Over the years, as the legend of his performance as Stanley grew from its initial mixed critical response to what The New York Times in his obituary called “epochal”, many theatricals took credit for casting him. Audrey Wood claimed it was her husband William Liebling; with more justification, Kazan maintained it was him; Brando insisted that Harold Clurman planted the idea in Kazan’s head. “Gadg [Kazan’s nickname] and Irene both said I was probably too young, and she was especially unenthusiastic about me,” Brando recalled in his autobiography. After pondering the script for a few days, even Brando called Kazan to decline the role. The part, he felt, was “a size too large”. “The line was busy,” Brando said. “Had I spoken to him at that moment, I’m certain I wouldn’t have played the role. I decided to let it rest for a while and the next day he called me and said: ‘Well, what is it – yes or no?’ I gulped and said ‘Yes’.”