24 replies to this topic

[BryanHerbert]

Did you know that George Lazenby was signed on to do 7 james bond films???? Just imagine if he did, how different bond would be today. That would of meant no roger moore, possibly different movie titles etc...What do you think would of happened if he had done the 7?

[jaguar007]

Actually he was not signed to a 7 picture deal, he was offered a 7 picture deal.

[BryanHerbert]

That's what i meant to say.

[jaguar007]

Sure is interesting to think about. I wonder if Laz would have developed the star power to sustain the series through the 70s. The series could have continued in a more serious direction...or could have died out all together

[JimmyBond]

Yes. I knew.

[sharpshooter]

This is common knowledge. It’s insane to think about, though. The man who did one could have done the most. How different would the franchise be?

[DamnCoffee]

I knew as well. 'Are you slow'? It's common knowledge.

[Loomis]

Well, call me a dunce, but I didn't know that Lazenby was offered seven films. If true, it seems somewhat extraordinary - I mean, how could they have known whether the public would take to him, or even whether the Bond series still had as many as seven films in it?

I thought Lazenby was signed for a single film but offered the followup to OHMSS.

[Royal Dalton]

I think the legend goes that he signed some kind of non-legally-binding letter of intent on the bottom of a shoebox, saying that he'd make seven films, but there was never a proper contract.

[Safari Suit]

If true this would have all been jumping the gun a bit wouldn't it? What would they had done if the series had become unprofitable by Laz effort No#3? Not specifically because of Lazenby you understand; one would have been forgiven for thinking in 1969 that the Bond series hadn't another seven hits in it with anyone in the role.

As for whether Laz staying in the role would have dramatically altered the course of the series, I personally don't think so. There's a good chance his DAF would have kept some of OHMSS' tone, beyond that I see it following more or less the same path it followed.

[DAN LIGHTER]

I didn't know this. I am not normaly one for pondering what could have been, but the idea is an intresting one. One more film would have been intresting. He was a brilliant Bond.

[elizabeth]

Imagine if he did do 7. It'd be THE TWILIGHT ZONE, only the genre would be action, not science fiction. Not only could this have meant no Rog, but it also could have meant no Dalton.

JSTTA. Just Something To Think About...

[PrinceKamalKhan]

Imagine if he did do 7. It'd be THE TWILIGHT ZONE, only the genre would be action, not science fiction. Not only could this have meant no Rog, but it also could have meant no Dalton.

JSTTA. Just Something To Think About...

I wouldn't have wanted a Bond series without the contributions of both Sir Rog and Tim. It is interesting that Saltzman and Broccoli would've considered offering Lazenby 7 films in the role without his having a proven box-office record. Of course they may have thought if they signed Lazenby to 7 back then, they wouldn't have had to pay him as much for playing the role.

[xboy]

that would probaly be horrible, no offence to OHMSS fans but i had to stop the movie out of boredom when Bond was too busy doing nothing, there would be no Moore and maybe no Craig, Brosnan and dlaton, the next film probaly by Lazenbury would be called something like Poptery of a lady

[JimmyBond]

that would probaly be horrible, no offence to OHMSS fans but i had to stop the movie out of boredom when Bond was too busy doing nothing, there would be no Moore and maybe no Craig, Brosnan and dlaton, the next film probaly by Lazenbury would be called something like Poptery of a lady

Your criticism appears to be about the movie and not Lazenby in particular. Had Lazenby stayed in the role there's no guarantee they'd make the exact same film.

As an aside, I can't understand how you can find OHMSS boring, it's one of the most exciting films of the series.

[OmarB]

I would have loved it. He's a fellow Kyokushin Karateka like myself so I gotta support the team right.

[AMC Hornet]

On the other hand (and possibly more realistically), if Harry and Cubby had decided themselves to replace George, they would have had to buy him out of the contract. That would have been financially beneficial to George and might not have hurt his career as much as walking away did (unless of course he wanted to quit anyway - then they could have sued him).

Edited by AMC Hornet, 06 July 2010 - 01:19 AM.

[JimmyBond]

I heard that Lazenby quitting the role so soon and not doing another film is what lead to Cubby to have all Bond actors sign a three picture contract, with an option for a fourth.

[Aris007]

Yes I knew that. And if he had done 7 films, we'd have had some bad films!

[Lachesis]

I didnt realise he was offered so many, I think its a manifestation of the Connery aftershock probably mixed with a degree of avarice....hmm if hes good we want to make sure he does more than Connery and at 7 he'll be too old to hold us to ransom when his contract expires...get the new guy cheap etc. But then I am cynical that way.

OHMSS is my favourite Bond film and Lazenby does a better job than he is often given credit for but 7 films would have required him to really step up his game considerably to prop the inevitable weaker entries that would follow....not sure the series woudl have survived tbh.

[Hotwinds]

Wow, the death of the James Bond franchise. Imagine that?

[jamie00007]

get the new guy cheap etc. But then I am cynical that way.

Im not so sure about that. When he turned down their 7 movie offer they (apparently) tried to entice him to do one more with an offer of $1 million plus stocks. That was an outrageous sum at that point of Lazenby's career (Connery only made more in one film, DAF, and movie stars like Clint Eastwood were making around half of that per film) so when it came to their faith in Lazenby they were certainly prepared to put their money where their mouth was.

[Bond Maniac]

I don´t think it would have worked past his second movie at the time. You have to remember that people were not that warmed up by his performance at the time. And as much as i love OHMSS, i can´t really see George doing a movie like DAF.

[The Richmond Spy]

I wonder how long Laz would have had to have gone in order for Moore not to ever get a shot?...I shudder just thinking of it. I'd say a 3rd Laz film (1973-4) would have made Moore's ship sail.

[jaguar007]

get the new guy cheap etc. But then I am cynical that way.

Im not so sure about that. When he turned down their 7 movie offer they (apparently) tried to entice him to do one more with an offer of $1 million plus stocks. That was an outrageous sum at that point of Lazenby's career (Connery only made more in one film, DAF, and movie stars like Clint Eastwood were making around half of that per film) so when it came to their faith in Lazenby they were certainly prepared to put their money where their mouth was.

No. Lazenby was not offered $1million plus stocks, that was the offer Connery got. In the early 70s very few actors made $1million per movie (in fact with the back in money he made, DAF made Connery the higest paid actor at that time). Steve McQueen was considered the highest paid actor in the early 70s and he was paid $750,000 + %. for Le Mans that same year.