Larry Wilcox Auditions for Miami Vice

[wolfie1996]

On 2/19/2021 at 10:58 AM, Christine said:

Sorry, but for me Mickey Rourke was never a good looking man and I can't imagine him to play Sonny Crockett.

Agreed, Christine. I didn't care overmuch for Don's looks in his 20's but he was at his best in his 30s!!

[sdiegolo78]

On 2/17/2021 at 9:57 PM, IA-SteveB said:

I liked Larry Wilcox.  You are right about the stigma, though.  I couldn't picture him being anything but a nice, good mannered California guy.

he wouldn't have fitted with the MV vibe.

[Christine]

In his 20's he looked very boyish. Only in his 30's he got a more masculine face. But it´s the same with PMT. He also had a much softer face in his younger years.

But isn't that the way it is with most people? We get the more mature or interesting features with age.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Christine

[sdiegolo78]

On 2/19/2021 at 10:58 AM, Christine said:

I had read that PMT first applied for Castillos role.

Really? . If you can, share the link and I'll have a laugh.

Edited April 21, 2021 by sdiegolo78

[sdiegolo78]

On 2/19/2021 at 10:58 AM, Christine said:

orry, but for me Mickey Rourke was never a good looking man and I can't imagine him to play Sonny Crockett

I think M.Rourke would have done a terrific job too. He has the bad boy looks and an edge to him. Would have fitted with the MV vibe a million times more than Larry Wilcox.

[sdiegolo78]

And Denzel Washington went for Tubbs...

[Dadrian]

12 minutes ago, sdiegolo78 said:

And Denzel Washington went for Tubbs...

Yeah. Would have been interesting. 

[Mr. Calderon]

On 2/19/2021 at 7:58 AM, Christine said:

Sorry, but for me Mickey Rourke was never a good looking man and I can't imagine him to play Sonny Crockett. Of course some of you are right when claiming that we all only know DJ in this role. It's the same with other roles of the series. I had read that PMT first applied for Castillos role. I think none of us can see him in this role, because it is strongly shaped by EJO.

Interesting....

[Mr. Calderon]

On 2/19/2021 at 7:58 AM, Christine said:

Sorry, but for me Mickey Rourke was never a good looking man and I can't imagine him to play Sonny Crockett. Of course some of you are right when claiming that we all only know DJ in this role. It's the same with other roles of the series. I had read that PMT first applied for Castillos role. I think none of us can see him in this role, because it is strongly shaped by EJO.

Interesting....

 

By the way...is it kinda crazy we have LW role test video, but we dont know any pmt or dj or pmt with dj test role video???

[Christine]

vor 22 Stunden schrieb sdiegolo78:

Really? . If you can, share the link and I'll have a laugh.

I tried to find out where I had read it years ago, but I can´t find the article. I`m sure, PMT himself had told it there. In my memory he said that he first went to a casting in New York, but they didn´t want him for the role of Castillo. Then he decided to go to another casting in Miami where he auditioned together with Don. This was convincing, but not for the role of Castillo, but for that of Ricardo Tubbs.
I must have read this somewhere. This is the only explanation why I remeber it so well.

[wolfie1996]

6 hours ago, Mr. Calderon said:

I had read that PMT first applied for Castillos role. I think none of us can see him in this role, because it is strongly shaped by EJO.

And frankly I don't think he'd have been impressive in it. He just isn't the "boss" type. Too young for a start. I know EJO isn't much older but he looks it. He also emanates authority and leadership whereas PMT never would.

[RedDragon86]

Larry Wilcox comes across as Nick Nolte which is too aggressive for the role of Crockett.

Sonny simply isn't a hard boiled cop. They ditched the 70s detective by giving it to Don, they raised the bar. He perfectly shaped the character as a laid back, sensitive detective with depth. Something new really.

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by RedDragon86

[sdiegolo78]

1 hour ago, RedDragon86 said:

Larry Wilcox comes across as Nick Nolte which is too aggressive for the role of Crockett.

Sonny simply isn't a hard boiled cop. They ditched the 70s detective by giving it to Don, they raised the bar. He perfectly shaped the character as a laid back, sensitive detective with depth. Something new really.

 

I think that was the case for Sonny in the first two and a half seasons, then he became more hard-boiled and cynical with time.

[sdiegolo78]

2 hours ago, wolfie1996 said:

And frankly I don't think he'd have been impressive in it. He just isn't the "boss" type. Too young for a start. I know EJO isn't much older but he looks it. He also emanates authority and leadership whereas PMT never would.

EJO mustache surely helped. And the brooding, serious vibe. When PMT grew is beard in S4 he had more serious vibe and wouldn't have looked bad as a lieutenant or someone in authority.

[wolfie1996]

28 minutes ago, sdiegolo78 said:

I think that was the case for Sonny in the first two and a half seasons, then he became more hard-boiled and cynical with time.

I don't think he ever lost his emotional sensitivity though his illusions and ideals took a battering.

[wolfie1996]

25 minutes ago, sdiegolo78 said:

EJO mustache surely helped. And the brooding, serious vibe. When PMT grew is beard in S4 he had more serious vibe and wouldn't have looked bad as a lieutenant or someone in authority.

It did but I feel you have to have something actually within your character as well as "acting" it. Some people have a natural authority and can assume control without  being bullying  or unpleasant. If so, you'd find Castillo's role easy to take on. I personally don't know much about PMT apart from his work in MV but my instinct tells me he'd struggle to be convincing as such a person. Too young, too inexperienced, too little knowledge of life ...that's my impression. The casting people obviously agreed.

[sdiegolo78]

3 minutes ago, wolfie1996 said:

I personally don't know much about PMT apart from his work in MV but my instinct tells me he'd struggle to be convincing as such a person. Too young, too inexperienced, too little knowledge of life ...that's my impression. The casting people obviously agreed.

You are right on PMT when it comes to his work outside of vice. He's never played any authority figure part in any 70s, 80s or 90s production. Don't know about his later career though.

Edited April 22, 2021 by sdiegolo78

[wolfie1996]

2 minutes ago, sdiegolo78 said:

You are right on PMT when it comes to his work outside of vice. He's never played any authority figure part in any 70s, 80s or 90s production. Don't know about his later career though.

Me neither but I hear what you say regarding his earlier stuff. I know actors are acting, it's their job, but to be convincing as a Castillo I think you'd have to naturally have that inner strength and certainty (I always think of it as a lion tamer personality :)) It's something others recognise in you and is more likely to command respect, confidence in you and obedience, for lack of a better word. I mean, I couldn't see DJ in that sort of role either. He 's perfect as Sonny and has fitted the part in other things I've seen him in (but none were the Castillo type).

[sdiegolo78]

11 minutes ago, wolfie1996 said:

Me neither but I hear what you say regarding his earlier stuff. I know actors are acting, it's their job, but to be convincing as a Castillo I think you'd have to naturally have that inner strength and certainty (I always think of it as a lion tamer personality :)) It's something others recognise in you and is more likely to command respect, confidence in you and obedience, for lack of a better word. I mean, I couldn't see DJ in that sort of role either. He 's perfect as Sonny and has fitted the part in other things I've seen him in (but none were the Castillo type).

Yes DJ was good for the maverick/rebel sort of guy or cop in a police series/movie. Sometimes he'd be like 'to hell the rules/system' i'll go with my guts/do what's right/whatever it takes kind of thing. And I'll face the consequences too.

As with Castillo EJO had creative control so I think however that character had been already written he could change it as he pleased. Wasn't that set in stone either.

Edited April 22, 2021 by sdiegolo78

[wolfie1996]

1 minute ago, sdiegolo78 said:

Yes DJ was good for the maverick/rebel sort of guy or cop in a police series/movie. Sometimes he'd be like 'to hell the rules/system' i'll go with my guts/do what's right/whatever it task kind of thing. And I'll face the consequences too.

As with Castillo EJO had creative control so I think however that character had been already written he could change it as he pleased. Wasn't that set in stone either.

I  agree on both  points! DJ did best in that sort of  role, where courage and initiative and instinct had a lot of value, and you had some autonomy and could use  your own judgement. These characteristics I feel came more naturally to DJ though they wouldn't have the same value in Castillo's job. You've got to be the calm one holding the  reins there and accepting the ultimate responsibility even for what your subordinates do. And as you say, EJO could mould Castillo's character  though it had to have the basics, strength,  self confidence, loyalty, leadership  which I felt EJO could produce without  difficulty. He was far better than the original guy who I certainly wouldn't have wanted as a boss.

[sdiegolo78]

1 minute ago, wolfie1996 said:

I  agree on both  points! DJ did best in that sort of  role, where courage and initiative and instinct had a lot of value, and you had some autonomy and could use  your own judgement. These characteristics I feel came more naturally to DJ though they wouldn't have the same value in Castillo's job. You've got to be the calm one holding the  reins there and accepting the ultimate responsibility even for what your subordinates do. And as you say, EJO could mould Castillo's character  though it had to have the basics, strength,  self confidence, loyalty, leadership  which I felt EJO could produce without  difficulty. He was far better than the original guy who I certainly wouldn't have wanted as a boss.

DJ kinda 'matured' a bit as Nash Bridges in the namesake series. His character was wiser than Crockett and the cop he portrayed in "dead bang". Needless to say, Nash Bridges was lighter than MV but one can see the difference.

As with the character who preceded Castillo (Lt Rodriguez played by the late Gregory Sierra), i admit i liked him too. He maybe had the "hill street blues" or 70s police lieutenant/captain vibe but i felt he was good for OCB. At least in the early days. I really enjoyed the arguments with Crockett and Tubbs and when he put the former in his place. And to his defense, I may add he was more believable as real life police lieutenant. And not sort of 'over the top' kinda 'stealthy ex CIA/special ops' guy Castillo was .

Hard to say what it could have been had Sierra not left MV early in S1.

With that being said, I'm glad EJO came along and there couldn't have been anyone better for the part.

[wolfie1996]

2 minutes ago, sdiegolo78 said:

DJ kinda 'matured' a bit as Nash Bridges in the namesake series. His character was wiser than Crockett and the cop he portrayed in "dead bang". Needless to say, Nash Bridges was lighter than MV but one can see the difference.

As with the character who preceded Castillo (Lt Rodriguez played by the late Gregory Sierra), i admit i liked him too. He maybe had the "hill street blues" or 70s police lieutenant/captain vibe but i felt he was good for OCB. At least in the early days. I really enjoyed the arguments with Crockett and Tubbs and when he put the former in his place. And to his defense, I may add he was more believable as real life police lieutenant. And not sort of 'over the top' kinda 'stealthy ex CIA/special ops' guy Castillo was .

Hard to say what it could have been had Sierra not left MV early in S1.

With that being said, I'm glad EJO came along and there couldn't have been anyone better for the part.

Ah, I've never seen Nash Bridges  except for a short excerpt ..I got the feeling it would be a bit too light for me after all the intensity of MV  so I will take your word that he matured (as maybe he did in reality -somewhat!) as a character but he will always be the renegade  emotionally driven cop to me   As for Rodriguez, maybe he was too similar to those he was in charge of- I couldn't imagine Crockett having that spat about the money with Castillo that he did with Rodriguez- I don't think he would have stepped over that mark on  such little evidence. Haven't seen Hill Street Blues so I'll have to take your  word for that bit as well....but.................................did Castillo ever put a foot wrong as a boss? Serious question! I can't remember him doing so but I might be wrong. Dour but trustworthy and very definitely in charge  You felt if he said something, it would be so. What an enjoyable discussion! Off to bed now before the laptop turns into a pumpkin! (as it's "after midnight", to quote J J Cale !)

[RedDragon86]

15 hours ago, sdiegolo78 said:

I think that was the case for Sonny in the first two and a half seasons, then he became more hard-boiled and cynical with time.

 

15 hours ago, wolfie1996 said:

I don't think he ever lost his emotional sensitivity though his illusions and ideals took a battering.

Totally agree! over time I say he felt more pressure, especially in season 3 and that still didn't turn him into this hard boiled cop. 

Like you said his sensitive side stayed in tact. The scene with Tubbs in "Walk Alone" at the hospital where they meet with Prison Commissioner John Rugar, proves this.

And the scene at the end of "The Good Collar" where he visits Archie's home, still has that nice nature and sensitivity. 

[wolfie1996]

1 hour ago, RedDragon86 said:

 

Totally agree! over time I say he felt more pressure, especially in season 3 and that still didn't turn him into this hard boiled cop. 

Like you said his sensitive side stayed in tact. The scene with Tubbs in "Walk Alone" at the hospital where they meet with Prison Commissioner John Rugar, proves this.

And the scene at the end of "The Good Collar" where he visits Archie's home, still has that nice nature and sensitivity. 

Agree with all your comments, RedDragon! Despite the traumas and  disillusionments (and even despite the Burnett arc) Sonny's essential self remained unchanged. That self is what we all admire and love whether male or female because it's honourable, brave, loyal and sensitive. What  we all aspire to, in fact. He's never stupid, spiteful , petty or a user. Unlike many, unfortunately.  These characteristics aren't shouted in  your face- they're conveyed sometimes in a subtle manner throughout the episodes. As they used to say, you'd want to be him or be with him. An excellent creation in fact!

[vicegirl85]

On 2/19/2021 at 5:58 AM, Christine said:

I had read that PMT first applied for Castillos role. I think none of us can see him in this role, because it is strongly shaped by EJO.

Wow, I have never heard that before.  So when did the Castillo role become a known/ planned addition to the cast?  If PMT tried out for it, that would have to have been before he scored the role of Tubbs, and unless Rodriguez was already only planned as a short-term character, it wouldn't have made sense for PMT to take the Castillo role and leave the Tubbs role . 

Realizing that time passed between filming the first few episodes and those eps being broadcast, my impression was always that Gregory Sierra didn't give notice until after the show premiered.  This would have meant PMT would have to leave the Tubbs role (that he'd already established)  in order to take the Castillo role.  That doesn't seem like something the producers would have wanted to do.

But, obviously I don't know what kind of timeline was planned for the intro of Castillo.