Paul Shaffer On 'Seinfeld'? And More Stars Who Turned Down Big TV Roles

He Could've Been George Costanza?
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Musician and band leader Paul Schaffer attends 'A Tribute To The Music of Motown' After Party, presented by GREY GOOSE Vodka at Carnegie Hall on February 9, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images for Grey Goose)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: Musician and band leader Paul Schaffer attends 'A Tribute To The Music of Motown' After Party, presented by GREY GOOSE Vodka at Carnegie Hall on February 9, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images for Grey Goose)

Paul Shaffer was offered the role of George Costanza on "Seinfeld."

According to The Week (by way of Shaffer's memoir), Jerry Seinfeld offered Shaffer the role of George with a message on Shaffer's answering machine, but Shaffer never returned the call. It certainly would've made for a very different "Seinfeld."

The Week also reports Ken Howard and Blythe Danner were originally offered the roles in NBC's "McMillan and Wife," but turned them down because they weren't interested in being part of the "wheel" format of NBC's mystery series. The parts went to Rock Hudson and Susan St. James.

Click through the slideshow below to see what other famous faces turned down some pretty big roles.

Ray Liotta as Tony Soprano, "The Sopranos"

Stars' Missed TV Opportunities

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