<P> The casting of the two lead roles became a complex, two - year endeavor . For the role of Rhett Butler, Selznick wanted Clark Gable from the start, but Gable was under contract to MGM, who never loaned him to other studios . Gary Cooper was considered, but Samuel Goldwyn--to whom Cooper was under contract--refused to loan him out . Warner offered a package of Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, and Olivia de Havilland for lead roles in return for the distribution rights . By this time, Selznick was determined to get Gable and eventually struck a deal with MGM . Selznick's father - in - law, MGM chief Louis B. Mayer, offered in August 1938 to provide Gable and $1,250,000 for half of the film's budget but for a high price: Selznick would have to pay Gable's weekly salary, and half the profits would go to MGM while Loew's, Inc--MGM's parent company--would release the film . </P> <P> The arrangement to release through MGM meant delaying the start of production until the end of 1938, when Selznick's distribution deal with United Artists concluded . Selznick used the delay to continue to revise the script and, more importantly, build publicity for the film by searching for the role of Scarlett . Selznick began a nationwide casting call that interviewed 1,400 unknowns . The effort cost $100,000 and was useless for the film, but created "priceless" publicity . Early frontrunners included Miriam Hopkins and Tallulah Bankhead, who were regarded as possibilities by Selznick prior to the purchase of the film rights; Joan Crawford, who was signed to MGM, was also considered as a potential pairing with Gable . After a deal was struck with MGM, Selznick held discussions with Norma Shearer--who was MGM's top female star at the time--but she withdrew herself from consideration . Katharine Hepburn lobbied hard for the role with the support of her friend, George Cukor, who had been hired to direct, but she was vetoed by Selznick who felt she was not right for the part . </P> <P> Many famous--or soon - to - be-famous--actresses were considered, but only thirty - one women were actually screen - tested for Scarlett including Ardis Ankerson, Jean Arthur, Tallulah Bankhead, Diana Barrymore, Joan Bennett, Nancy Coleman, Frances Dee, Ellen Drew (as Terry Ray), Paulette Goddard, Susan Hayward (under her real name of Edythe Marrenner), Vivien Leigh, Anita Louise, Haila Stoddard, Margaret Tallichet, Lana Turner and Linda Watkins . Although Margaret Mitchell refused to publicly name her choice, the actress who came closest to winning her approval was Miriam Hopkins, who Mitchell felt was just the right type of actress to play Scarlett as written in the book . However, Hopkins was in her mid-thirties at the time and was considered too old for the part . Four actresses, including Jean Arthur and Joan Bennett, were still under consideration by December 1938; however, only two finalists, Paulette Goddard and Vivien Leigh, were tested in Technicolor, both on December 20 . Goddard almost won the role, but controversy over her marriage with Charlie Chaplin caused Selznick to change his mind . </P> <P> Selznick had been quietly considering Vivien Leigh, a young English actress who was still little known in America, for the role of Scarlett since February 1938 when Selznick saw her in Fire Over England and A Yank at Oxford . Leigh's American agent was the London representative of the Myron Selznick talent agency (headed by David Selznick's brother, one of the owners of Selznick International), and she had requested in February that her name be submitted for consideration as Scarlett . By the summer of 1938 the Selznicks were negotiating with Alexander Korda, to whom Leigh was under contract, for her services later that year . Selznick's brother arranged for them to meet for the first time on the night of December 10, 1938, when the burning of Atlanta was filmed . In a letter to his wife two days later, Selznick admitted that Leigh was "the Scarlett dark horse", and after a series of screen tests, her casting was announced on January 13, 1939 . Just before the shooting of the film, Selznick informed newspaper columnist Ed Sullivan: "Scarlett O'Hara's parents were French and Irish . Identically, Miss Leigh's parents are French and Irish ." </P>

Show me the cast of gone with the wind