Sholem tells the story of how, in the late 1940s,
Sol Lesser, who was producing the "Tarzan" films--which Sholem was directing--was looking for a new Jane. Sholem found a young, attractive blonde actress who he thought would be good for the part, but Lesser nixed her. Sholem had her read for Lesser a total of eight times, but Lesser kept turning her down, saying she was all wrong, and eventually hired another actress. The one he turned down was
Marilyn Monroe.