Okay ILOSM fam’ here’s an Old School fun fact for you that you probably couldn’t have called in a million years…at least I know I couldn’t have.
The film the Wiz was one of the greatest films ever created in my opinion and the entire cast did an amazing job with bringing the film to life but get this: Michael Jackson was the SECOND CHOICE for the role of the “Scarecrow.” Can you believe that? There was actually a very popular actor who was supposed to play the character at first and let’s just say he is probably the last person many of us would have expected.
HE Was Supposed To Be The “Scarecrow?!!
It is Jimmie Walker! Was he your first guess? Yeah that’s what I thought, he wasn’t our’s either, but it’s a fact, Jimmie Walker was originally supposed to play the role of the “Scarecrow”…he explained how the director for The Wiz (who was also Lena Horne’s son-in-law) tried to get him for the role. Jimmie talked about this in his book…here’s an excerpt from it:
Jimmie also went on to say why he’s glad he didn’t do the film.
Hmmm….can’t quite say i agree with Jimmie’s “biggest bombs in movie history” statement. While I understand he’s referring to the dollars that The Wiz lost at the box office, it was by far a “bomb” to the millions of us Old Schoolers who loved the film…and still do. The Wiz has become an old school cult classic, so I wouldn’t necessarily say it was “bomb” because sometimes there are certain elements that are bigger than just a dollar amount.
The Wiz helped to immortalize many of those actors and their careers, as a result of their work on that film: Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, Tedd Ross, Lena Horne, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, Mabel King, the list goes on. Not saying that this film shouldn’t have done much better at the box office, I’m just saying that this is definitely not a film that tarnished any of those actors’ resume’…in fact, it helped them.
On the other hand, many us would probably agree that there wasn’t a better actor to play “J.J.” on Good Times, other than Jimmie Walker. He owned that role all the way, but maybe that character was so dominate, that it makes it harder to imagine him not saying “Dy-no-mite!” in the role as “Scarecrow.” This is all just my humble opinion though.
So tell us ILOSM family, do you think Jimmie Walker would have played a great “Scarecrow” in The Wiz?
By the way, check out this classic “Scarecrow” scene, turn the page and reminisce…
Sounds to me like he’s a jealous, bony assed nightmare. Since almost everyone involved is either dead, or really doesn’t care, is there any proof to this ? His one-dimensional “Steppin Fetchit” role went no further than Good Times. Thank Goodness for small favors. (You may be able to tell that I really don’t care for that dusty looking asshat)
Yeah I can tell Sheila…ouch! LOL.
say that!!! i concur!!!
Sounds to me like he’s a jealous, bony assed nightmare. Since almost everyone involved is either dead, or really doesn’t care, is there any proof to this ? His one-dimensional “Steppin Fetchit” role went no further than Good Times. Thank Goodness for small favors. (You may be able to tell that I really don’t care for that dusty looking asshat)
Yeah I can tell Sheila…ouch! LOL.
say that!!! i concur!!!
Sorry,but Jimmy Walker can’t sing! The Wiz would have been a bomb with him in it. I can’t see how they could have used him in the movie if he can’t sing or dance!
Sorry,but Jimmy Walker can’t sing! The Wiz would have been a bomb with him in it. I can’t see how they could have used him in the movie if he can’t sing or dance!
The best person to play as the scarecrow is the person that played the scarecrow. Mr. MJ played it simply beautiful well. This movie The Wiz is and will always be my number one favorite movie. I love this movie so much that my family join me as becoming the cast of The Wiz on last year Halloween (2014). We went to Hollywood biggest gather party on San Monica and we had a blast. Everyone was taking pictures of us so much we had to stop walking and let them all come to us to take picture. That was one of the greatest fun I ever had in my life. Thank you my family in helping to have one of my dreams come true……you all the best!!!!!!!
Ladytee it sounds like you had a blast on Halloween! That’s beautiful my friend. “The Wiz” is one of my all time favorite movies. Back in the day I had “The Wiz” album and I used to put on my headphones and just sit back and vibe out to the sounds of Quincy Jones’ music. I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve sen the movie. Thanks for sharing your story with us and maybe you and your fam’ could be The Wiz cast again this year…LOL. It wouldn’t hurt to do it twice in a row.
The best person to play as the scarecrow is the person that played the scarecrow. Mr. MJ played it simply beautiful well. This movie The Wiz is and will always be my number one favorite movie. I love this movie so much that my family join me as becoming the cast of The Wiz on last year Halloween (2014). We went to Hollywood biggest gather party on San Monica and we had a blast. Everyone was taking pictures of us so much we had to stop walking and let them all come to us to take picture. That was one of the greatest fun I ever had in my life. Thank you my family in helping to have one of my dreams come true……you all the best!!!!!!!
Ladytee it sounds like you had a blast on Halloween! That’s beautiful my friend. “The Wiz” is one of my all time favorite movies. Back in the day I had “The Wiz” album and I used to put on my headphones and just sit back and vibe out to the sounds of Quincy Jones’ music. I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve sen the movie. Thanks for sharing your story with us and maybe you and your fam’ could be The Wiz cast again this year…LOL. It wouldn’t hurt to do it twice in a row.
No matter how “old school” one may be, that film was a disaster. Poorly cast, (Diana Ross was simply too old to play Dorothy, but she pushed for the role anyway). terribly written, directed & staged, it literally was a bomb.
No matter how “old school” one may be, that film was a disaster. Poorly cast, (Diana Ross was simply too old to play Dorothy, but she pushed for the role anyway). terribly written, directed & staged, it literally was a bomb.