Who will be the next James Bond? The guessing game continues. At the moment, fans know the writer, director, and producers of the next film, but there is still no word on who will don the tuxedo, drive the Aston Martin, and embrace women of questionable character. On the brighter side, there exist 27 Bond movies, each highly rewatchable, so fans who miss the iconic spy can always take a trip back in time.
Seven actors in total have portrayed James Bond in film: Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. These screen versions mostly retain the traits established in Ian Fleming’s books. These include his hedonism, fashion sense, and love for automobiles. However, some of the character’s less politically correct traits have been slowly phased out (including his chain-smoking and chauvinism).
Here is how many times each actor got to portray James Bond.
7
David Niven
1 Movie
Everyone forgets that James Bond was played by David Niven in the little-known 1967 movie, Casino Royale. According to Jeremy Black’s book, The Politics of James Bond: From Fleming’s Novels to the Big Screen, Niven was author Ian Fleming’s first choice when the idea for a movie came, but Eon Productions preferred Connery. However, the studio couldn’t adapt the novel Casino Royale because Charles K. Feldman, the producer, chose to make a satire with Niven in the lead, which was released in April 1967, two months before Sean Connery’s fifth Bond film, You Only Live Twice.
The Coolest Englishman
Known as a handsome and debonair man, Niven was perfect for Bond, and there’s no doubt he’d have had a decent run as the character if he had been offered the chance. According to the actor’s ex-wife, Hjördis Paulina Tersmeden, he was somewhat of a real-life Bond. He slept with numerous actresses, air hostesses, and waitresses, and had an affair with Princess Margaret (a major reason the queen hated him and denied him an honor). Additionally, Niven is the only Bond actor to have ever been mentioned by name in a Fleming novel. In Chapter 14 of You Only Live Twice, pearl diver Kissy Suzuki says Niven is “the only man she liked in Hollywood”, and the only man who “treated her honorably” there.
6
George Lazenby
1 Movie
After starring in the first five James Bond films, Sean Connery quit the role, forcing the producers to go on the hunt for a new lead man. In the documentary Inside On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, it’s explained that producer Albert R. Broccoli met the next James Bond actor, George Lazenby, for the first time at a barbershop. At the time, they didn’t talk much. Broccoli later saw the Australian actor in the Big Fry commercial and figured he could portray Bond, so he invited him for a screen test. The rest is history.
A Premature Exit
A masterly evocation of place, sound, mood, and feeling spiced with no Austin Powers-esque humor, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service gingerly unfolds alongside well-choreographed action sequences. Steven Soderbergh and Christopher Nolan named it their favorite Bond movie, and Lazenby is great in it. Surprisingly, the actor didn’t want to continue in the role. Apparently, his agent, Ronan O’Rahilly, had convinced him that the character would soon be considered archaic due to the changing times. Lazenby’s full story can be found in his self-produced documentary, Becoming Bond, where some of the stories seem as far-fetched as the events depicted in the OHMSS itself, and yet they are all true.
5
Timothy Dalton
2 Movies
The documentary Inside The Living Daylights reveals that Timothy Dalton was courted by Bond producers for years. He was meant to take over from Connery, but he felt he was too young. He was approached to play Bond after Roger Moore had retired, but when he asked the Broccolis to wait for him to finish another project first, they cast Pierce Brosnan. However, when news of Brosnan’s hiring was leaked, the producers of the series Remington Steele, in which Brosnan starred, refused to let the actor go. The Broccolis then went back to Dalton, who went on to star in two movies.
A Darker, Realistic Bond
Dalton did an incredible job in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill, which are now considered two of the best spy movies ever made. He was praised for coating the character with a darker aura. After all, he was a big fan of the books and was often seen reading them on set. Many fans wish he’d stuck around longer, and it would have happened if not for behind-the-scenes factors. Pre-production of a third film had begun in 1990, but plans were canceled due to legal issues between UA/MGM and Eon Productions, which ended up lasting for four years. When plans for GoldenEye began, Dalton had moved on to other things, so the Broccolis went back to Pierce Brosnan.
4
Pierce Brosnan
4 Movies
Pierce Brosnan’s journey to becoming James Bond began when he met Albert R. Broccoli on the set of For Your Eyes Only. Cassandra Harris, his wife at the time, had been cast as the mistress, Countess Lisl von Schlaf, in the movie. He bonded with the producer, who later offered him the role. At the time, NBC had canceled Remington Steele, but the publicity surrounding the casting announcement improved the show’s ratings, so Brosnan’s services were retained. Thankfully, Broccoli looked for him again when the legal issues that had prevented a third Dalton from happening were resolved.
A Polarizing but Decent Run
Brosnan isn’t normally considered one of the best Bond actors, but his lower ranking isn’t really is fault. The MobLand star often had bad material to work with. Only GoldenEye can be considered a decent Brosnan Bond movie. The rest are all over the place, and it’s no surprise that after Die Another Day, the producers concluded that a reboot was needed. Still, for a certain generation, Brosnan is Bond, and he has proven how good an actor he is in other movies. In fact, there are many Bond-like movies starring the British actor, who those who wish to see him channeling the same kind of charisma again.
3
Daniel Craig
5 Movies
Daniel Craig’s casting caused some controversy due to his physical appearance, with detractors arguing that Bond could not be blonde and that he wasn’t ripped enough. But as soon as images of him shooting the iconic beach scene hit the papers, opinions changed. And when Casino Royale came out, people regretted ever doubting him. The actor’s path to the role began when he met Barbara Broccoli at the funeral of casting director Mary Selway, who had cast Craig in Love Is the Devil. He was later offered the role, and although he was doubtful, many influential people urged him to take it on, including Pierce Brosnan.
A Faultless, Modern Bond
Like Dalton, Craig’s dark, no-nonsense Bond impressed many. There have been effusive comparisons to Jason Bourne, too. This chorus rang out most strongly after Skyfall, when Margo Craig split the sky open with his astounding performance as a physically damaged Bond. His work in movies such as Queer and Knives Out proved just how versatile an actor he is. Why his earlier gems were overlooked by the public, we’ll never know.
Craig was also the first actor to let the world know that playing Bond wasn’t a ride in the amusement park. It was stressful and frustrating. He famously wanted to quit after Spectre, only to be convinced to stay. Over the years, he’d mention all the negative things about playing Bond, notably that it leaves an actor with numerous serious injuries.
2
Sean Connery
6 Movies
Like Bond himself, Sean Connery owes a lot to women. According to The Telegraph, Albert “Cubby” Broccoli wasn’t convinced about the British star’s acting abilities, but his wife, Dana Broccoli, insisted Connery was the right man. Ian Fleming was also against the idea of casting Connery, stating, “He’s not what I envisioned of James Bond looks. I’m looking for Commander Bond and not an overgrown stuntman.” However, Fleming’s girlfriend, Blanche Blackwell, insisted Connery had the requisite sexual charisma. Later, Fleming was so impressed by Connery’s performance that he gave the character a Scottish heritage in the books.
The Greatest of Them All?
Connery is a brilliant actor. His Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA trophies are proof of that. He knows how to tune his characters in a way that makes audiences feel knowing and in on the joke… or the sorrow. His technique is always spelled out for the audience to recognize, and his funny moments aim to heighten rather than relieve the tension. His Bond was selected as the third-greatest hero in cinema history by the American Film Institute, and he owes much of the brilliance to the stylistic tutelage of director Terence Young (who made the first two movies).
The filmmaker. Lois Maxwell, who played Miss Moneypenny, recalled: “Terence took Sean under his wing. He took him to dinner, showed him how to walk, how to talk, even how to eat.” Connery would receive thousands of fan letters a week after the release of Dr. No, and he went on to become a sex symbol. Interestingly, the first Bond actor would become irked by the fact that everyone associated with Bond. “He’d be walking down the street and people would say, ‘Look, there’s James Bond’. That was particularly upsetting to him,” said his good friend Michael Caine. Thankfully, Connery later returned to play Bond in Diamonds are Forever, following Lazenby’s refusal to return, and then again in Never Say Never Again, a non-Eon-produced Bond film.
1
Roger Moore
7 Movies
Before Bond, Roger Moore’s career had peaked artistically and commercially via his role as Simon Templar in the British mystery thriller series The Saint. The character was very Bond-like, and given how brilliantly the English actor portrayed him, there was never a doubt that he was the right man to give M headaches. Courted for some time, Moore only accepted Albert Broccoli’s offer after his other show, The Persuaders, was canceled. However, he was forced to cut his hair and lose some weight, something he hated.
Goofy but Iconic
Moore is well-liked, but his Bond isn’t a favorite for many. The portrayal is equal parts caricature and grand, though it’s stylish and utterly original. Many of his movies aren’t rated highly by critics either, but they were major hits when they came out, and the witty one-liners are still great to recite. Some still prefer the version of Bond that’s played for laughs rather than the serious one.
After seven movies, Moore decided to hang up his tuxedo. He would later explain that it was all because he felt he had become too old. “Physically, I was okay, but facially, I started looking…well, the leading ladies were young enough to be my granddaughter, and it became disgusting,” he said. Will the next Bond actor do more movies than Sir Roger Moore? It would be great if it happened.
