 When Kirk Douglas (I) (qv) was first approached for the role, he  was committed to a Broadway play. Stanley Kubrick (qv) then met  Gregory Peck (qv) in connection with  _How to Steal a Million (1966)_ (qv); Peck was interested but was  also unavailable. Douglas play was postponed and then Peck also  became available; Douglas got in first and got the part.