03/27/2022 19:45
Beatrice Predan Hallabrin
Sean Connery is considered by many to be the best Bond of all time.
Imago images / United Archives
You know Daniel Craig as James Bond from films like "Skyfall" or "No Time To Die". But before him, seven other actors have already played the role of Agent 007. Here is an overview of all Bond actors.
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Barry Nelson was the original James Bond
The James Bond films we know and love were produced by film production company Eon Productions. However, few people know that there was another film adaptation of Ian Flemming's first Bond book before the famous film series. In 1954, "Casino Royale" aired on US television as an episode of the series "Climax!". Back then, Barry Nelson played the leading role – so he's the first James Bond actor.
Petter Lorre, Linda Christian & Barry Nelson (left to right): Barry Nelson played James Bond in "Casino Royale" in 1954.
Imago images / Everett Collection
Sean Connery – the first Bond of the 007 film series
1962 started with James Bond 007 chases Dr. No the film series by Eon Productions. Sean Connery played James Bond – and he would slip into this role six more times:
From Moscow with Love
Goldfinger
Fireball
You Only Live Twice
Diamonds Are Forever (1971) – the last film in the Eon series, in which Connery played agent 007
Never Say Never (1983) – Remake of 'Thunderball' and one of only two Bond films not produced by Eon
Sean Connery in "Goldfinger"
Imago images / Everett Collection
David Niven in "James Bond" parody
The same year that You Only Live Twice, starring Sean Connery, was released, as well as Casino Royale, starring David Niven. This 1967 film was the first not to be produced by Eon – and actually a parody.
The film cast included Hollywood stars such as Peter Sellers, Orson Welles, Woody Allen, Deborah Kerr, John Huston. Actress Ursula Andress, who appeared in “Dr. No" starred as one of the first Bond girls, starred in "Casino Royale," this time playing the role of Vesper Lynd.
David Niven and Barbara Bouchet in Casino Royale (1967)
Imago images / Allstar
George Lazenby
The Australian actor George Lazenby played Agent 007 once. After Connery's film "You Only Live Twice", "James Bond 007 – On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was released in 1969 with Lazenby in the leading role.
This was Lazenby's first film ever – and he got to play the lead role straight away, including that of the famous James Bond. However, he felt badly treated by the film's producers and there were also problems with the other cast members and later during the film's promotional period. Nevertheless, Eon offered him a contract for further Bond films, which Lazenby did not sign.
So it happened that in 1971 Connery slipped back into the role of James Bond in "Diamonds Are Forever".
George Lazenby in "James Bond 007 – On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
Imago images / Prod.DB
Roger Moore
The actor who played James Bond in most Eon films was Roger Moore. He played Agent 007 in seven films between the years 1973-1985:
Live and Let Die
The Man with the Golden Gun
The Spy Who Loved Me
Moonraker – Top Secret
For Your Eyes Only
Octopussy
A View to a Kill
Roger Moore and Lois Chiles in Moonraker
Imago images / Everett Collection
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton had previously been approached to play James Bond – but felt he was too young for the role at 24-25 at the time. When Roger Moore retired in 1886 and Pierce Brosnan was still working on other projects, Dalton took over the role. His contract was for three films, but due to a legal dispute between Eon and United Artists/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, only two of them went through:
The Living Daylights
License to Kill
Timothy Dalton and Maryam d'Abo in Living Daylights (1987)
Imago images / Everett Collection
Pierce Brosnan
The legal battle between the production companies lasted four years and the next Bond film was not released until 1995. In the 90s there was also a new Bond actor, Pierce Brosnan. He has appeared in this role in four films:
GoldenEye
Tomorrow Never Dies
The World Is Not Enough
Die Another Day
Pierce Brosnan as James Bond
Imago images / Everett Collection
Daniel Craig
Casino Royale
Quantum of Solace
Skyfall
Specter
No Time To Die
Daniel Craig, Judy Dench & Director Marc Foster.
Imago images / Allstar
The next James Bond
No Time To Die was the last 007 film starring Daniel Craig. The next James Bond has not yet been determined, but there is speculation as to who it could be. The names that fall most often are:
Tom Hardy – known to the audience from the films "Venom", "Mad Max: Fury Road", "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Inception", as well as the series "Peaky Blinders" and "Taboo".
Henry Cavill – who you may know as Superman in Man of Steel and Justice League, and as Geralt of Rivia in the Netflix series The Witcher.
Sam Heughan – best known for his role as Jamie Fraser on Outlander.
One possibility, which is also not off the table yet, is that a woman (probably “Jane” Bond) will play the leading role in the next Bond films.
