James Bond Fans

[DWalt]

Vice is now running a series called Icons Unearthed: James Bond. Essentially backstories on all the JB movies. I watched a couple of the episodes yesterday, pretty interesting. I think Vice is still re-running them, so you can still watch at least some of them, if not all.

I never really knew why George Lazenby starred in only one - On Her Majesty' Secret Service. Not that he couldn't have made many more, but he just hated the role and refused to do more than one.

 

[LVSteve]

Patrick McGoohan was considered for the Bond role, as well as for The Saint. However, his upbringing was such he found the scripts distasteful. Watch Danger Man reruns, he never kisses the girls.

 

[DWalt]

So was Burt Reynolds. Lazenby was offered an unbelievable contract by Cubby Broccoli to continue as James Bond, but he refused to even look at it. He was also a sexual Superman with all the ladies in the cast. Not sure that included Diana Rigg.

 

[Rudi]

There were some hits and misses.

 

[CCantu357]

Sounds interesting. I love the Bond movies and Fleming novels. In this ever-changing world in which we live in, I find James Bond movies to be a steady presence. Sure - the actors and stories change over time, but they always provide a sweet distraction for an hour or two. Not many film franchises can boast a 61 year history!

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

Sounds interesting. I love the Bond movies and Fleming novels. In this ever-changing world in which we live in, I find James Bond movies to be a steady presence. Sure - the actors and stories change over time, but they always provide a sweet distraction for an hour or two. Not many film franchises can boast a 61 year history!

I see what you did there. Well said!

 

[Abbynormal]

James Bond died

 

[johngalt]

So was Burt Reynolds. Lazenby was offered an unbelievable contract by Cubby Broccoli to continue as James Bond, but he refused to even look at it. He was also a sexual Superman with all the ladies in the cast. Not sure that included Diana Rigg.

I'm probably the odd man out, but I thought "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was one of the better Bond movies.

 

[DWalt]

I'm probably the odd man out, but I thought "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was one of the better Bond movies.

Me also. I consider Lazenby to be the best fit to the Bond character after Connery. Daniel Craig is on the bottom rung of the ladder. One thing the Vice series brought out was that Lazenby was very athletic and did many of his own stunts.

I remember reading that Ian Fleming visualized Bond as looking like Hoagy Carmichael, plain and nothing about his appearance or demeanor to attract attention. I won't repeat the tale about my once passing up the chance to buy Ian Fleming's fully documented Ruger .22 pistol (I think a Mk I) at a very reasonable price.

 

[Rustyt1953]

1: Connery.
2: Craig.
3: Brosnan.
4: Dalton.
5: Lazenby.
6: Moore.

 

[NFrameFred]

1: Connery.
2: Craig.
3: Brosnan.
4: Dalton.
5: Lazenby.
6: Moore.

I'll second that

 

[smithra_66]

Isn't the next James Bond supposed to be a chick?

 

[Abbynormal]

That would kill the franchise.

 

[DWalt]

I haven't yet heard about another Bond movie. Will have to look it up. I agree that a female JB would likely not be well received. I remember that a black JB was being considered several years ago, but I don't know what happened with that. All movie franchises must end sometime, and maybe that time is now. The last Indiana Jones franchise movie this Summer was a box office bomb and sank like a rock in the ocean after a limp opening, so maybe it is also time for its demise.

This is the story on JB #26: Bond 26: Everything we know – cast rumors & more - Dexerto

 

[jdh]

Isn't the next James Bond supposed to be a chick?

In James Bond 25, AKA No Time to Die, At the beginning of the movie 007 was a black female. She agreed to give up the number after Bond was called back to active duty so it could be reassigned back to him. So yes the next 007 after Bond was a minority female. And yes, MI6 went all out with DEI.

 

[DWalt]

Just as long as there is no Barbie 2.

 

[LVSteve]

I remember that a black JB was being considered several years ago, but I don't know what happened with that.

I believe Idris Elba was approached for the role, but he considered himself too old. I think he would have made a great Bond.

 

[CajunBass]

I'm probably the odd man out, but I thought "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was one of the better Bond movies.

You're not the only one. I do too. I remember seeing it in the theater when it was a new movie. I didn't know one actor from the other back then. James Bond was just James Bond. I didn't know or care who was the actor. And I still think it's one of the best.

I'm still that way. I don't have a "favorite" Bond. They all just played the character differently. I even have my own theory that "James Bond" isn't a person's name, it's sort of a code name, like "007". Different people can be assigned the name "James Bond"...or maybe Jamie Bond someday.

 

[DWalt]

Broccoli and Salzman's comment was that the star of all James Bond films was James Bond, not the actor who played him. James Bond was a real person. He was an American author of an ornithology book owned by Ian Fleming. Fleming just thought it was a neat name for a spy, so he used it. Fleming's true inspiration for the James Bond character is a subject for debate, but one of them was undoubtedly the famous Dominican playboy, Porfirio Rubirosa. Another candidate was Dusko Popov, a WWII MI6 spy. And there are others.

 

[Kinman]

1: Connery.
2: Craig.
3: Brosnan.
4: Dalton.
5: Lazenby.
6: Moore.

As long as Moore is at the bottom...