The ‘Indiana Jones’ role Steven Spielberg offered to Danny DeVito: “Almost a small creature”
In terms of Hollywood silhouettes, there aren’t many more recognisable than the unique outline of Mr. Danny DeVito. Over the course of his extraordinary career, DeVito has carved an incredible legacy, often by playing social outcasts with an unusual twist, and has become an icon to multiple generations of viewers. Still, there’s always room for improvement, and the New Jersey native could have added another memorable string to his bow.
When speaking to Empire about the making of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Steven Spielberg revealed that he initially had DeVito in mind for the role of Sallah, an old friend of the whip-cracking archaeologist. “Sallah was originally written as a Sam Jaffe or Gunga Din type – almost a small creature from the Star Wars cantina in an earthbound adventure film,” he said. “I had originally offered the part to Danny DeVito, who wanted to do it but couldn’t fit it around his schedule for Taxi.”
Sallah, an Egyptian excavator who helps Indy track down the Ark of the Covenant, was eventually played by Welsh actor John Rhys-Davies. In the same article, he explained that Spielberg decided on him after he saw his performance in the TV miniseries Shōgun. “I went to see him and said, ‘Well, look, it says here that Sallah is a 5’ 2″ skinny Egyptian Bedouin,’” the 6’ 1” Rhys-Davies recalled. “Are you proposing surgery?” Spielberg replied by asking the actor for something in between his Shōgun character and Shakespeare’s Falstaff, which Rhys-Davies thought was “interesting”.
The decision to take the part would prove very fruitful for Rhys-Davies, who also played the dwarf Gimli in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He reprised his role as Sallah in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and then again in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, making him one of a handful of actors to have appeared in three different Indy movies. This probably doesn’t make DeVito feel any better about declining the part, although he’s probably pleased he wasn’t involved in the diabolical Dial of Destiny.
Although they’re both titans of American cinema, DeVito and Spielberg have never actually worked together on a movie. The closest they have come to collaborating was on an episode of Amazing Stories, an anthology TV series created by the legendary director. DeVito directed and starred in an episode called ‘The Wedding Ring’, which was based on a story written by Spielberg.
Elsewhere in the interview, George Lucas, opened up about the movie. The Star Wars director spoke about not wanting to become too closely associated with Ford, likening their relationship to that of Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro. “We found Tom Selleck,” he said, in reference to the original choice for the part of Dr. Jones. “But as soon as the network heard, his option on Magnum P.I. got picked up.”
An Indiana Jones movie starring Tom Selleck and Danny DeVito. What a world that would have been. However, looking back, it’s hard not to see Ford as the man who made fedoras sexy once again and the ultimate adventure archaeologist.
