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Comedian Robin Williams was jubilant to be offered the plum role of the Joker in the 1989 film "Batman." It was the role of a lifetime – every actor's dream. However, some days after verbally agreeing to do the part, Williams was told that Jack Nicholson would be cast instead. In an interview a few years later, Williams was still bitter about losing the role. He gloomily stated, "I think I was used for bait to get Nicholson."

Comedienne-turned-talk-show-hostess Rosie O'Donnell reportedly took the role in the film "Exit to Eden" after learning that sex symbol Sharon Stone had turned it down.

Contrary to legend, all of the clocks in the movie "Pulp Fiction" are NOT stuck on 4:20. In fact, the time on the watch when Captain Koons first shows it to Butch is about 10:10, then a closeup shows the watch is set to 12:00.

Dancer-actress Cyd Charisse discovered that she was pregnant during pre-production of "An American in Paris" (1951), and was replaced by Leslie Caron.

After Spencer Tracy won the 1937 Best Actor Oscar for "Captains Courageous," the gold statuette was sent out to be inscribed. When it was returned to the actor, it was engraved "To Dick Tracy." The Academy was justifiably embarrassed by the error.

After the film "Dances With Wolves" (1990) was released, linguistic experts pointed out that, unlike the film's depiction, Sioux tribe members do not use proverbs or formulaic expressions, which function to preserve knowledge and tradition in an oral culture.

After U.S. warplanes bombed the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia in May 1999, the Chinese government temporarily pulled U.S. movies from theaters. After the bombing, "Saving Private Ryan" was yanked from China's cinema houses and replaced with violent war films from the 1950s, showing Chinese soldiers fighting U.S. troops during the Korean War.

Agnes DeMille created the first American ballet, "Rodeo" (1942), and brought ballet techniques to musicals such as "Oklahoma!" (1943).

Alan Hale, one of Hollywood's busiest character actors in hundreds of films, died in January 1950 before seeing his look-alike son, Alan Hale, Jr., achieve international fame in the 1960s as Skipper on TV's "Gilligan's Island". Hale Sr. had been a stock actor for Warner Bros.' films for decades after his early attempts at an opera career didn't materialize.

Albert Finney turned down the role of Lawrence in David Lean's epic "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) because it would have required him to sign a 5-year contract. The part went to newcomer Peter O'Toole, who had not done a major film before. O'Toole's performance catapulted him to international fame.

Alfred Hitchcock was the first major film director to lend his name to and make regular appearances in a successful TV show – "Alfred Hitchcock Presents."

Alfred Hitchcock, when questioned about how he felt having never received an Oscar after being nominated for best director five times, huffily responded, "What do I want with another doorstop?"

American theater managers say they sell the most popcorn during the showing of scary movies.

Americans buy an average of 4.6 movie tickets per year. According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, Ireland buys the most of the European countries, with 3.2 tickets a year.

In the blockbuster hit, "E.T., the Extra Terrestrial" (1982), Harrison Ford was cast as the school principal, but his only scene was cut. Director Steven Spielberg decided his presence in the film would be too distracting. Ford's wife Melissa Mathison wrote "E.T.'s" screenplay.

Danny Kaye was the third choice to play opposite Bing Crosby in the film "White Christma"(1954). Fred Astaire, who had co-starred with Crosby in the earlier hit "Holiday Inn," was the original choice for Phil Davis, but he turned it down because, at age 55, he felt he was too old for the part. Donald O'Connor was next selected for the sidekick role, but he injured his back and couldn't dance for months. Kaye was quite miffed about being third in line, and also resented playing second-banana to Crosby. The atmosphere on the film set was professional, but frosty.

In the famous shower scene in the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock chiller "Psycho," chocolate syrup was used to simulate blood.

Dennis Quaid, Val Kilmer, Kirk Douglas, Walter Huston, Victor Mature, Jason Robards, and Caesar Romero have portrayed Wild West dentist Doc Holliday in films.

In the film classic "Gone with the Wind," the heroine was advised: "You can't show your bosom 'fore three o'clock."

Despite being 24 years old, Michael J. Fox starred as high school student Marty McFly in the hit science-fiction comedy "Back to the Future" (1985).

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