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The 1970 movie nobody wanted Robert Redford to make: “They tried everything to keep me out”
In the late 1960s, William Goldman's screenplay for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" attracted little studio interest because executives objected to the protagonists fleeing to Bolivia, viewing this as incompatible with Hollywood's heroic archetype. After Goldman preserved the core storyline whilst making minor adjustments, multiple studios became interested. Paul Newman and Steve McQueen were initially attached, but when McQueen departed, Robert Redford emerged as the leading candidate for the Sundance Kid role, having recently built momentum with supporting performances in commercial films.
20th Century Fox worried that pairing its major investment with Newman—who was 12-13 years older and far better established—alongside the unproven Redford represented an unacceptable financial risk. However, Newman recognised the importance of screen chemistry and advocated strongly for Redford after their introduction by director George Roy Hill. When Newman, Hill, and Goldman collectively pressed Fox to accept Redford, the studio reluctantly agreed, a decision that proved pivotal in launching Redford's subsequent career as a major Hollywood star.
In short
- Studios rejected William Goldman's 'Butch Cassidy' script until its controversial plot was reframed, then multiple studios competed for it
- 20th Century Fox opposed casting Robert Redford opposite established star Paul Newman due to age gap and Redford's unproven box-office draw
- Newman championed Redford after meeting him, and his advocacy alongside director George Roy Hill and Goldman persuaded the reluctant studio
Explained simply
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," a Western released in 1970, struggled to secure studio backing when William Goldman first pitched his screenplay in the late 1960s. Executives were reluctant because the story follows its two protagonists fleeing to Bolivia rather than fitting the kind of heroic characters Hollywood typically preferred.
Once Goldman refined his screenplay whilst preserving its core narrative, multiple studios became interested in the project. Paul Newman, an established star, signed on to play Butch Cassidy, but producers still needed to find an actor to play the Sundance Kid.
Robert Redford, an up-and-coming actor with some successful supporting roles but no major stardom, emerged as the leading candidate for the role. However, 20th Century Fox worried that pairing its significant investment in Newman with an unproven Redford represented an unacceptable financial risk, given that Newman was considerably older and far more established. Director George Roy Hill, Newman himself, and Goldman all advocated strongly for Redford, ultimately persuading the studio to accept him—a decision that proved pivotal in launching Redford's career as a major Hollywood star.