While I was checking the trivia list for the movie Die Hard on IMDB, it is written that Richard Dean Anderson was considered for the role of John McClane during the making of the first Die Hard. Also other bigger actors were considered like Sylvester Stallone, Don Johnson and Richard Gere amongst others.

But to see RDA's name was kind a surprise for me. Can you picture him going yippie-ka-yay? With a little imagination, I can see him in that film. Though it might've been weird to play an action hero with guns blazing and fistfights in a movie and a non-violent one with wits and a SAK in a tv-show.

Since the movie was filmed in fall 1987 I think we would've got a late third season RDA or either an early fourth season RDA in Die Hard, if he would've gotten the role.

What would you say about that?

RDA in a white tanktop/topless on his bare feet with machineguns taking down terrorists?

I'd say it would've been cool. But John McClane wouldn't be John McClane if he wasn't played by Bruce Willis.

I can see him doing the role after seeing him play Jack.

RDA doesn't strike me as a 'muscle man', either does Richard Gere. Although he did play a cop in one of his post-MacGyver movies (or TV?), I still have difficulties in figuring him doing what Bruce Willis did in Die Hard.

RDA's portrayal of Jack O'Neill in SG1 does not focus on muscle power but more on tactic, IMO is very different from John McClane.

And, of course, MacGyver wouldn't be MacGyver if not played by RDA, and John McClane wouldn't be John McClaine if not played by Bruce Willis.

Hear hear!


I can picture him in a white tanktop though (back in those days I mean)

Nice find, MacGyverGod.

RDA is a great actor, much better than he gives himself credit for, and I am convinced he would have created a very nice John McLane. He would have brought some more finesse and elegance to the character than Bruce Willis, I think.
As for the muscles, I have read RDA worked out for months in order to play a very muscular Ray Bellano in Through the eyes of a Killer. I'm sure he would have done the same for Die Hard. Dedicated actors will do that.

Interesting indeed.
Phoenix Under Siege comes to my mind here

He improved tremendously over the course of the series. In season 1, there are quite a few scenes where he's really not very good. But as early as Season 2, he's much better. And he keeps improving throughout, until his dreadful performance in Mountain Of Youth (but I suspect he was just ready to move on by then.)

Anyway, yeah, it's interesting to hear he was considered for the role. I really wonder what direction he would have taken the character. My guess is that he'd try hard NOT to make the character like MacGyver. I suspect he'd be glad to have had the chance to play a different kind of hero-- maybe one who wasn't quite SO perfect/sanctimonious all the time. He'd probably welcome the chance to curse a bit more, not play fair, etc, etc.

Not play fair? If there was any unfair play it was from the bad guys. It's John McClane versus at least a dozen bad guys or more everytime. Maybe he'd play it a little more arrogant than Bruce Willis.

I was referring to how RDA may have wanted to play the character, as a chance to break away from the MacGyver role.

You have to remember that was all during the 3rd season of MacGyver at which point RDA was totally in the MacGyver mindset. His own feelings about anti-guns,anti violence etc where all being feed into the MacGyver character at that stage, so I really don't think he was in a mindset where he would want to play a role like that.

I think Jack O'Niell was the result of a matured RDA and more about poking fun at the gun tooting tough guys characters.

I also think that because RDA was so ingrained to us as MacGyver by that time, and we had established through interviews and such just how much of the character was actually coming from him, we would have had real trouble seeing him as John McClane.

Good point. I do recall interviews with RDA, though, where he implied that he was tired of always playing the perfect white knight, and would welcome the chance to play a darker character. But maybe those interviews came closer to the end of MacGyver's run.

That's why he took those TV movies like Eyes of a Stranger/Killer and Beyond Betryal. I thought he did a fantastic job as always but was thrilled to see him as the hero again:)