POLL: Which actor(s) considered for James Bond would you have liked to see play the role?

Info on actors considered for Bond comes mostly from these sites:

http://showbizgeek.com/the-men-who-were-almost-bond/

http://www.alternative007.co.uk/12.htm

 

I'm bummed that Pierce Brosnan didn't get a chance to do a couple more films. I think he's an underrated actor who did a very good job.

I would bet you that Daniel Craig still does one more film, regardless of how much he's complaining today.

 

Steve Reeves?!?

 

*
Stanley Baker
*
Terence Stamp
*
Oliver Reed

 

None of the above

 

Oliver Reed, he's got the swagger.

 

Lewis Collins - of The Professionals television series, Who Dares Wins, and the 1988 Jack the Ripper mini-series with Michael Caine - is the best Bond that never was, the guy had it all; charisma to burn, a natural with one-liners, suaveness, great physicality, and could be both human and a cold-blooded killer whenever he needed to play one.

Collins got an interview with Cubby Broccoli back in the day, but he said Broccoli hated him within a few seconds of meeting him, so that was all she wrote, and besides, Cubby always wanted Timothy Dalton as Bond, and got him when The Moore stepped aside...

 

Isn't Craig obligated to do one more film?

Anyway. Some interesting possibilities here, but: James Mason? Something tells me that would've been pure camp. He could've been a great Bond antagonist, though.

 

For some reason the notion of Adam West as Bond has always intrigued me. Although it probably would have caused the series to end.

A little off-topic, but I really wish Connery had stayed around for On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

 

I went with Rod Taylor and Terence Stamp.

Of the current crop, Idris Elba.

 

George Harrison

 

Not a Bond fan (I can just about get through Dr No and Live and let Die) but Patrick McGoohan might have been interesting.

 

It would have been really interesting, only for the fact that we would have had an even colder Bond as he was very reluctant to kiss any female actors on screen.
The man was taking his marriage vows very seriously.

 

Some interesting, and some hilarious possibilities there. Trying to be serious, I voted for Laurence Harvey, who I think could have pulled it off credibly.

How about Dirk Bogarde as a gay James Bond?

Or Clint Eastwood? I'd love to hear him try to do a believable British accent.

 

I've never been able to confirm it anywhere, but I have to believe that if Eastwood, Reynolds, Gavin, or even Dick Van Dyke (?????) had been cast as Bond, they would have played Americans employed by British Intelligence.

Re DVD: I wonder if his possible casting was somehow connected to the spoof Casino Royale, which was in production while he was at the height of his popularity,

 

From that list Terence Stamp

not on the list: Ewan McGregor





We all know the producers have a "UK actors, only" but I believe a younger George Clooney would have been terrific

 

The Hollywood reporter has a very interesting interview with Michael G. Wilson

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/spectre-producer-expects-daniel-craig-837655

He mentions one of the reasons: he and Barbara Broccoli were having "problems" with Brosnan's agent. It's easy to forget it now, but "Die another day" (whose first 60 minutes are actually great) was the highest grossing 007 movie at the time, so now it makes sense the story I read about Brosnan wanting much more money and a cut of the profits to return as James Bond. Unfortunately, the gamble didn't pay off and after a 4 year gap Casino Royale was released. He could have made another formulaic and more conventional Bond film maybe 2 years later DAD but Wilson also talks about regaining the rights to Casino Royale and bringing Bond back to the earth, just like they did with "For your eyes only" after "Moonraker". They stuck with Moore then; they could have done the same with Brosnans and I remember (or so I believe, 10+ years passed) they were in "negotiations" soon after DAD and that Wilson and Broccoli wanted him to come back but his agent must have asked for a ridiculous paycheck if they chose to dump him. Brosnan or not, as long as they rely on the usual "I thought Christmas only comes once a year" writers, let's not expect bright 007 scripts. Of course the late Richard Maibaum was unbeateable but I think you can do much, much better that hire Purvis & Wade again.

Btw, if I'm not mistaken Brosnan is the only Bond actor whose biggest hit was a non 007 movie (Mamma mia, $600M).

 

Ron Jeremy.

 

Why isn't Sam Neill listed? He did a screen test.

 

Because I could only list 25 and the 1960s ones are the most interesting for me, when the future of the series was still up in the air.

Before Connery agreed to return for Diamonds Are Forever the franchise was actually on less than firm production ground. Hence the suggestions like Eastwood from studio chiefs.

My favorite post-DAF possibility is... James Brolin. He was apparently told by producers that he had the role in Octopussy -- he even bought a house in London after getting the news.

 

Nobody on that list. I guess you're only listing people who would have filled in for Connery or Moore and nothing current. I would have liked to see Clive Owen get the role instead of Daniel Craig.

 

I like Craig,, as he is the closest to the Bond of the books (aside from the blond hair)

I'd always heard Owen turned the role down, but one of the sites I linked claims he demanded a piece of the profits

 

That's a great list.
Simon Dee.

The more I think of it Clive Owen should have got the gig.

 

Yup. Are there actors who would've been interesting to see as Bond? Yes. Are any of them on that list. No!