European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 2, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tempered race is on for roles in a Scarletto by Vernon Scott up Hollywood reporter the single greatest publicity ploy in Hollywood history was producer David o. Selz Nicks worldwide quest for Scarlett of Hara in gone with the wind in the 1930s. Every movie actress in the Galaxy would have killed for the part t f the spirited rebellious Southern Beauty. And indeed scores of stars made screen tests for Selznick. Among them Bette Davis. Katharine Hepburn. Norma Shearer. Tallulah Bankhead. Miriam Hopkins. Interest ran High for Rhett Butler As Well with Ronald Colman Basil Rath one Errol Elvin and Gary Cooper u n de r con Side Rati on. But of course it was Vivien Leigh and c Lark Gable who won the roles and immortality in what is considered the greatest movie Ever to come out of i Lolly Wood. Now that Scarlett. The Best Selling gone with the wind sequel by Alexandra Ripley will be made into a to miniseries a second worldwide search for Scarlett and Rhett is under Way. Granted passions Arentt running As High As they did Chuml Everett in 1937, perhaps because �?T90s film goers arc not so naive. Or to paraphrase Rhett Butler a frankly my dear we done to give a  if Susan Lucci of tvs All my children is a leading candidate to play Scarlett of Hara in Scarlett. Abc in any ease there is not a great Deal of Competition among Hollywood superstars to play the romantic couple. Who would most people like to see paired off As Scarlett and Rhett Julia Roberts and Tom cruise Rose Annc Barr and John Candy acc a Davis and Dustin Hoffman meryl Streep and Kevin Costner Bette Midler and Billy Crystal the possible combinations Are endless. None of the above were suggested in a poll taken by to film reviewers Siskel and Ebert and another by to guide Magazine. The favorite was Hail Everett Best known for his seven year role As or. Joe Gannon in medical Center. He was voted no l in both contests for the part of Rhett. Susan Lucci of the to soap All my children won the Siskel Ebert pole for Scarlett followed by Delta Burke and Jane Seymour. Such casting might not inspire a Stampede to tune in Scarlett but then what pairing would the Siskel Ebert poll reported runners up to Everett were Tom Sellack Burt Reynolds and Sean Connery. Actor Everett would love to Star in the sequel make no mistake about it. 1 be is Quick to say he would not be playing Clark Gable but Rhett Butler. He remembers clearly that James Brolin played Gable in Gable and Lombard with disastrous career consequences. From his first appearance in Hollywood Back in 1960, Everett was considered a Gable lookalike and soundalike and was signed by Warner Bros for those very reasons. A Jack Warner wanted to capitalize on what he saw As my res Coblence to the King of the movies Quot Everett said at lunch recently. Quot it was very battering but it was a dangerous thing for a Young actor to handle. Its still dangerous. When Jim did Gable and Lombard the memory of Gable was still tier much alive. A but if the producers chose me for this sequel its a different matter from the perspective of time. I d be asked to continue a role not to play the Man. No one could replace  Everett never met Gable who died at 61 the year Everett arrived in Hollywood from Detroit a Young Man with acting ambitions. A i was Only 2 years old when gone with the wind was released Quot said Everett who has grown a Gable like Mustache in recent months. A like most people in be seen the picture three or four times Over the years. A before i did the medical Center series i played a lot of what 1 Call Cherry heavies bad Guys who really had Good hearts in about 25 to series mostly westerns like Bronco Cheyenne and the  As Everett spoke it was uncanny How some of his facial expressions and the timbre of his voice evoked memories of Gable and Rhett Butler if a distinction can be drawn Between the Academy award winning superstar and the hero of a wow. Gable inc Dently won his Only Oscar for it happened one night not his role As Rhett. Robert Donat won the Best actor Oscar in 1939 for goodbye or. Chips the year Gable played Butler. According to Everett Scarlett begins about 14 years after the conclusion of gone with the wind which would put him at about the right age for Rhett when the Story is resumed. A it would be a great role to play a Everett said. A Rhett is a romantic scoundrel with a sense of humor and a sense of Honor. I d really like to tackle  2. 1992 sunday a Page 9