Bond in the 70s: Roger Moore says NO to Cubby

[jb3]

So I know Roger Moore's era as James Bond is now looked on by SOME with scorn as campy, but Moore was very successful in saving/stabilizing the franchise and making it even more profitable than ever. There was a reason they kept bringing him back until he was almost 60.

But what if Roger Moore gives Cubby Broccoli a definitive "NO" after Diamonds are Forever? What then? Who gets the part (Connery was done) and what direction does the series go? Much of the Moore-era was tailored to Moore's strengths (as seen in The Saint) with humor and gadgets and not so much hand-to-hand fighting.

Could the franchise survive in the same way with another (lesser known) actor and a different mentality, or would we have seen the same kind of Bond films with a different actor? And, considering they probably would have hired someone younger than Moore, would we have seen Timothy Dalton at all?

 

[Meadow]

Dalton was offered the part after Connery, IIRC, but found it too intimidating and considered himself too young. I'm not sure what would change his mind here but it'd certainly be interesting to see a 1970s Dalton run.

 

[Driftless]

What about Peter O'Toole? He was a few years younger than Moore, and certainly could portray the high functioning, socio-path...

 

[marathag]

Much of the Moore-era was tailored to Moore's strengths (as seen in The Saint) with humor and gadgets and not so much hand-to-hand fighting.

But the Saint was not so over the top campy.

I would have liked his run as Bond, had he just used his character from the Saint as JB

 

[M. Adolphe Thiers]

The return....of GEORGE LAZENBY!

 

[BeardedHoplite]

The return....of GEORGE LAZENBY!

NEVER

David Niven was Ian Fleming's original choice, but in 1971 he would have been in his sixties. Too old. I hear Oliver Reed was in the running for a while in the late 1960s, but I personally think he was too macho, if that makes sense.

 

[PhilKearny]

I think Jeremy Brett would have been perfect. Indeed, Brett in the role arguably would have been typecasting.

 

[Driftless]

I think Jeremy Brett would have been perfect. Indeed, Brett in the role arguably would have been typecasting.

Brett would have been a solid choice.

 

[Tom Colton]

Michael Billington (who went on to play Anya Amasova's lover in "The Spy Who Loved Me") might have been a contender.

 

[jb3]

Brett would have been a solid choice.

Brett would have been very interesting - not only for his later career as Holmes (which started in 1984, so if Brett was Bond from 1973 to Octopussy he still could have been Sherlock) but because he was so different physically and temperamentally from Connery or Lazenby.

But what kind of direction would the series have gone in? An early Dalton - hard and gritty or the same gadgets and humor as Moore? And would Broccoli tried again with a Lazenby type (an unknown he could mould as Bond) or gone for an established actor (like Moore and Dalton)?

 

[ColeMercury]

But what kind of direction would the series have gone in? An early Dalton - hard and gritty or the same gadgets and humor as Moore?

It'd be exactly the same as Moore. Note that Diamonds are Forever (with Connery, 1971) and Live and Let Die (with Moore, 1973) are almost exactly the same in tone — both, of course, were directed by Guy Hamilton with screenplay by Tom Mankiewicz.

Whoever is cast instead of Moore, they'll be much in the same mould. (In fact, I'd go so far as to say that in the movies with a new Bond they cast the new Bond to fit the movie, rather than writing the movie to fit the new Bond.)

 

[Shimbo]

According to wikipedia, these were the actors actually considered in the 1970s:

• Roger Green - Auditioned for Diamonds Are Forever.
• Simon Dee - popular chat show host at the time, not sure how seriously he was considered.
• William Gaunt - Auditioned for Live and Let Die.
• John Gavin - considered twice. Eventually turned down as not British
• Simon Oates - considered twice
• Ranulph Fiennes - considered, but not sure why as he's not an actor.
• Timothy Dalton - considered for the second time in 1979, but turned it down.
• David Warbeck
• Michael Billington
• Julian Glover
• Clint Eastwood - approached, but felt Bond must be British.
• Michael Gambon - approached, but felt he wasn't good looking enough to play Bond.
• Burt Reynolds - approached, but felt Bond must be British.
• Adam West - approached, but felt Bond must be British.

 

[phx1138]

Wouldn't Brett have been a bit old? (Much as I loved him as Holmes.)

What about Ian McShane (probably better known as Lovejoy)? Or Lewis Collins or Martin Shaw (stars of "The Professionals")? Or Roy Marsden ("The Sandbaggers")? Or Robert Shaw (too old?)

 

[jb3]

Wouldn't Brett have been a bit old? (Much as I loved him as Holmes.)

What about Ian McShane (probably better known as Lovejoy)? Or Lewis Collins or Martin Shaw (stars of "The Professionals")? Or Roy Marsden ("The Sandbaggers")? Or Robert Shaw (too old?)

Brett would have been 40 in 1973 (for Live and Let Die). That's still six years younger than Moore and younger than Dalton when he became Bond. Except for Moore (who was older than Connery) I'm pretty sure Eon would have wanted someone younger who would be tied to the kind of contract they tried to get Lazenby for (a 7 picture deal).

 

[Shimbo]

Wouldn't Brett have been a bit old? (Much as I loved him as Holmes.)

What about Ian McShane (probably better known as Lovejoy)? Or Lewis Collins or Martin Shaw (stars of "The Professionals")? Or Roy Marsden ("The Sandbaggers")? Or Robert Shaw (too old?)

Lewis Collins had an audition for Bond in the 80s. According to his biography they thought he was "too aggressive".

Roy Marsden was a bit too cerebral looking for Bond I'd say, and his hair was thinning even in the 1970s.

Martin Shaw is also more 1980s than 1970s, and he turned down the chance for an audition, not wanting to be typecast as a spy.

Ian McShane I could maybe see as Bond in the late 70s/early 80s, but he'd be too young in the early 70s - he was born in 1948.

 

[It's]

Roy Marsden ...his hair was thinning even in the 1970s.

Ian McShane I could maybe see as Bond.

Sean Connery wore a crown topper in the 1960's!
Ian mc Shane would have been good. If he had been a foot taller.

 

[Orrin_Knox]

Michael Caine.

 

[phx1138]

Lewis Collins had an audition for Bond in the 80s. According to his biography they thought he was "too aggressive".

Roy Marsden was a bit too cerebral looking for Bond I'd say, and his hair was thinning even in the 1970s.

Martin Shaw is also more 1980s than 1970s, and he turned down the chance for an audition, not wanting to be typecast as a spy.

Ian McShane I could maybe see as Bond in the late 70s/early 80s, but he'd be too young in the early 70s - he was born in 1948.

Thx (tho you shot down all my fave choices...).

 

[Blackfox5]

What about Ian McShane (probably better known as Lovejoy)?

Are you British? In the US, McShane is best known as Al Swearengen in Deadwood. The character was very memorable. Lovejoy was broadcast on the A&E cable network in the early nineties, but was quickly forgotten.

 

[Driftless]

What about Ian McShane (probably better known as Lovejoy)?

Are you British? In the US, McShane is best known as Al Swearengen in Deadwood. The character was very memorable. Lovejoy was broadcast on the A&E cable network in the early nineties, but was quickly forgotten.

Hey, I'm 'murican and I've never seen "Deadwood" (no interest either..), but I do remember McShane in "Lovejoy" and as Robert Shaw's wingman in the "Battle of Britain" movie.

Robert Shaw would have also made a great Bond, and a nifty switch from being Bond's nemesis in "From Russia With Love" - same age as Roger Moore