MovieChat Forums > Doctor Zhivago (1965) Discussion > Why did Sharif get such poor billing on ...

Why did Sharif get such poor billing on the movie poster?

posted 13 years ago by imdb-19700
8 replies | jump to latest

If they cast Omar Sharif in the lead, why did he get what looks like SEVENTH billing in the movie poster image shown by IMDb? Was he an unknown or poorly-regarded actor at the time?

Wait, I think I get it, they're alphabetical. That just re-frames the question a little. At least by modern standards, actors would be seeking higher billing to promote their names and secure their reputations as leading actors/actresses.

To my novice mind at least, alpha order is used, I imagine, when roles are so intertwined that it's difficult to say whose role is more important than another's (such as in an "ensemble" cast), or (again I imagine) when a leading actor or actress's name isn't readily recognizable, and so leading with that name doesn't give the movie much additional cachet.

Was either of these the case with this movie? Was Sharif somewhat of an unknown at the time? He'd already done "Larry of Ary" and a couple dozen other projects by then. Certainly there are some well-known names in the cast, but I wouldn't quite call this an "ensemble" cast, it was very much driven by the leading roles.

So why was Sharif (or his agent) unable to get higher billing for his efforts? Was he viewed as a foreign actor at the time?

Thanks!

[–] Hancock_the_Superb 13 years ago

That always baffled me too. If this were an ensemble film without a clear lead the billing would make sense. But Sharif is definitely the main character.

The other explanation is that Sharif's co-stars were as famous, if not more, than he. Maybe not Geraldine Chaplin (yet) or Siobhan McKenna but certainly the others were or had been name-above-the-title stars.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down someone else's life for his own."

[–] FinnurE 13 years ago

Some older films have the lead actor billed last, in order to be able to include the name of the character in the billing.

[–] conway3000 12 years ago

The first choice for the role of Dr. Zhivago was Peter O'Toole. He was a much bigger star than Omar Shariff.

[–] palisade-1 11 years ago

According to David Lean's widow, Sharif was Lean's first choice. He was looking for an actor whose role would be mostly passive -- reacting to events, as we see the action through his eyes so to speak, but not the commanding presence of a Peter O'Toole.

[–] welkinmaze 12 years ago

I think you've got it right: they're alphabetical.
I don't think there is more to it. As far as I remember, they're in alphabetic order in the movie too. It's obviously a decision of the filmmakers and probably nobody has asked the actors themselves about their opinions.

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[–] parryone111 12 years ago

If you notice Omar is the only actor listed on the poster who has a character name listed, that's the way these things used to be done, you did not want or require top billing, that was a silly way of having your name remembered, having your introduction further down the list and effectively underlined by having your character name identified so that the movie goer knew who to look out for was much better than top billing

[–] directorguy__ 11 years ago

Omar Sharif was certainly well-known in Egypt and was getting top billing in his films since the 1950s. Outside the Arab-speaking world, however, he was not yet that well-known. This was the movie that would have made him a box-office draw.

[–] antoniorochira 11 years ago

Yes, well done...it's alphabetical.