Nace una estrella

George Cukor offered Marlon Brando the role of Norman Maine on the set of Julio César (1953). "Why would you come to me?" asked Brando. "I'm in the prime of my life... If you're looking around for some actor to play an alcoholic has-been, he's sitting right over there"- pointing at his costar James Mason, who got the part.

After Vicki comes home and she performs in her house for Norman, the doorbell rings and he goes to the door to accept a package for Vicki. His hair is all mussed-up when he goes to the door, but after he closes it and the camera goes back to him, there isn't a hair out of place. Then he walks over to where Vicki is and his hair is all mussed-up again.

Contrary to popular belief, the film was not originally at 181 minutes, but rather 196 (3hrs. and 16mins.) at a post-premiere shown on August 8, 1954 in Huntington Park, California. After its second post-premiere - the very next day - two scenes of 15 minutes total were deleted; making the film run its original world debut length at 181 minutes. One was a number called "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street" that came after Judy's take of "I'll Get By" in the 'Born in the Trunk' sequence, the other was a scene where Garland and James Mason's characters (Vicki and Norman) were picnicking on the beach; production stills and promotional advertisements are the only thing left in existence of the footage. After its world premiere on September 29, 1954, 27 minutes was cut, bringing it down to a mediocre 154 time length. Those scenes were:

• 1) Esther quitting the band
• 2) The Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo
• 3) Esther working at a drive-in
• 4) Norman being driven away drunk in his car
• 5) Norman inquiring Esther's old landlady
• 6) Spotting Esther on the TV commercial
• 7) Tracking down Esther at her new boarding residence
• 8) Driving down the strip - Esther getting sick
• 9) "Here's What I'm Here For" musical number - Norman proposes
• 10) "Lose That Long Face" musical number - Vicki breaks down

Featured in Film Night: Film Night Special: Forty Years in Hollywood (1970)