Editing High Noon (section)

===Casting===
[[File:Kelly-Cooper-Jurado.jpg|thumb|left|Gary Cooper holding Grace Kelly as Katy Jurado stares at them (promotional photo)]]
[[John Wayne]] was originally offered the lead role in the film, but refused it because he believed that Foreman's story was an obvious allegory against [[Hollywood blacklist|blacklisting]], which he actively supported. Later, he told an interviewer that he would "never regret having helped run Foreman out of the country".<ref>[https://pages.shanti.virginia.edu/Wild_Wild_Cold_War/files/2011/11/John_Wayne_Playboy_Int2.pdf John Wayne: ''Playboy'' Interview / MAY 1971] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823143806/http://pages.shanti.virginia.edu/Wild_Wild_Cold_War/files/2011/11/John_Wayne_Playboy_Int2.pdf |date=August 23, 2013}}. Retrieved May 11, 2015.</ref> Gary Cooper was Wayne's longtime friend and shared his conservative political views; Cooper had been a "friendly witness" before [[HUAC]] but did not implicate anyone as a suspected Communist, and he later became a vigorous opponent of blacklisting.<ref>Meyer, Jeffrey, ''Gary Cooper: American Hero'' (1998), p. 144.</ref> Cooper won an [[Academy Award]] for his performance, and since he was working in Europe at the time, he asked Wayne to accept the Oscar on his behalf. Although Wayne's contempt for the film and refusal of its lead role were well known, he said, "I'm glad to see they're giving this to a man who is not only most deserving, but has conducted himself throughout the years in our business in a manner that we can all be proud of ... Now that I'm through being such a good sport ... I'm going back to find my business manager and agent ... and find out why I didn't get ''High Noon'' instead of Cooper ..."<ref name="TCM">[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/24083/high-noon#articles-reviews ''High Noon''], retrieved October 13, 2022.</ref>

After Wayne refused the Will Kane role, Kramer offered it to [[Gregory Peck]], who declined because he felt it was too similar to his role in ''[[The Gunfighter]]'', the year before.  Peck later said he considered it the biggest mistake of his career.<ref>[http://www.destinationhollywood.com/celebrities/gregorypeck/funfeatures_content.shtml Gregory Peck], retrieved September 6, 2016.</ref> [[Marlon Brando]], [[Montgomery Clift]], and [[Charlton Heston]] also declined the role.<ref name="TCM"/>

Kramer saw [[Grace Kelly]] in an off-Broadway play and cast her as Kane's bride, despite Cooper and Kelly's substantial age disparity (50 and 21, respectively).  Rumors of an affair between Cooper and Kelly during filming remain unsubstantiated.  Kelly biographer Donald Spoto wrote that there was no evidence of a romance, aside from tabloid gossip.<ref>Spoto, D. ''High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly''. Crown Archetype (2009), pp. 67–9. {{ISBN|0307395618}}</ref> Biographer Gina McKinnon speculated that "there might well have been a roll or two in the hay bales", but cited no evidence, other than a remark by Kelly's sister Lizanne that Kelly was "infatuated" with Cooper.<ref>McKinnon, G. ''What Would Grace Do?: How to Live Life in Style Like the Princess of Hollywood''. Gotham (2013), p. 145. {{ISBN|1592408281}}</ref>

[[Lee Van Cleef]] made his film debut in ''High Noon''.  Kramer first offered Van Cleef the Harvey Pell role, after seeing him in a touring production of ''[[Mister Roberts (play)|Mister Roberts]]'', on the condition that Van Cleef have his nose surgically altered to appear less menacing. Van Cleef refused and was cast instead as Colby, the only role of his career without a single line of dialog.<ref>[http://www.westernclippings.com/heavies/leevancleef_charactersheavies.shtml Lee Van Cleef], retrieved September 6, 2016.</ref>