Both Elizabeth Taylor & Elizabeth Montgomery Auditioned To Play 'Poker Alice' in 1987 TV-Movie

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[Note: Unless otherwise indicated, commentary and quotes that appear in this article are from an interview conducted by the author with those mentioned.]

The Big Little Picture

In 1987, two of Hollywood's most legendary actresses vied for the same part in a groundbreaking TV movie Western. One actress was the Oscar-winning Elizabeth Taylor and the other the multi-Emmy-nominated actress Elizabeth Montgomery. However, only one ended up playing the part. Here's the story.

A Closer Look

A romantic Western shot in Old Tuscon, Arizona, Poker Alice was a TV-movie directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, and written by James Lee Barrett.

The film was based on the real-life of Poker Alice Tubbs, a gun-carrying, cigar-smoking, poker player who gambled in the Old West from 1851 to 1930. At the time, her behavior was considered outrageous for a woman, and she consequently was an alienating presence. However, when her young husband was killed in a dynamite explosion inside a mine, Alice found herself alone. Faced with no means of support, she became a professional gambler and worked as a dealer in gambling houses.

Decades Later

Decades after the demise of Poker Alice Tubbs, the following plot was then adapted for the subsequent Poker Alice TV-movie:

Due to her gambling habit, Alice is disowned by her Boston, Massachusetts family. On a train to the West with her cousin, John Moffit (played by George Hamilton), she wins a house in a poker game. The "house" turns out to be a bordello, which she opts to operate until she can find a buyer for it. In the process, she falls for bounty hunter Jeremy Collins (played by Tom Skerritt), who is seeking to settle down in California. Is Alice the one to complete that dream, at the price of straining her relationship with her cousin John?

The Tubbs tale proved intriguing enough to both Elizabeth Taylor and Elizabeth Montgomery, that each was interested in playing the lead.

A Choice Had To Be Made

Finally, a network decision had to be made, and Elizabeth Taylor was offered the starring role in Poker Alice. But before she agreed to do it, the violet-eyed icon reached out to green-eyed Montgomery, who was far from jealous. She and Taylor were friends, fellow Hollywood veterans, and fellow professionals.

As Montgomery recalled in an interview from 1989, Taylor had phoned her and said, "I'd like to do this movie, but if you want to, the part is yours."

"No, that's ok," Montgomery responded cordially. "You go ahead."

It Remains a Mystery

Elizabeth Montgomery never gave a reason as to why she ultimately declined what in essence was Elizabeth Taylor's invitation to star in Poker Alice. By that time, Montgomery was known in the television world as the affable Samantha Stephens, the twitch-witch on the supernatural hit sitcom Bewitched (ABC, 1964-1972). She was also considered the first "Queen of the TV-Movies," having starred and been Emmy-nominated for trailblazing small-screen films such as Legend, The Legend of Lizzie Borden, Belle Star, and Mrs. Sundance.

As with Poker Alice, Belle Star, and Mrs. Sundance were Westerns based on the real-life experiences of strong women. As such, appearing in Poker Alice would have been a natural fit for Montgomery, who like Taylor, was also strong-willed behind the scenes.

However, that's not how things panned out; and while Taylor delivered a praise-worthy performance in the part, no doubt Montgomery would have done the same.

Elizabeth MontgomeryPhoto byPinterest.com