Documentary ‘Casting By’ At Ridgefield Playhouse

The documentary “Casting By” is full of celebrities: Clint Eastwood, Al Pacino, Jeff Bridges, Robert De Niro, Woody Allen, about 50 others. But in the world of “Casting By,” the biggest star is someone most people have never heard of: Marion Dougherty.

Dougherty, considered the greatest casting director of all time, gave the first big break to countless people who went on to become big stars. Although Dougherty once told a reporter that the often-cited “I knew he was gonna be a star” is “a bunch of baloney,” Dougherty seemed to have a gut instinct for finding future superstars and putting them in the roles that defined their careers.

“Casting By” will be shown on Friday, Nov. 15, at Ridgefield Playhouse. Several filmmakers will attend, including the film’s executive producer, John Balis.

In a phone interview, Balis said the project was started by Kate Lacy, one of Dougherty’s former assistants. Pre-production moved slowly and then the director, Tom Donahue, was hired.

“He didn’t really know who Marion was but he was in the market for a new project,” Balis said. “He got back to New York to do his research and it just blew his mind how many careers she had launched.”

Stars kept lining up to participate, in honor of Dougherty. So many people wanted to be interviewed — 240 — that the film became too big. In the end, 57 were included in the film.

“We were suffering from ‘scope creep’ when we were editing it,” Balis said. “George Lucas, Jerry Bruckheimer, so many outstanding producers, but not enough story time.”

One who did make the cut is Jeanine Basinger, founder of the school of Film Studies at Wesleyan University in Middletown. Also shown in the movie are countless delightful film clips and stills from classic movies, describing the casting that might-have-been.

As well as telling the story of Dougherty, and another great casting director, Lyn Stalmaster, the film advocates for an Academy Award category for casting directors. One prominent spokesman, Directors Guild of America president Taylor Hackford (“An Officer and a Gentleman”), pooh-poohs such a notion. Almost everyone else in the movie is all for it.

“As leader of the Directors Guild, he kind of has to say that,” Balis said. “I’ve got to believe somewhere deep down inside he feels that casting does have a huge influence in the outcome of his films.”

The film was shown in festivals until this summer, and has been picked up by HBO. On the same night as the Ridgefield screening, another screening will be held in Los Angeles.

“I would love to say our film was a spark, an instigator in getting the Academy interested in giving casting directors all the respect they deserve,” he said. “They created a casting branch over the summer. We feel like the film kind of generated interest in that kind of a branch. It’s the first step toward getting a casting Oscar.”

“CASTING BY” will be shown at Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge in Ridgefield, on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. The screening will be followed by a Q&A; with director Tom Donahue, executive producer John Bslia, producer Ilan Arboleda. Admission is $10, $7.50 seniors, $5 students. Details: http://ridgefieldplayhouse.org.