...George Kennedy.
According to a newspaper article I found and read a few days ago, the producers of 'CC' sent Kennedy the script first. He read it, didn't like it, and turned it down. But apparently, he was their first choice to play Roy.
Evidently, some time after that, they approached Victor French and he said yes.
I just drop on my knees and thank God every day that they didn't ask Oprah Winfrey to do Chief Mobey.
shareVictor French was SO good as Mobley, great expressions, physical comedy - for a good dramatic actor, big and imposing as he was, these kinds of roles where he can show his funny side were manna from TV heaven.
The episode where he runs against the Mayor but has a hard time handling the on air debate - thinking about the "thousands and thousands of eyes" viewing him and then knocks the mike down and it blasts feedback - his expression with that...
...Trying to go to night school and having trouble fitting into the el pulpitre (desk/chair combination)...only to have a playboy planted on him by one of the other students - flabbergasted, he says to the teacher "I-I-I don't know anything about this..." to which the teacher simply says, "Then I also suggest our sex education class!"
Moonlighter Curfew