STEVE MCQUEEN WAS APPROACHED AND DROPPED OUT, THE STUDIO APPROACHED OTHERS SUCH AS WARREN BEATTY AND MARLON BRANDO. IT WAS ACTUALLY NEWMAN’S WIFE, JOANNE WOODWARD, WHO SUGGESTED THEY TRY UP-AND-COMING STAGE ACTOR ROBERT REDFORD, WHO AT THE TIME HAD ONLY DONE A FEW FILMS. NEWMAN, WOODWARD, AND DIRECTOR GEORGE ROY HILL HAD TO BEG THE STUDIO TO CAST REDFORD.