Gone With The Wind - Part Two

It seemed that all of Hollywood's Actresses, both Stars and Starlets alike, wanted to have the coveted role of Katie Scarlett O'Hara.

From Katherine Hepburn and Bette Davis, to Paulette Goddard and Tallulah Bankhead, and even Lucille Ball.

All of the screen tests were filmed in black and white. Eventually, only two of the "final" contenders had screen tests filmed in color. They were of Paulette Goddard and Vivien Leigh.

The only actress who tested for the role of Scarlett who ended up with a role in GWTW was Alicia Keyes who was cast as India Wilkes, Ashley's sister.

The day that Lucille Ball went for her screen test, it was an extremely rainy day. She was let into David O Selznick's office before he arrived there. While waiting, she sat in front of the roaring fire that was lit in the fireplace, in order to try to dry herself off. Years later, Lucille Ball and husband, Desi Arnaz, purchased the studio, which became Desilu Studios and that very office became Lucille's office.

Bette Davis was under contract with Warner Brothers at the time of the casting call. Warner Brothers would only allow her to play the part of Scarlett O'Hara if Errol Flynn was cast to play the part of Rhett Butler. Because she held a great dislike for her former co-star of the movie "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" (1939), she decided not to even test for the part.