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Who Framed Roger Rabbit
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===Casting=== [[Harrison Ford]] was Spielberg's original choice to play Eddie Valiant, but his price was too high.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/movies/harrison-ford-lost-roles/|title='Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' And Six Other Big Roles Harrison Ford Missed Out On|date=July 13, 2015|access-date=May 26, 2017|archive-date=September 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913231452/http://uproxx.com/movies/harrison-ford-lost-roles/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Chevy Chase]] was the second choice, but he was not interested.<ref name="mentalfloss.com"/> [[Bill Murray]] was also considered for the role, but due to his idiosyncratic method of receiving offers for roles, Murray missed out on it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-farr/bill-murray-and-the-roles_b_5850434.html|title=Bill Murray and the Roles That Got Away|first=John|last=Farr|date=September 19, 2014|access-date=May 26, 2017|work=[[HuffPost]]|archive-date=June 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619004834/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-farr/bill-murray-and-the-roles_b_5850434.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Eddie Murphy]] reportedly turned down the role as he misunderstood the concept of toons and humans co-existing; he later regretted this decision.<ref name="Evans">{{cite web|last=Evans|first=Bradford|title=The Lost Roles of Eddie Murphy|date=April 7, 2011|publisher=[[Splitsider]]|url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/04/the-lost-roles-of-eddie-murphy/|access-date=July 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723072044/http://splitsider.com/2011/04/the-lost-roles-of-eddie-murphy/|archive-date=July 23, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fallon |first1=Jimmy |title=Eddie Murphy Confirms Rumors and Stories About Prince, Ghostbusters and More |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CABVnXoe9gw |website=YouTube |date=December 20, 2019 |access-date=December 23, 2019 |archive-date=December 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223032637/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CABVnXoe9gw |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Robin Williams]], [[Robert Redford]], [[Jack Nicholson]], [[Sylvester Stallone]], [[Edward James Olmos]], [[Wallace Shawn]], [[Ed Harris]], [[Charles Grodin]] and [[Don Lane]] were also considered for the role.<ref name="mentalfloss.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/62910/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit|title=15 Things You Might Not Know About ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' |work=[[Mental Floss]] |date=April 10, 2015|access-date=May 26, 2017|archive-date=June 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170604194418/http://mentalfloss.com/article/62910/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit|url-status=live}}</ref> Ultimately, [[Bob Hoskins]] was chosen by Spielberg because of his acting skill and because Spielberg believed he had a hopeful demeanor and he looked like he belonged in that era.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2018-06-13|title=Who Framed Roger Rabbit: A Look at How the Cartoons Came to Life|url=https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/who-framed-roger-rabbit-161764/|access-date=2022-02-15|website=Closer Weekly|language=en-US}}</ref> [[Paul Reubens]] originally auditioned for the role of [[Roger Rabbit]] and even provided his voice in an early 1983 screen test, but lost out.<ref name="Buzzfeed">{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit|title=20 Things You Didn't Know About "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"|first=Brian |last=Galindo|website=[[BuzzFeed]]|date=12 March 2013 |access-date=May 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315195121/https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit?utm_term=.yaJaEAEdb#.uxPB2Q2bD|archive-date=15 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Reyes|first1=Mike|title=Listen To Pee-Wee Herman As The Voice Of Roger Rabbit|url=http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Listen-Pee-Wee-Herman-Voice-Roger-Rabbit-67174.html|website=CinemaBlend|access-date=5 May 2017|date=2014-09-11}}</ref> [[Eddie Deezen]], who had worked with Zemeckis previously, also auditioned to play Roger, but did not get the part.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 6, 2011 |title=PMC 35: Eddie Deezen |url=http://www.popmyculturepodcast.com/?p=1666 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420042425/http://www.popmyculturepodcast.com/?p=1666 |archive-date=April 20, 2011 |access-date=May 15, 2011 |publisher=Pop My Culture podcast}}</ref> The role was eventually given to [[Charles Fleischer]].<ref name="Buzzfeed" /> Before filming, Fleischer was asked to come up with a speech impediment for Roger. He gave Roger a lisp and the stammering catchphrase "P-p-p-please!" as a tribute to all the other famous cartoon characters with speech impediments, which was inspired by [[Huntz Hall]]'s Sach Jones in ''[[The Bowery Boys]]''.<ref name="Voice Inspiration 1">{{cite web|title=Interview with Charles Fleischer, the voice of Roger Rabbit|url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/big-screen/2013/mar/20/interview-with-charles-fleischer-the-voice-of-roge/|publisher=San Diego Reader|access-date=September 4, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Voice Inspiration 2">{{cite web|title=Who Framed Roger Rabbit Turns 35: Voice of Roger Reflects on Filming Classic Cartoon Crossover|date=June 22, 2023 |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/who-framed-roger-rabbit-charles-fleischer-35th-anniversary-interview|publisher=SYFY WIRE|access-date=September 4, 2024}}</ref> He had invented the "cheek flutter" while performing the voice of B.B. in ''[[Deadly Friend]]''.<ref name="Voice Inspiration 3">{{cite web|title=Charles Fleischer, the voice behind Roger Rabbit, explores the meaning of life|date=March 25, 2013 |url=https://www.sfexaminer.com/culture/charles-fleischer-the-voice-behind-roger-rabbit-explores-the-meaning-of-life/article_a17a7465-727c-5c11-ad2d-34baeabf7fb2.html|access-date=January 19, 2024}}</ref> His portrayal of Roger was also inspired by [[Screwy Squirrel]].<ref name="Voice Inspiration 4">{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Keith |title=Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age, Vol. 1 |date=3 October 2022 |publisher=BearManor Media |language=en}}</ref> To facilitate Hoskins' performance, Fleischer dressed in a Roger Rabbit costume and "stood in" behind camera for most scenes.<ref name="ears" /> Williams explained Roger was a combination of "[[Tex Avery]]'s cashew nut-shaped head, the swatch of red hair... like [[Droopy]]'s, [[Goofy]]'s overalls, [[Porky Pig]]'s bow tie, [[Mickey Mouse]]'s gloves, and [[Bugs Bunny]]-like cheeks and ears."<ref name="Norman" /> [[Kathleen Turner]] provided the uncredited voice of [[Jessica Rabbit]], Roger Rabbit's wife.<ref name="kt">{{cite web | url=https://www.avclub.com/kathleen-turner-talks-the-perfect-family-body-heat-an-1798231149 | title=Kathleen Turner talks ''The Perfect Family'', ''Body Heat'', and her return to cinema | publisher=[[The Onion]] | work=[[The A.V. Club]] | date=May 4, 2012 | access-date=November 24, 2012 | author=Rabin, Nathan | archive-date=October 31, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031053932/http://www.avclub.com/articles/kathleen-turner-talks-the-perfect-family-body-heat%2C73499/ | url-status=live }}</ref> [[Tim Curry]] auditioned for the role of Judge Doom, but was rejected because the producers found him too terrifying.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit|title=20 Things You Didn't Know About "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"|first=Brian Galindo BuzzFeed|last=Staff|website=BuzzFeed|date=March 12, 2013 |access-date=May 26, 2017|archive-date=March 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315195121/https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit?utm_term=.yaJaEAEdb|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Christopher Lee]] was also considered for the role, but turned it down.<ref name="mentalfloss.com"/> [[John Cleese]] also expressed interest for the role, but was deemed not scary enough.<ref name="mentalfloss.com"/> [[Peter O'Toole]], [[F. Murray Abraham]], [[Roddy McDowall]], [[Eddie Deezen]], and [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] were also considered for the role.<ref name="mentalfloss.com"/> [[Christopher Lloyd]] was cast because he previously worked with Zemeckis and Spielberg on ''Back to the Future''. He compared his part as Doom to his previous role as the Klingon commander Kruge in ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock]]'', both overly evil characters which he considered "fun to play".<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.avclub.com/christopher-lloyd-on-playing-a-vampire-a-taxi-driver-1798234109 | title = Christopher Lloyd on playing a vampire, a taxi driver, a toon, and more | newspaper = [[The A.V. Club]] | date = October 12, 2012 | access-date = October 17, 2012 | first = Will | last = Harris | archive-date = October 14, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121014185750/http://www.avclub.com/articles/random-roles-christopher-lloyd%2C86582/ | url-status = live }}</ref> He avoided blinking his eyes while on camera to portray the character.<ref name="comment" /> Fleischer also voiced Benny the Cab, Psycho, and Greasy. Lou Hirsch, who voiced Baby Herman, was the original choice for Benny the Cab but was replaced by Fleischer.<ref name="ears">Robert Zemeckis, Richard Williams, [[Bob Hoskins]], [[Charles Fleischer]], [[Frank Marshall (film producer)|Frank Marshall]], [[Alan Silvestri]], Ken Ralston, ''Behind the Ears: The True Story of Roger Rabbit'', 2003, [[Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment]]</ref>
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