The role of one of the main brothers Brian Hackett was meant to be played by George Clooney. Producers initially mentioned how they felt he was the perfect actor for the role of the reckless lover boy.
A few other big names also popped up around the time of casting, names like David Duchovny and Hank Azaria were some serious contenders but when Steven Weber walked into the picture, everyone knew this was their guy.
Lowell Was Written For Thomas Haden Church
Interestingly enough, the character Lowell was created with Thomas Haden Church already in mind. When the creators saw his one-time appearance in "Cheers" as Gordie Brown they were sold on his idiot savant persona.
Unfortunately, Church left in 1995 because he didn't want the typecast curse. Guess he made a good move since now he's a highly sought-after Hollywood star.
The Airport version of Cheers
If you watched Cheers back in the 80s and early 90s, you'll remember how successful their run was. The show told the story about a bunch of troubled folks who took refuge from the outside world in their local bar.
When "Wings" was first conceptualized, it was compared to the "Cheers," except set in an airport. While it certainly wasn't a spin-off, it did still have strong ties to "Cheers", and "Frasier." In fact, Rebecca Howe, Lilith Crane, and Frasier all made appearances throughout the years.
Bryan Cranston Wanted to be in Wings
If you're a fan of" Breaking Bad," you can't overlook Bryan Cranston's crazy role as Walter White. Bryan auditioned to play Joe Hackett in Wings but ultimately lost the part. Daniel Stern and Nick Cassavetes who were also famous actors didn't make the cut.
Clearly, it was Tim Daly and Tim Daly alone who could play Joe Hackett. The actor embodied his maturity and kind eyes to a tee.
Tim Daly Wasn't Initially a Fan of Wings
Despite Tim Daly was one of the main characters of the series, he had never shown interest in watching "Wings." He confesses that the show brought a lot of great things into his life including meeting super-skilled actors who turned into friends. But one of the reasons he didn't appreciate Wings was because it wasn't as big of a name as “Seinfeld” or “Friends.”
That is the kind of popularity that an actor can only dream of, so when Daly witnessed the success of these shows, it was a slight reminder that "Wings" just wasn't on that level. Eventually, after some time had passed, Daly relented and watched the show. The actor was actually surprised to discover that it was a lot funnier than he thought! Guess he just needed a little distance.