<P> Lippert tried to cast Michael Rennie and Rick Jason in the role of André Delambre , before settling on then mostly - unknown David Hedison ( billed as `` Al Hedison '' on - screen . ) Hedison 's `` Fly '' costume featured a twenty - pound fly 's head , about which he said : `` Trying to act in it was like trying to play the piano with boxing gloves on '' . Hedison was never happy with the makeup , but Makeup Director Ben Nye Sr. remained very positive about his work , writing years later that despite doing many subsequent science fiction films , `` I never did anything as sophisticated or original as The Fly '' . </P>
<P> Lippert tried to cast Michael Rennie and Rick Jason in the role of André Delambre , before settling on then mostly - unknown David Hedison ( billed as `` Al Hedison '' on - screen . ) Hedison 's `` Fly '' costume featured a twenty - pound fly 's head , about which he said : `` Trying to act in it was like trying to play the piano with boxing gloves on '' . Hedison was never happy with the makeup , but Makeup Director Ben Nye Sr. remained very positive about his work , writing years later that despite doing many subsequent science fiction films , `` I never did anything as sophisticated or original as The Fly '' . </P>
who played the fly in the original movie
who played the fly in the original movie
David Hedison
David Hedison