In 1953, writerIan Fleminghad a novel published that is still affecting the landscape of modern entertainment today. That novel was calledCasino Royaleand would be the world’s first introduction to the character of James Bond, an agent in Britain’s MI6.Twelve James Bond novels in totalwould cover the adventures of Agent 007.
Though Fleming died in 1964, he lived long enough to see his creation turned into a radio play, a TV special, a comic, and, of course, movies. Many men have played James Bond over the past eight decades, withrumors swirling thatAaron Taylor-Johnsonmight be the next one to pop on the famous tuxedo. FromSean ConnerytoDaniel Craig, 007 has become one of the most popular fictional characters of all time. Despite that popularity, you might not know all eight actors who have played him.
Barry Nelson (1954)
While you’d be forgiven for being positive that Sean Connery wasthe first James Bond, he actually wasn’t. That distinction goes toBarry Nelson. One year after the publication ofCasino Royale, it was turned into an episode of the CBS anthology seriesClimax!It was a forgotten performance that was lost for decades. At only one hour long, audiences had no expectations going in, as the book wasn’t well known at the time. Nelson has the familiar tux and plays Bond with coolness, but the character also has Nelson’s normal American accent. Though he was by no means the greatest Bond, he had a natural chemistry with the show’s villain,Peter Lorreas LeChiffre.
Sean Connery (1962-1971, 1983)
This James Bond is still the most famous. Sean Connery was only 32 when he made his James Bond debut in1962’sDr. No. This wasn’t a case of a household name being offered the role. The part was actually Connery’s big break, launching his career to superstardom, which would last decades, until his 2003 retirement after the release ofThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. No matter what other successes he had (and there would be plenty), we’d always see him as James Bond.
Connery played Bond seven times. After 1967’sYou Only Live Twice, Connery actually quit due tosalary frustrations and boredom playing the role.George Lazenbywould take the mantle, and then, in 1971,afterClint Eastwoodsaid no to playing 007, Connery came back forDiamonds Are Forever, and one last time, a dozen years later, in 1983, forNever Say Never Again.
David Niven (1967)
In 1967,we had the strangest of James Bond entries. Here, Academy Award-winning legendary actorDavid Nivengot his shot at playing James Bond at age 57. Though Sean Connery was still playing 007, Niven got to as well thanks to producerCharles K. Feldmanbuying the rights to theCasino Royalenovel. It was then the fortune (or misfortune) of Niven to try to play a character that someone else had already made famous and was still portraying. This second of the threeCasino Royaleadaptations is more of a bizarre farce than an action film. It tries to be something different from the James Bond we know, which is bold, but it was also its undoing. It flopped and quickly became forgotten. Despite Niven’s best efforts,this spoof made James Bond look like a joke.
George Lazenby (1969)
In 1969, Bond producersAlbert BroccoliandHarry Saltzmanhad to do the impossible: replace Sean Connery. They turned to another little-known actor, an Australian model-turned-actor named George Lazenby. How unknown was he? His role as James Bond inOn Her Majesty’s Secret Servicewas actually his first.
Surprisingly, Lazenby excelled, withOn Her Majesty’s Secret Servicebeing considered one of the best Bond films due to the extra characterization given to his character. It would be his only outing as Bond though, thanks to him taking the advice of an agentwho told him not to sign on for more than one film, combined with the failure at the box office from moviegoers who couldn’t see anyone else but Connery as James Bond.
Roger Moore (1973-1985)
Producer Albert Broccoli turned toRoger Mooreto be the next James Bond. At 46, Moore was not an acting rookie looking for his big break. While he wasn’t a megastar, he was a known name, mostly due to his TV work for series such asMaverickandThe Saint.Moore’s first outing as Bond was inLive and Let Die. Where Lazenby’s time had failed, Moore was accepted as a replacement for Connery. Like Connery,Roger Moore played 007 seven times, ending his run at the age of 58. Moore stepped down from the part after 1985’sA View to a Kill. Though popular opinion is thathis films got a little too campy, and he stayed on a little too long,Roger Moore is regarded as one of the top three Bonds by most.
Timothy Dalton (1987-1989)
In 1987, a new James Bond was born withTimothy Dalton. At 41 years old, he was a decade and a half younger than Roger Moore. This was a much-needed change, as Moore looked out of place in the decade among the muscle-bound heroes of the ’80s likeArnold SchwarzeneggerandSylvester Stallone. Dalton was not a huge star, but he’d worked all over the place, from the UK to the United States, in everything from theater to TV, and films. Dalton only played James Bond twice, in1987’sThe Living Daylightsand 1989’sLicense to Kill. He made Bond feel young and cool again, with two well-received action-packed outings. Then came a lawsuit that put the franchise on hold for five years, with Danjaq and MGM fighting over their claim to the films. By the time it had been decided,Dalton’s contract had come to an endand he declined to return.
Pierce Brosnan (1995-2002)
In the mid-90s, James Bond returned after a long six-year absence. 42-year-oldPierce Brosnannow took the mantle, starting withGoldenEye. He may be themost well-known actor at the time of his casting. Not only did he have significant parts in movies likeMrs. DoubtfireandDante’s Peak, but he was a major U.S. TV star in the 1980s. As thestar of the NBC seriesRemington Steelefor six seasons, Brosnan played a cool, dark-haired thief turned private investigator wholooked like a million bucks in a tuxedo. It was the perfect tryout for Bond.
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Brosnan’s Bond brought the physicality that Dalton had, while also bringing a bit of the playboy attitude of Moore’s Bond.He played 007 four times, and even more times in several popular video games, taking the character into a new millennium and ending with 2002’sDie Another Day. Brosnan wanted to keep playing Bond, but with him approaching 50,producers decided that he was too old and fired him.
Daniel Craig (2005-2021)
In 2005, after a long career as a character actor in films such asElizabethandSylvia, as well as the very Bond-likeLayer Cake, the franchise’s new producer and decision maker,Barbara Broccoli, settled on 37-year-old Daniel Craig to be the latest James Bond. There was some anger from fans at first, due to Brosnan’s popularity and the perceived ageism that saw him replaced, butDaniel Craig very quickly won audiences overwith a James Bond so popular that he rivals Sean Connery’s performances.
Craig knocked it out of the park right awaywith the third adaptation ofCasino Royale. His Bond was more akin to Jason Bourne than many other Bonds, due to his rugged seriousness and the dark nature of some of the films, but that’s what fans wanted. Craig played Bond longer than anyone, giving us five films over a not-so-long-enough sixteen years. Whoever the next James Bond will be certainly has a huge tuxedo to fill.
All 25 James Bond movies are streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S.
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