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Lee Strasberg was originally cast as Aaron Jastrow, but had to withdraw due to failing health, to be replaced by John Houseman. Both actors started their careers as producers and acting teachers, only to break into films late in life with an Oscar-nominated (or winning, in Houseman's case) role, in which they were recommended by a former student. Houseman himself would have to decline the sequel, War and Remembrance (1988), due to his own failing health, to be replaced by John Gielgud.
Robert Mitchum admitted he only accepted this series because he was no longer being offered good film roles.
Jan-Michael Vincent's alcoholism was a major problem during filming, and may be why he was not cast in War and Remembrance (1988). The official explanation was that he was unavailable for the second series due to prior commitments to Airwolf (1984).
Robert Mitchum and Ali MacGraw were considered too old for their respective parts by many fans of the books and production executives, but director and producer Dan Curtis insisted on their being cast.
Robert Mitchum was accused of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial after an interview he gave to Barry Rehfeld of "Esquire" magazine promoting this series at his home in February 1983. Mitchum wrote an apologetic letter on 9 March 1983 to Herbert Luft, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency's Hollywood columnist. Mitchum claimed he had recited views expressed by the bigoted football coach he had played in That Championship Season (1982), which Rehfeld "mistakenly believed to be my own. From that point on, he approached me as the character in the script and in playing the devil's advocate in a prankish attempt to string him along we compounded a tragedy of errors." Mitchum added he was "truly sorry that this misunderstanding has upset so many people, especially since it is so foreign to my principle. The attendant misfortune is that it has brought me a spate of mail from people and organizations who are encouraged to believe that I share their bigotry and discrimination.".