 Sydney Pollack (qv) had originally wanted Dabney Coleman (qv) to  play Dustin Hoffman (qv)s agent. During a conversation that  Hoffman had with Pollack, Hoffman wanted to know what forced his  character to wear a dress and pretend to be a woman. Pollacks  response was that, if he didnt, he would never work again. Hoffman  replied that he wouldnt put on a dress if Coleman told him he would  never work again, because Coleman was a fellow actor, and he  wouldnt believe him. Because Pollack was the director, Hoffman  insisted, he would convince Hoffman to wear a dress. Pollack still  refused to play the part, so Hoffman sent him red roses every day  with the note, "Please be my agent. Love, Dorothy" until Pollack  agreed to take the role.