▁successful ▁run ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁in ▁a ▁production ▁st arring ▁Mar lo ▁Thomas . ▁ ▁Red ford ' s ▁appearance ▁in ▁the ▁play ▁would ▁later ▁help ▁him ▁be ▁cast ▁in ▁B are foot ▁in ▁the ▁Park . ▁It ▁also ▁contributed ▁to ▁George ▁Roy ▁Hill ▁casting ▁him ▁in ▁But ch ▁Cass id y ▁and ▁the ▁Sund ance ▁Kid ▁because ▁it ▁gave ▁Hill ▁confidence ▁Red ford ▁could ▁handle ▁comedy . ▁ ▁Production ▁The ▁play ▁was ▁seen ▁on ▁Broadway ▁by ▁Eli ot ▁H yman ▁and ▁Ray ▁St ark ▁of ▁Seven ▁Arts ▁Produ ctions ▁who ▁" th ought ▁it ▁would ▁make ▁a ▁good ▁movie ," ▁according ▁to ▁St ark . ▁Other ▁companies ▁were ▁interested ▁in ▁film ▁rights ▁but ▁St ark ▁called ▁K ras na ▁direct ▁in ▁Switzerland ▁and ▁did ▁the ▁deal . ▁The ▁rights ▁cost ▁$ 1 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁plus ▁a ▁percentage ▁of ▁the ▁gross . ▁ ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁multi - picture ▁deal ▁between ▁Seven ▁Arts ▁and ▁M GM . ▁Le ad ▁roles ▁originally ▁were ▁offered ▁to ▁Natal ie ▁Wood ▁and ▁Warren ▁Beat ty , ▁who ▁turned ▁them ▁down . ▁Peter ▁T ew ks bury , ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁TV , ▁signed ▁to ▁direct . ▁Red ford ▁aud ition ed ▁to ▁repeat ▁his ▁stage ▁role ▁but ▁says ▁his ▁reading ▁" did ▁not ▁go ▁well ▁for ▁me " ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁cast . ▁ ▁Jane ▁F onda ▁agreed ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁the ▁film ▁for ▁a ▁fee ▁of ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0