▁Bal let . ▁The ▁produ cers ▁were ▁thr illed ▁with ▁him , ▁but ▁his ▁res ume ▁read ▁‘ No ▁dan cing ’ ▁after ▁a ▁kne e ▁injury . ▁However , ▁S way ze ▁read ▁the ▁script , ▁liked ▁the ▁multi - level ▁character ▁of ▁Johnny , ▁and ▁took ▁the ▁part ▁anyway . ▁After ▁this , ▁Johnny ’ s ▁her itage ▁was ▁changed ▁from ▁being ▁Italian ▁to ▁Irish . ▁Grey ▁was ▁initially ▁not ▁happy ▁about ▁the ▁choice , ▁as ▁she ▁and ▁S way ze ▁had ▁difficulty ▁getting ▁along ▁on ▁Red ▁Da wn , ▁but ▁when ▁they ▁did ▁their ▁dan cing ▁screen ▁test , ▁the ▁chem istry ▁between ▁them ▁was ▁obvious . ▁Berg stein ▁described ▁it ▁as ▁" bre at ht aking ". ▁ ▁Other ▁casting ▁choices ▁were ▁Broadway ▁actor ▁Jerry ▁Or bach ▁as ▁Dr . ▁J ake ▁H ous eman , ▁Baby ' s ▁father ; ▁and ▁Jane ▁Bru cker ▁as ▁Lisa ▁H ous eman , ▁her ▁older ▁sister . ▁Berg stein ▁also ▁attempted ▁to ▁cast ▁her ▁friend , ▁sex ▁ther ap ist ▁Dr . ▁Ruth ▁West heimer , ▁to ▁play ▁Mrs . ▁Sch um acher , ▁and ▁Jo el ▁Grey ▁as ▁her ▁husband . ▁However , ▁West heimer ▁back ed ▁out ▁when ▁she ▁learned ▁the ▁role ▁involved ▁being ▁a ▁th ief . ▁The ▁role ▁went ▁instead ▁to ▁ 8 9 - year - old ▁Pa ula ▁Tru eman . ▁Another ▁role ▁went ▁to ▁Berg stein ' s ▁friend , ▁New ▁York ▁radio ▁person ality ▁" C ousin ▁Bru cie ". ▁She ▁initially ▁wanted