Page "Shane (film)" Paragraph 35

Director George Stevens originally cast Montgomery Clift as Shane, William Holden as Joe Starrett ; when they both proved unavailable, the film was nearly abandoned.

Stevens asked studio head Y. Frank Freeman for a list of available actors with current contracts.

Within three minutes, he chose Alan Ladd, Van Heflin and Jean Arthur, though Arthur was not the first choice to play Marian ; Katharine Hepburn was originally considered for the role.

Even though she had not made a picture in five years, Arthur accepted the part at the request of George Stevens with whom she had worked in two earlier films, The Talk of the Town ( 1942 ) and The More the Merrier ( 1943 ) for which she received her only Oscar nomination.

Shane marked her last film appearance ( when the film was shot she was 50 years old, significantly older than her two male co-stars ), although she later appeared in theater and a short-lived television series.