FIRST ACTOR TO PLAY JAMES BOND

Who Played James Bond: A Complete History

Summary

If you asked someone who the first actor to play James Bond was, they would probably answer Sean Connery. Similarly, if you were to ask how many actors had played the role, most people would say 5 or 6. You may be surprised to know that the above answers are wrong. Below, we give you the complete history of all of the actors who have played James Bond, not only in the official series, but in unofficial films, TV series and radio shows.

1954 - Barry Nelson

In early 1954, Ian Fleming was paid $1000 for the television rights for Casino Royale. The novel was adapted into an hour long TV special and was broadcast on CBS on October 21st, 1954 as an episode of theClimax! Mystery Theatre.

It was a low budget black and white episode that was adapted by Charles Bennett, who wrote the screenplays for most of Alfred Hitchcock's films in the 1930s. It starred Peter Lorre as Le Chiffre, Linda Christian as Valerie Mathis, Michael Pate as Clarence Leiter, and American actor Barry Nelson as the first ever James Bond.

Barry played James Bond very casually, and despite several laughable fighting and torture scenes, the episode was an interesting and enjoyable rendition of Casino Royale. It appears as a special feature on the DVD for the 1967 spoof film Casino Royale.

1956 - Bob Holness

In 1956, Bob Holness provided the voice for James Bond in a South African radio adaption of the Ian Fleming novel Moonraker. He would later go on to become an actor and game show host for Take a Letter andBlockbusters.

The Moonraker special remains today as the only known radio production of James Bond. Bob has said that it was broadcast live, and as such, there is no known recording of it.

1962-1967 - Sean Connery

In 1962, producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman brought James Bond to the silver screen in Dr. No, based on Ian Fleming's 1958 novel. With Sean Connery's unique style, the exotic locations, and the spectacular supporting cast, Dr. No became an instant success.

Sean Connery went on to play James Bond four more times in From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball and You Only Live Twice, before temporarily retiring from the role.

1964 - Roger Moore

In 1964, between playing Simon Templar on The Saint, Roger Moore starred as James Bond in an episode of the comedy sketch show Mainly Millicent.

In the 7 minute sketch, James Bond is on holiday and goes for lunch, only to meet Russian Spy Sonia Sekova. Sonia is also on holiday, and the two spies suspect that the other is spying on them, resulting in some comical situations. Bond discovers the waiter is wearing a wig and punches him over the balcony, and the two throw several drinks over their shoulders, suspecting cyanide pills. They both get called back on to cases and end the episode with a kiss.

1967 - David Niven

In the mid 1960s, American producer Charles K. Feldman acquired the film rights to Casino Royale. After a failed attempt to have it made as part of the official series, he decided to turn it into a James Bond spoof instead.

The film opens with David Niven playing a retired 007. M begs him to come back to them, and when Bond refuses, his mansion is promptly blown up! M is killed in the explosion and Bond takes over his position.

He decides to rename all of the agents to James Bond to confuse the enemy. This results in David Niven, Terence Cooper, Woody Allen, Joanna Pettet, Daliah Lavi, Peter Sellers and Ursula Andress all playing James Bond!

1969 - George Lazenby

After Sean Connery's departure from the series in 1967, the producers began the search for a new James Bond. They found Australian model George Lazenby, who was the highest paid model in the world at the time.

During production, George's manager advised him against accepting a multi-movie contract, believing that the Bond movies would loose their popularity. How wrong he was. On Her Majesty's Secret Service was George Lazenby's first and last appearance in the Bond series, although in later years, he played Bond-like characters in several TV spoofs.

1971 - Return of Sean Connery

When George Lazenby retired from the series after filming On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the producers became desperate to find a new James Bond, as they had already sold part of the new film's proceedings to investors. The head of United Artists told them to bring back Sean Connery at any cost. Sean eventually agreed to do one last film, getting paid a $1.25 million base salary plus an estimated 12.5% of the profits.

Sean's performance in Diamonds Are Forever was as good as his prior Bonds, and the film was an enjoyable success. However, it would be the last time that he worked for EON Productions. Sean chose to donate his entire base salary to a Scottish education charity.

1973-1985 - Roger Moore

After Diamonds Are Forever, the hunt for a new James Bond was on. Roger Moore was at the top of the list of candidates, and luckily for him his TV show The Persuaders!, costarring Tony Curtis, wasn't renewed for a second series. This meant that Roger was free for the role, and he became James Bond in Live and Let Die.

Roger played the role with a sophisticated and slightly comical edge, and went on to star in The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and A View to a Kill. With 7 movies, he currently holds the record for playing James Bond the most times in the official EON series. (He would be tied for 1st place with Sean Connery if Never Say Never Again was counted as official).

1973 - Christopher Cazenove.

Christopher Cazenove played James Bond in Omnibus: The British Hero, a documentary and literary review style show on the BBC. He acted out several scenes from Ian Fleming's novels, including the scene pictured on the left from Goldfinger, where James Bond is nearly killed with a chainsaw (as opposed to the laser in the film Goldfinger).

1983 - Sean Connery

In the late 1950s, Ian Fleming, Kevin McClory and Jack Whittingham created a screenplay for a possible James Bond film or TV series. However, after another of McClory's films—The Boy and the Bridge—had bombed at the box office, the idea was scrapped. Fleming didn't throw away the drafts though, and used some of the ideas in his next novelThunderball.

Fleming was sued by Kevin McClory, who won the rights to make a film adaption. He made a deal with Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman to make the film Thunderball, for which he got a credit as producer. Kevin was obviously unsatisfied with the film, and with the help of producer Jack Schwartzman, he remade it 18 years later as Never Say Never Again. Never Say Never Again was Sean Connery's last role as James Bond in film.

1987-1989 - Timothy Dalton

When Roger Moore hung up his hat after doing seven films for EON Productions, yet another hunt for a new James Bond begun. They found Welsh stage and screen actor Timothy Dalton, who became James Bond in The Living Daylights in 1987, and License to Kill in 1989.

His breath-taking and deep portrayal of 007 is highly regarded among Bond fans, and is considered very close to the character in Ian Fleming's novels. Timothy was going to continue the role, but in April 1994, after a five year gap due to legal reasons, he officially left.

1995-2002 - Pierce Brosnan

In 1986, after his TV series Remington Steele had ended, Pierce Brosnan was asked to play the role of 007. The news broke out, and because of the strong publicity, Remington Steele was brought back. Pierce couldn't play both at the same time, so Timothy Dalton was brought in to play Bond.

Pierce was given another opportunity in 1995 and this time it was a success. He went on to play James Bond four times in Goldeneye,Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day.

2006 - Daniel Craig

After a four year gap, James Bond returned with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (2006). It was the first film to use an original Ian Fleming title since 1987's The Living Daylights.

There were mixed feelings about Daniel Craig before the film was released. Some people even went as far as creating websites and petitions against the "blond bond". However, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan all came forward to give their support. On Casino Royale's release, the negativity all went away, and with the film a huge success, Daniel Craig turned out to be a popular and worthy James Bond.

Daniel returned for his second outing as Bond in 2008's Quantum of Solace, which was one of the highest grossing Bond films in America to date. He is currently filming for the upcoming "Bond 23" film Skyfall, which is slated for release in late 2012. Skyfall is being directed by Sam Mendes, and will star Javier Bardem, Bérénice Marlohe, Naomie Harris,

Ben Whishaw, Helen McCrory, Ralph Fiennes, Albert Finney and Ola Rapace.

FIRST ACTOR TO PLAY JAMES BOND