The "almost" cast 89 Joker actors

[AceTheBat-Hound]

I think Tim Curry would have been monstrous!     

[Darth Vader]

I agree with those saying Tim Curry. I remember that one Grinch smile he did (Home Alone movie I think). 

[PJ]

I know it isn't the Joker,  but I was watching "The Best '80's movies" on Channel 5 here in the UK on New Years Eve (Batman acheived #19, by the way and was universally praised) and Kelly Lebrock mentioned that she turned down the role of Vicki Vale. Truth or a little bit of revisionist history?

[shadowbat69]

Thats the first Ive ever heard of her name.

[Darth Vader]

Who is she? Not a well known, that's for sure.

[Paul (ral)]

I know it isn't the Joker,  but I was watching "The Best '80's movies" on Channel 5 here in the UK on New Years Eve (Batman acheived #19, by the way and was universally praised) and Kelly Lebrock mentioned that she turned down the role of Vicki Vale. Truth or a little bit of revisionist history?

I watched that as well.  There wee some real turds ahead of Batman, so I didn't put much stock in the list, but it was good to see it on there.

Why would she have turned it down? Was she mad? I haven't seen her name attached to any articles yet.

[Reevz666]

Who is she? Not a well known, that's for sure.

she was "Lisa" the girl in the movie Weird Science ...she was also married to Steven Segal in the 90's...and I've never head that SHE turned down the part, but maybe Warner Bros turned her down

[Paul (ral)]

Who is she? Not a well known, that's for sure.

she was "Lisa" the girl in the movie Weird Science ...she was also married to Steven Segal in the 90's...and I've never head that SHE turned down the part, but maybe Warner Bros turned her down

I wouldn't turn her down  she was great in weird science!

[Batman]

I found this piece of information on David Bowie's Wikipedia site:

"He was briefly considered for the role of The Joker by Tim Burton and Sam Hamm for 1989's Batman. Hamm recalls "David Bowie would be kind of neat because he's very funny when he does sinister roles". The role ended up going to Jack Nicholson."

He would have definitely made a unique Joker.
Bowie looks great wearing a 30's-50's slim cut suit a hat and a trench-coat.
Think of Jack Napier from Batman - Mask of the Phantasm.
I think he would have been a great addition.

Besides, he would have probably had a hand in the Soundtrack as well.
Interesting "What if... ?" IMO.

[BatmAngelus]

^Haha, I was the one who posted that on Wiki (with a link to the Sam Hamm article on this site as my source ).

I heard the story (true, exaggerated, or fabricated?) about them courting Robin Williams as a way to push Nicholson into taking the role.
I know Tim Curry was cast originally as the voice of the Joker in BTAS, but I never heard about him for the live-action role in '89.
This is the first I've heard about Lithgow and Sutherland.

In the Hamm article, Woods & Bowie were mentioned in addition to Willem Dafoe, whom I would have liked to have seen (of course, they'd have to cut the part about Napier killing the Waynes).