Martin's random top 10 list of actor's (living or dead) he would have preferred to play Count Olaf:
1. Edward G. Robinson
2. Alan Rickman (probably not, because of Snape, but still...)
3. Michael Gambon (I was going to say Gary Oldman as well, but let's cut our H.P. crossover here)
4. Michael Caine
5. Ann Coulter (*shiver*)
6. Ian Holm
7. Tim Curry (who read the audio book with a certain aplomb).
8. Jerry Orbach (R.I.P., a true master of delivering the quip)
9. Ryan Stiles (who, coincidentally, was in the theater with us and his children)
10. Christopher Walken (Hell, I would have taken Jay Mohr's impersonation of him).
11. BONUS COULD-BE VILLIAN: Montgomery Burns.