Grease director reveals a famous porn star nearly starred in movie’s key role

Famous pornographic actor Harry Reems nearly starred in Grease, alongside John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

The late porn star – real name Herbert Streicher and best known for his role in the 1972 adult film Deep Throat – was initially hired for the role of Coach Calhoun, who aids Travolta’s Danny Zuko in his quest to join a sports team to impress Sandy (Newton-John).

“Allan [Carr, the producer] wanted to have the porn star Harry Reems play that part,” director Randal Kleiser revealed on a recent episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s It Happened in Hollywood podcast.

“He actually hired him, and then the studio said, ‘No, no, no. You can’t do that.’ And so they had to fire him,” he added.

After pressure from the studio forced them to drop Reems, comedian Sid Caesar ended up assuming the role as the fan-favourite Rydell High faculty member.

Kleiser further explained that Reems was “devastated” by the decision as “it was his moment to move from porn to the real upscale world”.

“Allan felt so bad that he gave Harry $5,000 (£4,300) out of his own pocket,” the director said.

Reems wasn’t the 1978 musical classic’s only casting change-up. The late Newton-John, who died in August at age 73, almost lost her leading role as Sandy to another Seventies star.

Before Carr was set on the British-born Australian singer, Kleiser considered the late Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher, Susan Dey, Deborah Raffin and Marie Osmond for the part.

At the time, Newton-John was “anxious” to make another film following the box office flop of her 1970 debut film Toomorrow.

Kleiser was also hesitant to cast her, but it was Travolta who later convinced him of Newton-John’s star power.

“She had a brilliant voice, and I didn’t think there could be any more correct person for Sandy in the universe,” Travolta said in a previous interview, adding that Newton-John’s casting was like “putting Taylor Swift in that role today”.