MovieChat Forums > Ice Station Zebra (1968) Discussion > Gregory Peck was originally the Sub Capt...

Gregory Peck was originally the Sub Captain

posted 18 years ago by Moor-Larkin
21 replies | jump to latest

I was re-reading a 1967 film mag the other night when I stumbled over a 'gossip page', which said that Gregory Peck was being replaced by Rock Hudson on the movie "Ice Station Zebra". The paragraph mumbled about hasty reshooting because some scenes in Alaska had already been filmed with Peck in them! Mr. Peck moved over to film "The Stalking Moon". There was no explanation why this had happened.

Patrick McGoohan and Gregory Peck! Now that would have been really lipsmackingly good!

http://theatrical-mcgoohan.mysite.orange.co.uk/

[–] bbagnall 18 years ago

I would have preferred Peck. Hudson gave a pretty bland performance.

[–] ingrid-augustin 18 years ago

Oh dear! Patrick McGoohan and Gregory Peck! *gasp*

Too bad that didn't materialise. I wouldn't need the fast forward button so often....

[–] DirtyGrainius 18 years ago

The "image" of Peck is the captain in my mind. I always end up reminding myself that it Rock Hudson.

"Inside the Dusters there were 3 men... So?... Inside the men there were 3 bullets." - d{^_^}b

[–] kirk_bones 18 years ago

i think gregory Peck was a great actor but Rock hudson did a great job .i think that rock hudson played the role like he did cause thats how captain was in the book ,just personall theory

Aslan is on the move

[–] Moor-Larkin 18 years ago

I have recently read an interview with Patrick McGoohan in which he discussed the casting of Gregory Peck. He mentioned that his part, as Jones, was originally slated to be played by David Niven........

He didn't know why all the changes had been made but did remark that a lot of filming was done and that the movie had gone some $4M over-budget......

http://theatrical-mcgoohan.mysite.orange.co.uk/

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] triplecrosser 15 years ago

Originally in 1965 the part of Sub Commander was offered to Charlton Heston. Apparently, Heston said that whilst the script was very good, he disliked the part of Commander Ferraday.

[–] literati-2 17 years ago

I agree!!!

[–] cpurick 17 years ago

Wikipedia says the Navy had problems with the script, which was sent up for a rewrite. By the time a new script was ready, some of the cast had moved on to other commitments.

[–] MalJMD 17 years ago

My dad was a sub skipper. Hudson actually did a good job. He had that calm, languid, out of shape appearance and demeanor that sub captains have. They smoke too many cigarettes and jumping to conclusions is their only exercise.

Rock did a good job, other than being too damned tall.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] haristas 17 years ago

Charlton Heston has written that he turned the role down because he didn't think there was much of a character there to play. I think he has a point.

[–] RichN36 17 years ago

Just a Theory but could it be that Peck and Niven were dropped from the cast they didn't get along that well while filming The Guns of Navarone? That or they didn't want to repeat that Team-UP.

But like all movies I think they got the Mix of Actors just right in this film They all played off each other just right. Even The Great Ernest Borgnine turned a outstanding Preformance.

[–] ecarle 17 years ago

I have also read that Steve McQueen turned down the Hudson role.

This is pretty typical in any movie era. You've got a male lead, you send the script to all the male leads out there until one says yes. You hope your first choice says yes first.

[–] clore_2 15 years ago

I had a Variety issue from 1966 that announced the film as reuniting the trio of Guns of Navarone - Peck, Niven and Quinn - plus its author.

Were there actually scenes shot in Alaska? One big issue I have with the film is that it is so obviously set-bound. That was especially obvious in Cinerama - the film actually looks better on a TV screen.

It ain't easy being green, or anything else, other than to be me

[–] timhoward1111 10 years ago

In my mind, Rock Hudson was at the top of his game. For Gregory Peck, all I can picture is Aticus Finch right now. I think Rock did ok i the Artic!

[–] dp-131 9 years ago

Agreed. I think Rock Hudson was widely underrated, and this is one of his best.

[–] a_l_i_e_n 8 years ago

Rock Hudson was at the top of his game.

I also liked Hudson in this movie. Peck might've brought a somewhat more commanding presence to the role, but the humorous aspect of the character was very well handled by Hudson, and I don't think Peck could've improved on him in that regard.

[–] gary_w_trott 9 years ago

They would have saved some money by hiring Peck as well because he already knew how to drive a nuclear sub in On The Beach.

[–] Prismark10 8 years ago

Maybe Peck would had brought his Captain Ahab to the game.

It's that man again!!

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

We can figure that the "Ice Station Zebra" script got sent to "the usual suspects" among Hollywood leading men in 1967/1968. Charlton Heston would be fine, Gregory Peck would be fine. By then , Cary Grant had retired.

I read that Steve McQueen turned the part down. He was "hipper" than Heston and Peck and probably not interested. It wasn't a Paul Newman type of role(not enough depth) and...John Wayne was too old.

So Rock Hudson ended up with the role almost by default. Two things:(1) it was probably , really, his last "major starring part"(though budget room had to be made for Borgnine, McGoohan, Brown and the effects) and (2) he proved himself not bad IN the part.

I think I read somewhere that it was Hudson's favorite movie that he didn't do with Doris Day. (But what about Giant?)

I also like what I'm reading in this thread that a plan to re-unite -- in yet another Alastair MacLean story --the three stars of "The Guns of Navarone"(Peck, Niven, Quinn) was afoot for awhile, but alas, this story was nearly as exciting as "Navarone" -- and one of the parts is a villain.