An early contender to play the brilliantly talented Billie Holliday.

One of the handful of early contenders to play Billie Holiday.

When it was originally proposed in the late Sixties, the film biography of Billie Holiday was to star Diana Sands, but when it was revived in the early seventies, another Diana was chosen.

The lead singer of the Four Tops was a favorite to play "Louis McKay" but the group was on concert tour at the time.

The magnificent actress was an early contender to play Billie Holiday.