The parents of the young boy from "Close Encounters of the Third" turned down director Stanley Kubrick's offer to cast him as Danny Torrence. They objected to the subject matter and themes.

The stage, film and television actor was one of Stephen King's strong suggestions to director Stanley Kubrick; King felt that the descent into madness of an actor like Moriarity would have been more frightening and surprising.

Stephen King tried to talk director Stanley Kubrick into casting a more normal-looking actor as Jack Torrence to better dramatize a man's gradual descent into insanity.