Rob Lowe almost played a pirate. In his book, Stories I Only Tell My Friends, he talks about screen testing for the Roman Polanski film Pirates, before he was star. He got the role, but the film took too long to get financing and he turned it down, only to be replaced by what he called the “French Rob Lowe.” (See above.)
Here’s Rob’s story about traveling to Paris for the audition: Rob Lowe.
As I wander the halls, a bleary-eyed man looks out. I recognize him at once as Bill Murray, one of my favorite actors.
“I thought I heard room service,” he says.
“Sorry. I hope I didn’t disturb you.”
“Oh. You’re American! Good. These frogs are driving me crazy. Wanna watch some golf?”
I want to tell him that on The Outsiders we had Caddyshack-watching parties, but something tells me I shouldn’t. I explain that I’m here for a screen test for Pirates. Soon I have to meet Roman Polanski for dinner and we say our goodbyes.
“Thanks for letting me hang out,” I say, as we shake hands.
“Thanks for not stealing my wallet. Oh, and good luck on the pirate thing.”
The next day, as I leave my room for the early flight back to Los Angeles, I trip on something at my feet. It’s a beautiful leather-bound book. I open it to find it’s a first edition of The Complete History of Pirates. I look closer and there is an inscription. It reads:
To Rob–
All the best on your movie.
Your pal,
Bill Murray
