who was the first actor to play edward quartermaine?
David Lewis
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 Edge of Darkness was an early role for Ian McNeice , who played Harcourt . He went on to act in a wide variety of film and television parts including The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain ( 1995 ) , Ace Ventura : When Nature Calls ( 1995 ) and Frank Herbert 's Dune ( 2000 ) , as well as regular roles in Doc Martin ( 2004 – present ) , Rome ( 2005 – 2007 ) and regular appearances as Winston Churchill in the BBC 's revived Doctor Who . 

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 The leading role of Edward had been connected to several actors prior to Depp 's casting : a meeting between Burton and the preferred choice of the studio , Tom Cruise , was not fruitful , and Gary Oldman and Tom Hanks turned down the part . The character of The Inventor was devised specifically for Vincent Price , and would be his last major role . Edward 's scissor hands were created and designed by Stan Winston . 

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 Formby 's screen persona influenced Norman Wisdom in the 1950s and Charlie Drake in the following decade , although both these performers used pathos , which Formby avoided . 

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 The formal casting process began in February 1995 , though some of the actors met with Thompson the previous year to help her conceptualise the script . Lee eventually cast all but one of them : Hugh Grant ( as Edward Ferrars ) , Robert Hardy ( as Sir John Middleton ) , Harriet Walter ( as Fanny Ferrars Dashwood ) , Imelda Staunton ( as Charlotte Jennings Palmer ) , and Hugh Laurie ( as Mr. Palmer ) . Amanda Root had also worked with Thompson on the screenplay , but had already committed to star in the 1995 film Persuasion . Commenting on the casting of Laurie , whom she had known for years , Thompson has said , " There is no one [ else ] on the planet who could capture Mr. Palmer 's disenchantment and redemption so perfectly , and make it funny . " 

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 Also appearing in the film was Alan Rickman , who portrayed Colonel Brandon . Thompson was pleased that Rickman could express the " extraordinary sweetness [ of ] his nature , " as he had played " Machiavellian types so effectively " in other films . Greg Wise was cast as Marianne 's other romantic interest , John Willoughby , his most noted role thus far . Twelve @-@ year @-@ old Emilie François , appearing as Margaret Dashwood , was one of the last people cast in the production ; she had no professional acting experience . Thompson praised the young actress in her production diaries , " Emilie has a natural quick intelligence that informs every movement – she creates spontaneity in all of us just by being there . " Other cast members included Gemma Jones as Mrs. Dashwood , James Fleet as John Dashwood , Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs. Jennings , Imogen Stubbs as Lucy Steele , Richard Lumsden as Robert Ferrars , Tom Wilkinson as Mr. Dashwood , and Lone Vidahl as Miss Grey . 
