Some Urban myths just wont go away

Watching a TV show that was talking about recasting in movies and tv series and they brought up the changes between Winds of war and War and Remembrance and repeated several urban legends as to why both Jan Michael Vincent and Ali McGraw were replaced.

Vincent's battle with drugs and alcohol are well known and documented. However, he was replaced not due to this but because he was shooting Airwolf and the shooting Schedule for War and Remembrance was scheduled to last from 10 to 18 months--the shoot ended up being 14 and Airwolf was filming it's final season and Vincent had already signed on to do a few movies. He was not available for the time required for both pre-production and actual production of War and Remembrance.

People see the airing took place in 1988--but it was filmed starting in Jan 86 running till mid 87--Airwolf was still in production and they would not release him --even though it was going to be cancelled.

But till this day--vincent's drinking is blamed for the change.

With McGraw they keep bringing up the fact she was 47 at the time of the shoot. McGraw had concerns about several things--but she was also getting tired of being an actress--if you have read her biography you know she was having her own issues . With the recasting of Vincent role to Hart Bockner who was 29 at the time of the shoot--the nearly 20 year age difference between the two was too large.

In the recast of the role they over looked the original ideas for casting-Seymour was one of the first actresses for Natalie--but depending on who is talking she either did not like the script or that she had already signed on to a few movies of the week(which were very popular in the 80's) but when Curtis decided to make Remembrance and with Mcgraw not willing to give a commitment and then the recasting of Byron--Curtis went back to Seymour.

I know it is a long time ago--but it annoys me that some people just make assumption that the easiest answer is the right answer