335 replies to this topic

[crossplain pilgrim]

For sinister giants, did anyone ever loom more menacingly than Ted Cassidy who played Lurch in the old Adams Family TV series? I remember him an absolutely freaky nemesis to Captain Kirk on an episode of Star Trek and he also faced off against Gregory Peck in McKenna's Gold.

[?sir]

Edited by ?sir, 31 March 2009 - 01:39 PM.

[John Maddox Roberts]

On the other hand, Paul Newman kicked him in the nuts in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." So hard that he raised dust off the seat of his pants. Never would have happened with Conan. I once saw old Ted play Goliath in a tv series of Bible stories. Interestingly, they protrayed Goliath realistically as just a really big man, not a true giant. Sadly, he was acromegalic and died young. The main problem with casting Conan is you need a big actor who can move really fast and with tremendous coordination, which lets out acromegalics like Cassidy. You need someone with Cassidy's size who can move like Jimmy Cagney. Cagney was a dancer so he had the moves. Conan should be able to fight like Fred Astaire could dance. It's a pretty rare combination.

[Maelstrom]

If you ever get the chance, check out Jack Palance as Attila the Hun in the 1954 film "Sign of the Pagan." Yea, he was definitely Conan material.

Heck YES.

Here's a (poor quality) clip from the film. There's a great scene of him at a feast, and he just dominates the room: not gigantic in size, but he seems like he is through sheer power of charisma.

Apart from Palance, there are a few old-school Hollywood stars I could imagine. Oliver Reed, for example, with his volcanic blue eyes and panther-like scowl. The aforementioned Charles Bronson & Kirk Douglas too. The patriot in me certainly backs Sean Connery, who ticks all the boxes (though jokes about "Conan the Shummerian" would likely abound) and is probably who I would "believe" as Conan most.

However, one of my favourite "Golden Age Conan" - and completely left-field - is Gregory Peck.

Yes, Atticus Finch as Conan - I believe he could have pulled it off (though I think his quiet dignity and speaking style is extremely well suited to Kull).



From "Yellow Sky". A little more bulking up might be needed, but he's tall and powerful enough, and did his own fight scenes (as Robert Mitchum, another possible Conan, would attest!)

It occurred to me that he would have been a great Solomon Kane!

[amster]

For sinister giants, did anyone ever loom more menacingly than Ted Cassidy who played Lurch in the old Adams Family TV series? I remember him an absolutely freaky nemesis to Captain Kirk on an episode of Star Trek and he also faced off against Gregory Peck in McKenna's Gold.

Cassidy would have made a formindable Thak or Haunter of the Pits, as this clip from the seventies clearly shows. All those CGI proponents out there are obviously way of base. Nothing in modern cinema can match the stark realism of this breathtaking scene:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=N0qefQardXw

[deuce]

Hey Maelstrom! That occurred to me, too. Great minds, and all that. I believe I suggested it on a "Casting SK" thread awhile back.

I think that Peck probably, as Pilgrim pointed out, would come across a just a bit too... decent (or whatever). However, I don't see "decency" as being "non-barbaric". Again and again, REH contrasts Conan's basic "barbaric decency" with the callous disconnection of civilization.

Back on-topic, there IS a list of Howard's preferred actors over on the REHupa site (a valuable resource for ALL Howard fans). IMO, Victor McLaglen coulda pulled off Conan at least as well as Elmo Lincoln pulled off Tarzan.

My two lunas.

[crossplain pilgrim]

I've been thinking about British actors who could have played Conan in the Golden Age. Does anyone remember Nigel Green? He played Hercules in the original "Jason and the Argonauts." He was a superb actor and I think he could have played a credible Conan with a little buffing up. Certainly he would have made a dynamite Gottfried Von Kalmbach. For my money, the all time greatest collection of superb male actors were working in the UK in the '60's. You still had the old crowd with Oliver, Richardson, Harrison, Mason, Gilegud, Mills, Redgrave, Guinness, and Howard (Trevor, not Robert), but you had the new guys: Burton, Caine, Shaw, Bogarde, Schofield, Fox, Attenborough, Reed, Baker, Quayle, Harris, Finney, Bates...I mean the list of incredible actors goes on and on.

Just because these guys were consummate actors, didn't mean they couldn't do action pics. Most of that second bunch were fine action stars. I can see Oliver Reed as Conan. Stanley Baker would have made a fine Kane. Robert Shaw could have handled a number of Howard characters. Burton could have given Bran Mak Morn or Turlough O' Brien some layers. If the old crowd, I can see Olivier and Mason as Kane.

[?sir]

That's a very fitting build for Conan in my opinion.

[Hans]

Some years ago,I added a bit on Hollywood stuntman and bit player George Robotham.If you check the copy of the lobbycard i submitted,(and the other pics somebody else sent), he certainly could have carried off our hero PHYSICALLY. However,he had a rather thin,and high voice.I also get the impression he wasn't that great an actor,either.

[crossplain pilgrim]

One '50's actor who certainly had the Conan look was Clint Walker. I think he was something like 6'4" and had a physique that Warner Brothers was forever showing off in multiple episodes of his western series, "Cheyene." Later in his career, he played a pretty scary villain in Charlie Bronson's "The White Buffalo." Proved he could have had a career playing William Smith type psychos. The more I think about, the more I believe old Clint could have pulled it off.

[amster]

One '50's actor who certainly had the Conan look was Clint Walker. I think he was something like 6'4" and had a physique that Warner Brothers was forever showing off in multiple episodes of his western series, "Cheyene." Later in his career, he played a pretty scary villain in Charlie Bronson's "The White Buffalo." Proved he could have had a career playing William Smith type psychos. The more I think about, the more I believe old Clint could have pulled it off.

Let him grow his hair out, and yep, that's Conan alright.



He's also a dead ringer for Steve Corcoran...

[amster]

Peter Breck, "Nick" from The Big Valley.

[Ironhand]

One '50's actor who certainly had the Conan look was Clint Walker. I think he was something like 6'4" and had a physique that Warner Brothers was forever showing off in multiple episodes of his western series, "Cheyene." Later in his career, he played a pretty scary villain in Charlie Bronson's "The White Buffalo." Proved he could have had a career playing William Smith type psychos. The more I think about, the more I believe old Clint could have pulled it off.

Let him grow his hair out, and yep, that's Conan alright.



He's also a dead ringer for Steve Corcoran...

For years, Clint Walker played Conan in the theater of my mind's eye. Remember him in The Dirty Dozen?

Edited by Ironhand, 04 April 2009 - 05:27 AM.

[crossplain pilgrim]

In 1958 Walker made a western (what else?) called "Fort Dobbs." He made a promotional tour, introducing the film to theater audiences around the country. I got the chance to see him in person at the Majestic theatre in Houston. It was a pretty big deal for a twelve-year-old kid. He looked ten feet tall, and as I remember it, he sang a western song in a pretty good baritone voice. And just so I am not off theme here, I don't see Peter Breck as Conan. Didn't have the build. Breck was certainly a better actor than Walker but just wasn't as likable as Walker. Now John Russell, who co-starred with Walker in "Yellowstone Kelly," he could have played Conan, no sweat.

[Munthasem]

I don't know if he's mentioned already, but I think Steve Reeves could pull it of just fine.

http://elhijodelaboh...8/sreeves3.jpeg

[crossplain pilgrim]

Steve Reeves was mentioned right out of the box, Munthasem. There seems to be a lot of good will still lingering after the the greatest Hercules of them all. Reeves never got a shot at a major Hollywood role. It wasn't a Hollywood film, but I read that he was considered for "Fistful of Dollars," (What a change in movie history that might have wrought!). It is said he was actually offered the role of James Bond in "Dr. No," but I am dubious. He wasn't right for the part. George Pal considered him for his "Doc Savage," film, but ended up casting TV Tarzan, Ron Ely, instead. You know, I don't think I have ever seen a Reeves film in which his voice was not dubbed (On some of those Italian productions in the '50's they didn't even use sound equipment, as everything was dubbed.). I wonder if his voice matched that Mr. Universe physique.

[KlarkashTon]

I know for most people the biggest question about the next Conan actor is that are his muscles big enough or can he do it as well as Arnie. To me that is totally irrelevant, although I understand the reasons why some see the situation as Arnie = Conan. But for me even this single picture of Palance has more the Conan of Howard than the Milius movie ever had (although I liked it nevertheless). Just the wolflike glare in his eyes is enough to bring out the impression of a true barbarian.

[Munthasem]

I believe we chewed up the Ahnuld thing a few times so I believe mentioning him and Conan in the same sentence is always tricky in these forests, anyway... of course I agree the one must be a good actor, the director (which is the most important in my oppinion) must know exactly what he wants and must know how to achieve it, so saying that in order to be convincing Conan on screen is just a matter of hair and muscles is totally lame. However, I don't know how the heck anyone can play Conan if he don't care some considerable size and power in his presence. For a zillion times, Kulich is mentioned for his Conanish performance in the 13th warrior, but in order to portray Conan he simply lacks mass. Pure and simple, one of the first things that pops into the mind when you think about Conan is his strength and size (although not so much in the bodybuilder style, which we also discussed already). I agree the acting and a great direction are the crucial thing, not just for a Conan movie but for any movie whatsoever, but one of the things among many others that makes Conan what he is is his power and impressive looks, although the looks is just a sideeffect of his actions, not a roided up sculpture.
Hell, I myself pasted the pic of nonethless than Iggy Pop, trying to illustrate how in my oppinion Conan should look only, and the very important only, with more size on.

Edited by Munthasem, 07 April 2009 - 01:12 PM.

[?sir]

Munthasem, I do understand you would prefer a massive, large Conan. I do disagree that it is important however. I would easily let size slide in favour of other traits, like charisma, acting skill, fighting skills and so on. This because I know so many people, like Mr Palance in the picture above that possess the brutal, superhuman strength, without being huge. Also it becomes even more amazing to the viewer (while not unbelievable or unrealistic) when you first hand see them perform feats of strength that boggles your mind and they don't even look big. More often than not I'd say the really strong people in real life aren't the large ones. Of course a person of great mass could bullrush you with great success but size does not equal strength. Size just equals mass. And Jack Palance (above) was a professional heavy weight boxer. I'm sorry if I stir up some irrelevant discussion by saying this, but I seriously think that the kind of build you think of Conan having is more suitable for high fantasy or comics. It's not realistic. But I guess you'd have to meet one of these real strong guys to understand what I mean. It's a matter of "you had to be there". And ultimately you are of course entitled to your own view of Conan.

[Munthasem]

I know what you mean by saying someone doesn't have to be huge in order to be strong. And I do know a few things about it.
Look at the lower weight classes of Oly weightlifters for example to see what relative strength (strength related to the bodyweight) means. Just one example to put things into perspective. Naim Suleymanoglu, 160 cm tall, 60 kg of bodyweight, cleaned and jerked a 190 kg. That's more than a tripple bodyweight. However, I wouldn't cast the 160 cm tall guy for Conan, regardless of the fact that the guy probably could move the tank. However, I don't want to see some 200 kg blob such as Zydrunas Savickas for example either, although some say he's the strongest guy in the world overall.

The movie is the visual medium after all, so while we know that real, functional strength isn't closely connected with looks, we have to somewhat give the feel of the power that character posseses. Some of the strongest people ever, looked like the overweight truck drivers rather than top athletes. Vasily Alekseev, Louis Cyr, Paul Anderson, Hossein Rezazadeh just to name a few. Put them on the screen and noone will care how much they can snatch or clean, press, bench or squat or what size of chain they can break. But than again, take someone who look as if he can bang through the cast iron wall, and if he happens to be a solid if not even a good actor if he have the power in presence on the screen, he can virtually leave the impression that he really is a savage brute who can slay a dragon or two while hanging of the cliff on one hand with some chick dangling around his neck.


The Clayburn Moore's statue of Conan is by far the closest to the image of Conan I can imagine, having that beastish rugged and thrashed look of someone who wanders through various lands, went through all hells imaginable with consequences clearly visible on his frame, strong and wiry but not hulkish in the way for example Ronnie Coleman is.

I agree someone have to be a good actor to make a believable character (and equally important if not even more important, the good director) but can you imagine someone like Anthony Hopkins in the role of Conan? Or Jack Nicholson? Or Bill Bixby? Great actors no doubt about that. But to play Conan? Hmmm! Not likely. Something missing?

Edited by Munthasem, 07 April 2009 - 03:42 PM.