Casting Chico … Horst Buchholz
Another tough Casting role … very tough.
I wonder if people really appreciate the acting of Horst Buchholz in The Magnificent Seven? I doubt it.
Here’s a young German actor who comes over here … and does a Mexican Hat Dance, a mock bullfight, handles the romance, the action, some comic relief, and is also brilliant in the several dramatic scenes including the famous ‘audition scene’ with Yul Brynner. Displaying a breadth and depth of emotion throughout the movie.
Pretty heady stuff.
The Young Bucks
There are a ton of new young male actors on the scene. A ton. There always is, but with the explosion of mass media and mass media entertainment over the last 40 years … there’s more … and more.
So it’s impossible to see everything – and everybody. So I really cant know ALL the people out there. That makes casting Chico difficult. Very difficult.
But there’s no doubt – amongst all these actors – that must be who somebody who is PERFECT for this role.
But who ? where?
I don’t know.
Yet … I have to pick somebody.
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The Olden Days
In the 50’s – and more obviously the 60’s – there seemed to be a fad to cast some young buck in a lot of Westerns – whether he was needed or not.
In North to Alaska we had Fabian.
In Rio Bravo we had Ricky Nelson,
In El Dorado we had James Caan.
In Red River we had Montgomery Clift (but he was needed there).
The list is long. Very long. And certainly was done in more than just Westerns.
Maybe this was a partial spin-off from the Elvis movies ??? I don’t know. But the idea was to attract young people – and the female audience. Particularly in Western Movies which were otherwise perceived to be a Male Domain.
So … we often ended up with a bunch annoying singing and unnecessary smooching … and stuff. Bletch !!
But It musta worked. Cuz they did it a lot. And I think they still are.
Amazingly … some of these young actors went on to have fine careers in the entertainment business. But many just faded into oblivion. (Oblivion is a large black hole somewhere near Hollywood – full of actors).
Anywaaaayyyyy … here we come to The Magnificent Seven … and Horst Buchholz.
What to do?
Casting Chico
Theoretically … Theatrically …
What we are looking for:
Somebody who can play young and reckless. Energy. Ready to prove his manhood.
I’m I not certain that we need to exactly reprise Horst Buchholz’ very fine work – or his role – from the original The Magnificent Seven. Something else – something a bit different – can certainly work.
So …. I looked everywhere. Everywhere.
Latino … Bollywood … Emerging young actors … etc, etc, etc …
It was exhausting.
Eventually …
I went with my gut instincts …… and good taste.
And what I know.
Aaron Paul
This is going a bit outside of the box too. But Aaron Paul is another actor who is really HOT right now. Or should be, after his brilliant and stunning work as Jesse Pinkman in the equally brilliant Breaking Bad TV series.
Aaron Paul has earned the right to a ‘break out’ role on the Big Screen.
This will provide it.
His work in Breaking Bad leaves us no doubt as to his awesome acting talent.
No, he’s not young (age 34), but appears and appeals as being much younger.
Aaron Paul will do the job – a hell of a job. Whatever you need.
His Awards:
2008–2013 / Breaking Bad / as Jesse Pinkman
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2010, 2012)
Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television (2010, 2012)
Nominated—Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2012)
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2009, 2013)
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film (2010)
Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television (2011)
Nominated—TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama (2010)
Go Aaron !
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I fell in love with in in “Fanny” . He was handsome and sexy. Wish he stayed around longer. A good actor, too
Horst was really good. Wished we’d seen more of his stuff,
but I think he lived on the wrong side of the pond.
Fantastic post! Ahh, the dilemna. Well I like your choice. I would pick Shia LaBeouf….:)
U know Cindy … i thot of him … possibly a very good choice.
Too bad we don’t get paid for this.
I really shouldn’t do all this stuff at 3 in the morning … it’s so full of mistakes … it’s embarrassing.
I was quit a fan of Horst Buccholz, so I wondered what happened to him. I did some little bit of research and discovered he didn’t like Hollywood. He went hom to Germany where he became of the of the most popular TV personalities in the country and was on TV there for many long years. He never came back to Hollywood. It wasn’t his thing. When I was a young slip of a thing, I thought he was VERY sexy. And handsome. And sensitive.
Well thank U kindly for the comment.
You know … Horst later appeared (1961) in a rather excellent comedy called ‘One, Two, Three’ with that genius (and one of your favorites) James Cagney!
He was good. Sorry we didn’t get to see him more.
That was before he went back to Germany. It was actually his last Hollywood gig. His was a voluntary departure. He made a bunch of European movies and did some guess shots on American and British TV stuff, but after One, Two, Three (one of our favorite movies!) … he’d had enough. He wasn’t the only actor who decided Hollywood was not for him or her. There have been several notable others who just didn’t like it. It’s rare, but not unheard of. Some people really can walk away from money and fame. Probably not me, though. Make me a good offer, I’ll run with it!
He died suddenly and rather young. I still think he was cute 🙂