“Gone With The Wind” Screen Tests

Here are auditions and screen tests for maybe the best cast film in history, “Gone With The Wind”. Over thirty women were given screen tests for the part of Scarlett. You can see some of them here along with other cast members.

David O. Selznick’s memo regarding the casting of the Gone With the Wind:

…As to the casting of “Gone With The Wind”, I feel that new personalities are preferable – first, selfishly because of my belief the roles of Scarlett and Rhett will make stars for us; and second, from the standpoint of illusion created by the picture itself: wellknown personalities are liable to be identified with their previous roles, whereas a new personality will be accepted, provided they are sufficiently talented and properly cast as Scarlett and Rhett.

Appearing: Tallulah Bankhead, Susan Hayward, Margaret Tallichet, Frances Dee, Mary Ray, Lana Turner, Paulette Goddard, Anita Louise, Dorothy Jordan, Linda Watkins, Frances Fuller, Adrea Leeds, Jean Kent, Anne Shirley, Marsha Hunt, Mervlyn Douglas, Jeffrey Lynn, Joan Bennett, Jean Arthur, Hattie Noel, Hattie McDaniel, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, and Clark Gable.