who, disguised as a mild-mannered schoolteacher. . ."
There's some stuff under Kirk's bio about his orientation and why he was let go from Disney. Odds are this is why he didn't do this film either, as he would have been untouchable by mainstream, Big Studio standards. Too bad too, because he probably would've been good in this one.
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Hmm I think Michael Anderson Jr did a very good job with it.
Though I could see Tommy Kirk being very similar in the part.
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He was to play the Michael Anderson role but his homosexuality was outed and his career was ended.
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Unfortunately it was drugs that got Kirk fired from this role, not his sexuality, according to Kirk himself. I think Wayne really overreacted though. Speaking as a fan of Tommy Kirk, I wish he would of been in this film, because he is a great talent and this mvoie would of helped his career a lot. After he was released from Disney, he never really got the parts he deserved. Shame.
sharePut me down as a fan of Tommy Kirk. He would have been great in this role. His first western??
If Dennis Hopper could hang with the Duke, so could Kirk!
Michael Anderson, Jr.'s performance in this movie really grates on my nerves. I have a feeling Tommy Kirk would've been more convincing.
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Michael Anderson Jr was presumably cast because he had just played similar roles as the naive kid in The Glory Guys and Major Dundee.
Dennis Hopper plays virtually the same role in this film that he played in From Hell to Texas for the same director. He was cast by Hathaway who, according to folklore, apparently asked Wayne if he was OK with it as Hopper was known as a 'leftie Commie'. Wayne told Hathaway that he didn't care as long as Hopper didn't start sprouting commie propaganda on set. Hopper was cast and was then cast again by Hathaway opposite Wayne in True Grit.
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Tommy Kirk was arrested for possession of pot on Xmas eve 1964 and the duke doesnt forgive drug offences. Fired from the movie quickly replaced with MA .
sharePeople say it was John Wayne but he was only an actor on the flick it had to be a higher up either the head of studio or producer .Hal Wallis that fired Kirk
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