▁Anthony ▁Hop kins ▁as ▁C ork y ▁With ers ▁( and ▁the ▁voice ▁of ▁F ats ) ▁ ▁Ann - M arg ret ▁as ▁Peg gy ▁Ann ▁Snow ▁ ▁Burg ess ▁Mer ed ith ▁as ▁Ben ▁Gre ene ▁ ▁Ed ▁La uter ▁as ▁Duke ▁ ▁E . ▁J . ▁André ▁as ▁Mer lin ▁ ▁Jerry ▁Hou ser ▁as ▁Tax i ▁Driver ▁ ▁David ▁Og den ▁St iers ▁as ▁Tod son ▁ ▁L ill ian ▁Rand olph ▁as ▁Sad ie ▁ ▁Production ▁ ▁Writing ▁and ▁casting ▁Joseph ▁E . ▁Lev ine ▁bought ▁the ▁film ▁rights ▁to ▁Gold man ' s ▁novel ▁for ▁$ 1 ▁million . ▁This ▁included ▁Gold man ' s ▁fee ▁to ▁write ▁the ▁screen play . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁draft ▁was ▁written ▁for ▁first - choice ▁director ▁Norman ▁Jew ison . ▁Jew ison ▁wanted ▁Jack ▁Nich ol son ▁to ▁star ▁but ▁Nich ol son ▁turned ▁it ▁down , ▁claim ing ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁wear ▁a ▁hair pie ce . ▁Steven ▁Spiel berg ▁expressed ▁interest ▁in ▁direct ing ▁the ▁film ▁and ▁considered ▁casting ▁Robert ▁De ▁N iro ▁for ▁C ork y . ▁ ▁Richard ▁Att en borough , ▁who ▁had ▁just ▁made ▁A ▁Bridge ▁To o ▁Far ▁with ▁Gold man ▁and ▁Lev ine , ▁then ▁agreed ▁to ▁direct . ▁ ▁Laur ence ▁Oliv ier ▁was ▁originally ▁offered ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁the ▁agent ▁but ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁do ▁it ▁so ▁Burg ess ▁Mer ed ith ▁was ▁cast ▁instead . ▁Mer ed ith ▁got ▁the ▁role ▁after ▁walking ▁into ▁ 2 1