Speaking Roles facts
While investigating facts about Speaking Roles, I found out little known, but curios details like:
Despite being a trained Broadway singer, Matthew Broderick only voiced the speaking role of adult Simba in “The Lion King” (1994). Simba’s singing voice was provided by Joseph Williams, the lead singer of Toto.
After accepting a role in 'The Girl from Petrovka' Anthony Hopkins set out to find the book. Unable to find any for sale, he spotted one on a park bench and snagged it. Two years later he was speaking with the author, who lamented having lost his copy with notes. The same copy Sir Hopkins found.
In my opinion, it is useful to put together a list of the most interesting details from trusted sources that I've come across. Here are 33 of the best facts about Speaking Roles I managed to collect.
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Peter Ostrum, who played Charlie in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, never took another film role and instead found a career as a vet. He did not speak publicly about the film for nearly twenty years, and for several years even his wife did not know about his role.
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The Wizard of Oz' saved the lives of the "munchkins." In 1938, the Nazis plan was "exterminating undesirables," including those born with a physical impairment. Landing their roles allowed them to escape Nazi Germany and come to US. They couldn't speak english; their voices are someone else's.
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The original actor for Dumbledore, Richard Harris, intended to turn down the role due to his declining health, but later agreed to play the character after his 11-year-old granddaughter threatened to never speak to him if he refused the role.
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Although 227 minutes long, Lawrence of Arabia film has no women in speaking roles. It is reportedly the longest film not to have any dialog spoken by a woman.
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Cuba Gooding Jr.'s first movie role was the non-speaking role of the guy getting the haircut in the barbershop in "Coming to America".
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When famed reclusive author Thomas Pynchon appeared as himself on The Simpsons, he refused to speak one of the lines in which he was supposed to call Homer a "fat ass," arguing he couldn't possibly say anything bad about his "role model"
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Since he didn't speak much english at all, on his first english speaking role, Antonio Banderas had to learn his lines phonetically
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Bret Mckenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame was an extra in Fellowship of the Ring dubbed "Figwit" by fans. Even though the character was on screen for less than a second, he became so popular that they brought him back with a speaking role in Return of the King.
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World famous mime Marcel Marceau appears in the 1976 Mel Books film "Silent Movie". He has the only speaking role.
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Contrary to popular belief, Jerry Maren was not the last surviving Wizard of Oz cast member; he was the last one with a speaking role. An actor for a Winkie guard survived til late 2018, and Dorothy's own dance stunt double is still alive as of this posting.
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Robin Williams learned to speak fluent Russian as well as how to play the saxophone in several months for the role of Vladimir Ivanoff in the movie "Moscow on the Hudson". His proficiency in Russian became immediately apparent upon meeting the Russian actors, many of whom speak no English
The original Star Wars trilogy only had 3 female speaking roles, excluding Leia, for a combined 63 seconds of dialogue - source
The actor Bruno Ganz rehearsed for his role as Hitler in the 2004 film Downfall by listening to the Mannerheim recording. Secretely recorded in 1942, it is the only recording that shows Hitler speaking in an unofficial tone, unlike the commonly known speaking voice he used at rallies and events. - source
Law and Order employed up to 700 actors in speaking roles each season over its 20 year run. - source
While Michael Jackson provided his speaking voice for the role of Leon Kompowsky in the Simpson's Season 3 premiere "Stark Raving Dad," MJ had an impersonator handle the singing to fool his brothers into thinking he was actually singing on the show,
The Movie Lawrence Of Arabia Is The Only Best Picture Oscar Winner To Only Have One Gender Credited. There Wasn't A Single Speaking Female Role Except For A Camel Named Gladys
Nearly 70% of speaking roles for movies made between 2007 and 2014 were male.
While filming "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest", Jack Nicholson refused to speak to director Milos Forman, instead taking cues from the cinematographer. He later won an Oscar for Best Actor for the role.
It is trendy for Chinese firms to employ a foreigner or two who can speak Chinese to make PowerPoint presentations at meetings with new business partners, or for 'display' during negotiations, or even to play the role of a foreign 'rent-a-date' for social occasions
Comedian Jack Whitehall was credited with a non-speaking role in the ANIMATED film 'Frozen'
