Movies - TV
Arnold
Schwarzeneger's
Commando Role Was Originally
Written For A Member Of KISS
By J. GABRIEL WARE
“Commando” allowed Arnold Schwarzenegger to showcase his wits and humor and served as the model for his macho, quippy, one-liner films that followed. However, the original script wasn't intended for Schwarzenegger at all; instead, it was written for a friend of theirs — a guy who is a member of the American rock band KISS.
The science fiction action picture "Runaway," in which Gene Simmons made his acting debut in 1984, was a box office failure, although Roger Ebert, a famed movie critic, praises Simmons' performance. Sources claim that Jeph Loeb III and Matthew Weisman developed their original "Commando" script specifically for Simmons.
It’s hard to say that Simmons missed out on an opportunity of a lifetime by passing on "Commando" because the script went through a significant rewrite to accentuate the charisma of Schwarzenegger. Still, Simmons, as the lead of one of the most ridiculous action movies of the '80s, is one of the most fascinating "what if" casting stories we've heard.