Trivia / Ice Station Zebra

• Creator Backlash: In an interview, given in 1990 to French student Michael Laborie, director John Sturges said that he did not like Michel Legrand's music for this movie.
• Fake Brit: British agent Mr. Jones is played by Patrick McGoohan, an Irishman born in New York.
• Fake Russian: Ernest Borgnine plays a Soviet defector.
• One for the Money; One for the Art: Patrick McGoohan used his salary for the film to go towards The Prisoner, which was in the midst of a production crisis at the time.
• Referenced by...: In the Better Call Saul episode "Amarillo", Jimmy and Kim watch the movie. The name clearly resonates, for a couple of episodes later in "Bali Ha'i", the cheque they con out of the man in the bar is made out to "Ice Station Zebra Associates".
• What Could Have Been:
  • Charlton Heston was originally offered the role of Ferraday but turned it down, saying there was no characterization in the script. Gregory Peck was then offered the part and early adverts in Variety magazine carried mention of Peck's casting, together with Laurence Harvey as Jones. Steve McQueen (actor) was also considered.
  • James Mason and David Niven were considered for David Jones.
  • George Segal was considered for Lt. Russell Walker.

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