Dan Harmon had a shortlist of other actors in mind when it came to casting Pierce Hawthorne in Community. Chevy Chase ended up portraying the character for four seasons of the NBC comedy before his character was killed off in season 5. Harmon remained as the showrunner for all but one season of the series, being fired then rehired when Pierce's arc came to an end.
Pierce was the eldest member of the study group at Greendale Community College. Although he often got on the nerves of Jeff, Annie, Shirley, Troy, Abed, and Britta, Pierce cemented his place within the group. He wasn't the easiest person to be around due to his offensive comments and antiquated viewpoints. Despite his behavior, he was accepted by his peers. After 13 years of studying at Greendale, he finally made friends before his story came to an end.
For Community's first four seasons, Pierce was a prominent member of the series. Before Chase was cast, the actor didn't have an interest in working on TV in a regular role. He stuck to film roles or TV shows in a limited capacity, but hiring Chase as one of the main characters was a big deal. When Harmon was developing the series, he had a handful of names that he wanted to see play Pierce. According to an AMA via Reddit, Harmon mentioned Fred Willard, John Cleese, and Patrick Stewart as potential candidates on his list. The production team, however, had other ideas.
Sony Wanted Chevy Chase In The Role But It Didn't End Well
Sony was the driving force behind Chase's casting in Community. As the production company and distributor, Sony made all of the executive decisions. They wanted a household name to portray the role of Pierce and jumped at the opportunity even though Harmon had other ideas. Although Chase didn't have much interest in pursuing a long-term TV role, the writing of the series was a persuasive factor. Harmon had been a fan of the actor, so it didn't take long for the creator to get on board with the casting decision.
Unfortunately for all involved, Chase's time on the series didn't go too smoothly. The actor had a history of causing trouble on the set of the series. There was also a rumored feud among Chase and Harmon, adding to the tension. During season 4, Chase wasn't happy with his character's direction which resulted in a heated rant featuring a racial slur. The incident resulted in Chase's departure and Pierce being killed off around the time Harmon return. It's important to note that Willard, one of Harmon's original picks, appeared in the Community season 4 premiere. He portrayed "Alternate Pierce Hawthorne" in the imaginary version of Greendale in Abed's head. Even though Harmon didn't get his version of Pierce, he was able to incorporate his vision for at least one episode.