The film The Shining is one of those iconic horror flicks that was perfectly written, cast and directed, making it hold up over the decades, and continue to deliver the thrills and chills to all who watch it. I can only watch it in the daytime with the volume down while I’m distracted. It’s that freaking scary. And one of the reasons it is so perfect is because Jack Nicholson turned in one of the greatest performances of his career in the film.
Over the years, we have heard plenty of rumors about who director Stanley Kubrick would have cast in the movie if Nicholson hadn’t worked out, but it turns out, most of them aren’t true. One big one that I know I’ve heard a few times is Robin Williams. While we are familiar with the actor’s funny and serious sides, it was rare that Williams took on darker roles. It did happen though in the film One Hour Photo, and just like in his zany comedy style, he goes pretty far in the direction of darkness when immersed in that genre. But according to a report done by Snopes, Williams was never in the running for the lead role in The Shining. The actor was only in his 20s at the time the movie was made, and he hadn’t hit it big yet. Popeye came out the same year, and his hit series Mork and Mindy was yet to be released. Kubrick was looking for an established star for this movie, and the up-and-coming young comedian didn’t fit the bill.
So who was the only other choice for the role of Jack Torrance? Oscar-nominated actor and musician Kris Kristofferson. The actor had garnered a lot of acclaim for his roles in the films Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and A Star Is Born, and it seems that he had caught Stanley Kubrick’s attention as well.
But I can’t imagine anyone but Jack Nicholson in that part. It seems so weird to even imagine. So it all worked out just fine. Are you a fan of Kristofferson? How do you think he would have done in the role of Jack Torrance?
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