George Lazenby Landed His Sole Outing as James Bond by Lying

The big picture

• George Lazenby lied to secure the role of James Bond
  On Her Majesty's Secret Service
  claiming he had acting experience.
• Although he was offered more Bond films, Lazenby chose to leave the character and the franchise due to the changing cultural tides and fear of the assignment.
• While the actor's tenure as James Bond was short-lived,
  On Her Majesty's Secret Service
  it is beloved by devoted fans, who consider it one of the best entries in the series.

Depending on who you ask, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the sixth installment in the James Bond film franchise, is either the black sheep of the long-running series or an underrated gem worthy of reappraisal. starring George Lazenby in his first big screen role, the 1969 spy thriller was the first entry not to appear Sean Connery, and perhaps inevitably, the Australian native's performance quickly became a point of contention among fans and critics alike. Although On Her Majesty's Secret Service would eventually gather a legion of vocal devotees, incl Christopher Nolan i Steven Soderbergh, the film didn't catapult its newly discovered protagonist into the stratosphere of stardom upon its release, making the actor's turn as cinema's most iconic spy a unique deal. But despite Lazenby's short tenure as Bond and the criticism he received, the story of how he landed the coveted role serves as proof that honesty can be an overrated virtue in show business.

George Lazenby was a model before he was James Bond

After moving from Australia to London in 1964 in search of a wife, George Lazenby worked as a car salesman for Hunt Bros. and Mercedes Benz before finding success as a model by crossing paths with a photographer. After being awarded Top Model of the Year in 1966, she was offered opportunities to appear in television commercials for companies such as MacRobertson's chocolates. With his profile on the rise, he moved to Paris, and although he was not a film actor, he was a fan of James Bond films and aspired to emulate the charismatic exterior and lifestyle of the British superspy..

“I was a country boy, I was 22,” Lazenby recalls in the 2012 documentary.All or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007. “I took this girl that I really liked to see Dr. No. Here's this guy who can get any girl he wants, he kills people who get in his way. “Jesus, I wish I was that guy.” Years later, when Sean Connery stopped playing Bond after five films, Lazenby saw an unlikely but enticing opportunity to throw his hat in the ring as the next 007. He was even willing to do the that was necessary to get a meeting with the producers Albert R. Broquil i Harry Saltzmansacrificing honesty in favor of determination and single-minded self-promotion.

Replacing Sean Connery as James Bond was a daunting task

According to George Lazenby, the search to find an actor to fill Sean Connery's intimidating shoes as James Bond involved “800 applicants and 300 screen tests”. Undeterred by the odds, and wearing a smart suit and a Rolex watch after visiting Connery's barber, the model-turned-salesman managed to push past a secretary and into a room with security guards Broccoli and Saltzman of the Bond franchise. Faking it till I could make it, Lazenby told the pair of producers that he was an experienced actor who had worked in films in Czechoslovakia, Russia, Germany and Hong Kong.. The lie paid off and he was invited to meet the director Peter Hunt the following day.

By his own admission, Lazenby was nervous when he sat down with Hunt. In a sudden and inexplicable burst of dishonesty, he confessed to the director, “Peter, I've never acted before.” However, to Lazenby's surprise, Hunt burst out laughing and said: “You fooled two of the most ruthless guys I've ever met in my life. You're an actor.” Although he had a relationship with Hunt, the aspiring actor still had to prove himself worthy of playing 007. “They say mine was the biggest screen test ever,” he recalls. “They tested me for four months. They tested me in every way: fighting, riding, swimming.”

At last, the Bond franchise found its new protagonist in George Lazenby and On Her Majesty's Secret Service began production in 1968. According to The New York Times article linked above, the shoot was not without its complications, especially regarding Lazenby's reckless tendencies in front of and behind the camera. The actor's peers, however, largely sang his praises in the decades that followed. “For someone who had never done a movie before, he was pretty good,” said his co-star Diana Rigg. However, when the film was released in December 1969, Lazenby's opportunity of a lifetime took an unexpected turn.

Why did George Lazenby stop playing James Bond?

Although Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman offered them a contract to star in more films, George Lazenby decided to leave the James Bond franchise early. On Her Majesty's Secret Service was released Although it has been suggested that some found him difficult to work with, the actor has refuted these claims. According to Lazenby, he walked away from playing Bond at the behest of an agent who predicted that the character's popularity would become irrelevant and datedwhich effectively faded away amid the counterculture of the late 1960s and early 1970s. “It was the Sean Connery concert and, being in the 1960s, it was love, not war,” the actor said. the guardian. “You know, hippy time. And I bought it.”

Lazenby was so convinced that the franchise would not be able to compete with the evolving sensibilities of Hollywood's New Wave that, while attending the premiere of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, ditched his previously sharp, clean-shaven look in favor of long hair and a beard. Having embraced the cultural revolution (along with the fear of being cast), his unexpected decision to abandon the character that put him on the cinematic map was not without consequences, and the actor theorized that he probably miss opportunities as a result. “I'm glad I didn't do another one,” Lazenby said. “I didn't want to be known as James Bond. The only time I regretted it was when I was broke.” As he continued to work for decades, he came to the conclusion that acting wasn't his true calling, but rather his short-lived stamp on a legendary character and franchise, brought on by a not-so-small, unbreakable lie. self-confidence, remnants of cinema's most memorable and intriguing one-off performances.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service is available to watch on Max in the US

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