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George Lazenby
James Bond 007 in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
News James Bond : A Celebration + An Evening With George Lazenby
Pinewood Studios, June 11th 2005To read our report on this unforgettable day, please click here
Merchandise Please click here to purchase authentic hand-signed George Lazenby Merchandise
Biography A native of Queanbeyan City, Australia, George landed the most prized role in filmdom in 1968 when he was cast as James Bond 007.
George came to the UK in the early ‘60s and from being a high class car salesman in Park Lane, was offered a modelling contract – one assignment earning him more than he earned in a year selling cars!
He became one of the UK’s hottest models, and often travelled into Europe for assignments too. He was the highest paid male model in European modelling history. Perhaps his biggest break then came when he landed the role of the “Big Fry Man” for a series of chocolate commercials.
When Sean Connery hung up his Walther PPK after You Only Live Twice, the canny Australian secured himself a meeting with the film’s producers. Urged on by his agent Maggie Smith who believed his arrogance would surely win him the role, the producers were said indeed to admire his charm and his cheek.
George bought a suit that had been made for Sean Connery, and wore it with a Rolex watch. He also drove an Aston Martin.
During an audition, a fight sequence was arranged … George was so eager and enthusiastic that he broke a stuntman’s nose! He beat 413 other contenders for the role, during 4 months of auditions, to become 007.
His film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, is hailed by fans as being the best in the series. However, changing attitudes in the late 1960s (when Easy Rider was the type of film topping the box office and the hippie culture was permeating society) and bad advice from his ‘publicist’ Roland O’Reilly, saw George quit the role. He believed Bond to be Sean Connery’s gig, and the character’s cinematic adventures over. George has since admitted to regretting his decision and listening to the advice that was offered.
He turned down Diamonds Are Forever and the seven-film contract offered by Eon.
A series of martial arts films in Hong Kong followed (George holds black belts in more than one of the martial arts, and trained under Bruce Lee).
There was a rumour that producer Kevin McClory was considering casting George in Never Say Never Again, but then Sean Connery agreed to return.
George has appeared in a number of spy-type films playing Bond like characters. He also appeared in top soap General Hospital for six months in 1982, and won critical acclaim for roles in Gettysburg and a more recent film Four Dogs Playing Poker. His most recent tv series was The Pretender.
Links George Lazenby Filmography @ IMDB