Brian Damage
09-24-2011, 11:45 PM
Seinfeld vet Richards had the role of the neuroses-racked San Francisco detective Adrian Monk in the bag when studio heads thought of it as a vehicle where the actor could indulge in some slapstick. But when the finished concept seemed more tragicomic than straight-out funny, Richards left the project. He instead starred as a bumbling detective in the Michael Richards Show, which was cancelled after six episodes.
To replace Richards, producers found noted character actor Tony Shalhoub. With Shalhoub in the lead role, Monk almost immediately became one of the biggest hits on cable, and ran for eight seasons.
http://www.life.com/gallery/61531/image/908371/almost-cast-who-lost-iconic-roles#index/75
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTDy3TsLaF24TV7ajzsIM7aCrKDGgNvS23eRsUt8iZhsRRAf7ARWwhttp://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCuzACT4NEmrusGnPphcxosk0MDzrakM-_qPFQ6oElHEZugBHuKQ
To replace Richards, producers found noted character actor Tony Shalhoub. With Shalhoub in the lead role, Monk almost immediately became one of the biggest hits on cable, and ran for eight seasons.
http://www.life.com/gallery/61531/image/908371/almost-cast-who-lost-iconic-roles#index/75
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTDy3TsLaF24TV7ajzsIM7aCrKDGgNvS23eRsUt8iZhsRRAf7ARWwhttp://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCuzACT4NEmrusGnPphcxosk0MDzrakM-_qPFQ6oElHEZugBHuKQ