25 Mind-Blowing Facts About The West Wing

24. Sidney Poitier Was Initially Offered The Role As President Bartlet... And Four Others Were Considered Before Martin Sheen

Actor Sidney Poitier arrives for a U.S. Postal Service first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the GregoryPeck forever stamp at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif., Thursday, April 28, 2011. It features Peck as Atti
Damian Dovarganes/AP

Although Martin Sheen was eventually cast as President Bartlet, the first person considered for the role was actually Sidney Poitier, best known for "Lillies of the Field" and "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner".

Poitier demanded too high a fee, however - yet Jason Robards, Hal Halbrook, John Cullum and Alan Alda (who would later appear in The West Wing as Republican Presidential Nominee Arnold Vinick) were still considered before Sheen.

In fact, Sorkin admitted that, having already worked with Sheen in the film "The American President", he did not think that the actor would agree to take on a long-term TV role. But, once Sheen read the script he wanted to undertake the part of Josiah Bartlet.

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NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.