That’s the frustrating thing about him only doing one movie. He was youthful and vigorous enough to have kept going up to A View to a Kill and quite possibly The Living Daylights or Licence to Kill. In fact, Bond’s mission of revenge in LTK would have had even more impact, if the Bond who lost his wife on his honeymoon was in the lead. (Yes, I know LTK was written specifically for Tim, but let me spitball)
In 1983 George was just three years older than Connery had been in DAF. Just 44. Moore didn't retire until he was 57. Craig was 52 when NTTD was released.
It's a tough one. Lazenby wasn't the greatest actor, I think the question is whether he'd have grown into the role and developed. His post Bond film career isn't great but with Bond he would have, hopefully, got better material to work with, better co-stars and directors which should have helped him develop. The vulnerability he shows in OHMSS is perfect for that film, whether that would have worked beyond the film is another question. That said I'd have loved them to give him a proper revenge fest of a follow up. (cue an Archer style "Rampage!!!") As for Brolin, I've always been very clear, I have no objection to an American playing Bond, so long as they play him British. Seems only fair given two of the last three Batmans and the last Superman have all been Brits playing American and I adore Zellweger as Bridget Jones, it can be done, they're actors at the end of the day. That said judging by the scene Brolin looks like he'd have played it with his own accent, which would have been incredibly jarring. I can see why they liked him, he has the right physicality, but personally if they were going for an American Bond I think Reynolds would have been a better choice. On the subject of almost Bonds, how do people feel about Sam Neil?
I’m sure there are exceptions but by and large British actors are better at American accents than Americans are at doing British ones. (Sorry Cumberbatch and Tennant, not you) I agree that Bond should sound British, be that Scottish or English (Brosnan just about got away with the occasional Irish inflection but then again, he doesn’t usually sound Irish even when he’s trying. Maybe Brolin would’ve mastered the accent after lessons and coaching, hard to know. I know that, for example, they tried to get Redford to sound English for Out of Africa, then basically gave up and let him use his own accent, even though the real life character he played was English. See also Costner in Robin Hood. I would’ve preferred Brolin to Reynolds, as he’s less of a persona; setting aside the accent, you’d be conscious of watching Burt Frigging Reynolds as 007, while Brolin, being less of a star, would bring less baggage that way. Physically, both would’ve been fine of course and had the swagger and sexiness. I think he would’ve been great but he himself has said several times that he doesn’t think he was right for the role.
Brolin circa 1978-83 actually kind of resembled Lazenby. I could buy him being the same Bond from a visual standpoint in the way I can buy Dalton and Brosnan being the same man.
@Captaindemotion I like Brosnan's accent but it does always feel a bit mid-Atlantic, maybe that's just me and I don't see it as a negative, why wouldn't an international globe trotting spy not end up with a very everywhere/nowhere accent? Much as I really like Michael Fassbender and much as I'd have loved him to be Bond he's a bugger for letting his real accept slip out when he's supposed to be playing someone non Irish! I think when they were considering Reynolds it was before he got really famous and we're definitely talking Deliverance Reynolds not Cannonball Run Reynolds. You're probably right about British actors finding American accents easier than Americans find British accents, though I'm sure there are some examples. @cooleddie74 I think Brolin looks even more like Lazenby now they both have white hair! I'd meant to say something about Billington as well, it's an interesting one because again he's an actor who didn't go on to great things. I thought he was ok in UFO but I wouldn't say he jumped out of the screen at me. Broccoli must have seen something in him as he seemed to be on Eon's radar for a long time, though maybe it was just in case they needed a quick option if Moore left the role? Apparently he screen tested the most times for Bond of anyone. Another almost Bond (well not really because I don't think he got very far but still) Lewis Collins. I think he had the physicality and the charm, probably a trifle too rough and ready and not suave enough maybe?
@Starkers Unfortunately, every time I look at Sam Neil, I can't help but think of Maxwell Lord from Geffin and DeMattis (sp) "Justice League". What about Patrick McGoohan? I know he was Fleming's preferred choice for the role of Bond.
McGoohan would have been awesome, but I think his personal beliefs made him turn it down, he was a devout catholic. He was apparently considered twice, once for Dr No and once for LALD. He would have had a very different dynamic to either Connery or Moore.
I once read an interview with Terence Stamp and he was asked what his biggest regret was. He said he’d loved to have played Bond. Now he would’ve been an interesting successor to Connery (or imagine that the original Casino Royale hadn’t been played for laughs, I can see him as a rival take).
I don't anyone else could have pulled off that "I am satisfied to watch this man explode in a decompression chamber" look that Lazenby managed.
Tarantino somewhat recently said he is a Roger Moore fan but not much of a Roger Moore as Bond fan because he thinks Moore was too old for the role, but he would've liked to see him star in OHMSS. That is all I have to add right now.