Jump to content


This is a read only archive of the old forums
The new CBn forums are located at https://quarterdeck.commanderbond.net/

 
Photo

Lewis Collins 80s action movies


79 replies to this topic

#31 Zorin Industries

Zorin Industries

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 5634 posts

Posted 05 June 2009 - 01:47 PM

I'm not sure James Bond 007 should like a 1950's docker in his wedding threads, but horses for courses...

#32 marktmurphy

marktmurphy

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 9055 posts
  • Location:London

Posted 05 June 2009 - 02:47 PM

In his interview with Cinema Retro, Euan Lloyd mentions how he tried to smooth Collins' rough edges by taking him to the same tailor and barber as Terence Young had taken Sean Connery. Here's a couple of the publicity photos that were taken after that visit.

Posted Image

Posted Image



Oh excellent- I'd heard about these but never tracked them down before; thanks very much for showing them!
A little bouffant I suppose (that's the early 80's for you!) but I can see Bond in there.

#33 I never miss

I never miss

    Sub-Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • Pip
  • 316 posts
  • Location:England

Posted 05 June 2009 - 03:23 PM

In the second photo he has a Connery-like expression on his face. I imagine this was intentional on Collins' part.

As for the first photo, well if he was 5"10" before the hair cut, then he was 6"3" afterwards!

#34 Bond Bombshell

Bond Bombshell

    Sub-Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • Pip
  • 461 posts

Posted 05 June 2009 - 05:07 PM

As for the first photo, well if he was 5"10" before the hair cut, then he was 6"3" afterwards!

B) I'm not keen on that haircut either.

Oh excellent- I'd heard about these but never tracked them down before; thanks very much for showing them!

You're welcome. Here are some more of those publicity photos.

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

I haven't got any more publicity photos of Collins in the tux, but he did wear one at the WDW premiere. Presumably he was kitted out for the night by Connery's tailor. I guess the lady in the first pic was Collins' girlfriend at the time. At least she was until Ingrid Pitt muscled in.

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

#35 danslittlefinger

danslittlefinger

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 3680 posts
  • Location:“If not here . . . then elsewhere.”

Posted 05 June 2009 - 07:42 PM

I thought Lewis would have made a great Bond more than Ian Ogilvey.

#36 DamnCoffee

DamnCoffee

    Commander

  • Executive Officers
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 24459 posts
  • Location:England

Posted 05 June 2009 - 07:47 PM

As for the first photo, well if he was 5"10" before the hair cut, then he was 6"3" afterwards!

B) I'm not keen on that haircut either.

Oh excellent- I'd heard about these but never tracked them down before; thanks very much for showing them!

You're welcome. Here are some more of those publicity photos.

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

I haven't got any more publicity photos of Collins in the tux, but he did wear one at the WDW premiere. Presumably he was kitted out for the night by Connery's tailor. I guess the lady in the first pic was Collins' girlfriend at the time. At least she was until Ingrid Pitt muscled in.

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image


He reminds me very much of Roger Moore in these pics.

#37 tim partridge

tim partridge

    Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • PipPip
  • 743 posts

Posted 05 June 2009 - 08:11 PM

Bond Bombshell,

Thankyou very much for the wealth of information and the cool pictures! I have very much enjoyed reading your informative posts here.

I would have LOVED for the entire 80s to have been Collins territory. Imagine him visiting Mrs Bond's grave in the opening of FYEO? Wow. He was a gritter Brosnan, in my opinion, a man's man, built like Connery and with no nonsense. He really is Bondlike in WHO DARES WINS/FINAL OPTION. Time machines, please!

Collins was a regular on the UK TV game show CLUEDO in the early 1990s. A very good show! He made an awkward looking Colonel Mustard though, in my opinion, because he so clearly had it in him to be doing Bond or whatever still then.

Edited by tim partridge, 05 June 2009 - 08:13 PM.


#38 Royal Dalton

Royal Dalton

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 4542 posts

Posted 05 June 2009 - 08:50 PM

Posted Image

Posted Image

Nice 'tan'.

#39 danslittlefinger

danslittlefinger

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 3680 posts
  • Location:“If not here . . . then elsewhere.”

Posted 05 June 2009 - 09:14 PM

Another Cheshire Born man too. Merseyside I think.
B)

#40 Blofeld's Cat

Blofeld's Cat

    Commander RNVR

  • Commanding Officers
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 17542 posts
  • Location:A secret hollowed out volcano in Sydney (33.79294 South, 150.93805 East)

Posted 05 June 2009 - 10:58 PM

Posted Image

Looks like he's ready to do the Licence to Kill casino scene.

THE WILD GEESE collectors edition DVD has a half-hour docco on the life and works of Euan Lloyd, and of course it touches on WDW, which if I remember correctly was his last movie. I need to watch that docco again to see/hear what was said (if any - can't remember just now) about working with Lewis Collins on the movie.

#41 Bond Bombshell

Bond Bombshell

    Sub-Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • Pip
  • 461 posts

Posted 06 June 2009 - 01:15 AM

Bond Bombshell,

Thankyou very much for the wealth of information and the cool pictures! I have very much enjoyed reading your informative posts here.

I would have LOVED for the entire 80s to have been Collins territory. Imagine him visiting Mrs Bond's grave in the opening of FYEO? Wow. He was a gritter Brosnan, in my opinion, a man's man, built like Connery and with no nonsense. He really is Bondlike in WHO DARES WINS/FINAL OPTION. Time machines, please!

Collins was a regular on the UK TV game show CLUEDO in the early 1990s. A very good show! He made an awkward looking Colonel Mustard though, in my opinion, because he so clearly had it in him to be doing Bond or whatever still then.

You're welcome TP. I think it would have been interesting in the 80s to have someone play Bond who in real life had passed SAS entry requirements, in terms of PR and especially if the films were grittily realistic and pushed Collins to his physical limits. Having said that, if too much had been made of Collins' SAS connections some nutter would have probably popped up and shot him.

I remember Collins' appearances in CLUEDO. I also remember watching Codename Wildgeese on late night British TV. Of the three films you mentioned in your OP, I think it's the only one that has been shown on British telly. I haven't seen the other two. Codename Wildgeese wasn't that great to be honest. Collins is on record as saying that he only did these euro puddings for the money. The flash git had bought a Tudor farmhouse with 28 rooms so he needed the income.

THE WILD GEESE collectors edition DVD has a half-hour docco on the life and works of Euan Lloyd, and of course it touches on WDW, which if I remember correctly was his last movie. I need to watch that docco again to see/hear what was said (if any - can't remember just now) about working with Lewis Collins on the movie.

Wild Geese 2 came after WDW. If Lloyd has anything to say about Collins over and above what he said in the interview I've transcribed on the first page of this thread, I'd be very interested to hear it.

#42 Blofeld's Cat

Blofeld's Cat

    Commander RNVR

  • Commanding Officers
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 17542 posts
  • Location:A secret hollowed out volcano in Sydney (33.79294 South, 150.93805 East)

Posted 06 June 2009 - 04:26 AM

THE WILD GEESE collectors edition DVD has a half-hour docco on the life and works of Euan Lloyd, and of course it touches on WDW, which if I remember correctly was his last movie. I need to watch that docco again to see/hear what was said (if any - can't remember just now) about working with Lewis Collins on the movie.

Wild Geese 2 came after WDW. If Lloyd has anything to say about Collins over and above what he said in the interview I've transcribed on the first page of this thread, I'd be very interested to hear it.

Yes you are right BB, I just finished watching the WDW portion of that docco and WG2 was his last movie, just after WDW. And all that was said about Collins (using Connery's tailor, etc as mentioned about) was overshadowed by Judy Davis's panning her own movie for political reasons. It deeply hurt Lloyd.

#43 marktmurphy

marktmurphy

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 9055 posts
  • Location:London

Posted 06 June 2009 - 12:09 PM

Brilliant; thanks for these Bond Bombshell; I love reading about Bonds that never were. Do you have any more info/pics about that sort of stuff?

#44 ACE

ACE

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 4543 posts

Posted 06 June 2009 - 10:00 PM

Thanks so much Bond Bombshell for the photos and the information.
B) :tdown: :tdown:

The Wild Geese special edition DVD is fantastic - some of the extras are unintentionally hilarious.

I think Lewis Collins could have made a very creditable successor to Roger Moore as James Bond circa 1982. Euan Lloyd was a protege of Cubby's from his Warwick days (having come through with Alan Ladd) and I find it credible that Lloyd could have put Collins on Cubby's radar at that time. That James Brolin was almost or actually signed to play 007 as at May 1982 shows how far Collins actually came.

Incidentally, I heard that Euan Lloyd was going to produce an action movie with John Glen directing starring Timothy Dalton called Centrifuge in the early 90's. Could have been fun.

All the Bond actors, prior to signing to play 007, have a stack of dodgy photographs.

I get the feeling Collins would have enjoyed the fame game. I reckon he would have played the publicity game well despite coming off a bit Lazenby-esque at times.

Anyway, all this is now as of little account as sparrows' tears...

#45 marktmurphy

marktmurphy

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 9055 posts
  • Location:London

Posted 07 June 2009 - 01:29 PM

I just watched Who Dares Wins for the first time: a bit plodding and oddly short on SAS action, although the end -when they finally come sliding down their ropes- is good. Oddly pleasing to see an action sequence in a movie that doesn't rely on dramatics- just a few short bursts from a gun and that's the end of that. And Roy Budd's on form too- I fear I'll be whistling that tune for a few days yet.
But Collins is rather impressive in it; it's very easy to imagine him as Bond and I think he would done a good job.

#46 Bond Bombshell

Bond Bombshell

    Sub-Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • Pip
  • 461 posts

Posted 07 June 2009 - 07:44 PM

Thanks so much Bond Bombshell for the photos and the information.
B) :tdown: :tdown:

Incidentally, I heard that Euan Lloyd was going to produce an action movie with John Glen directing starring Timothy Dalton called Centrifuge in the early 90's. Could have been fun.


You're welcome Ace and thank you for the info about this potential Dalton film. Have you got any more about details about this? Sounds interesting.

Brilliant; thanks for these Bond Bombshell; I love reading about Bonds that never were. Do you have any more info/pics about that sort of stuff?


Thanks MTM. I'm fascinated by the would-be Bonds too which is why quotes from various actors in interviews have stuck in my head after all these years. For instance, I remember an interview with Oliver Tobias in the early 80's in which the reporter claimed Tobias was going round telling people that he was going to be the next Bond. So the reporter rang Cubby up for his opinion, but all Cubby would say on the subject was something like "Is that what he's telling people?". I remember a mid 80s interview with Charles Dance in which he revealed that he turned down his Bond audition because he felt the films were "shallow", which just goes to show how quickly you can go from spear in the back henchman to frightful snob. Interestingly, a few years ago I saw Dance on tv saying how he regretted turning down Bond. I remember watching Mark Greenstreet (whatever happened to him?) on Wogan, must have been late 80s, talking about how his Bond audition was the highlight of his career. (Only highlight I think).

I need to clear out my cupboards because over the years I've tended to chuck interesting Bond and cult film/tv articles in there and then forgot about them. Maybe we should start a thread where CBners can post any interesting Bond memorabilia.

I think out of all the potential Bonds, Lewis Collins and Michael Billington interest me the most because these guys were childhood heroes. Billington's long association with Bond is always worth returning to. For those that haven't read them before, his views on Bond can be accessed in these articles -

http://www.michaelbi...l/articles.html

Here's a pic from Billington's screen test -

Posted Image

Incidentally, if anyone wants to read more of that 2006 Euan Lloyd interview, I'll be happy to post it. I've only got part four of the interview, but there's some interesting stuff on The Sea Wolves, Wild Geese 2, and some more on Who Dares Wins.

#47 dee-bee-five

dee-bee-five

    Lt. Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPip
  • 2227 posts

Posted 08 June 2009 - 04:57 PM

In his interview with Cinema Retro, Euan Lloyd mentions how he tried to smooth Collins' rough edges by taking him to the same tailor and barber as Terence Young had taken Sean Connery. Here's a couple of the publicity photos that were taken after that visit.

Posted Image

Posted Image


On the evidence of those photographs, then, the exercise must be regarded as a failure...


Thanks so much Bond Bombshell for the photos and the information.
B) :tdown: :tdown:

Incidentally, I heard that Euan Lloyd was going to produce an action movie with John Glen directing starring Timothy Dalton called Centrifuge in the early 90's. Could have been fun.


You're welcome Ace and thank you for the info about this potential Dalton film. Have you got any more about details about this? Sounds interesting.

Brilliant; thanks for these Bond Bombshell; I love reading about Bonds that never were. Do you have any more info/pics about that sort of stuff?


Thanks MTM. I'm fascinated by the would-be Bonds too which is why quotes from various actors in interviews have stuck in my head after all these years. For instance, I remember an interview with Oliver Tobias in the early 80's in which the reporter claimed Tobias was going round telling people that he was going to be the next Bond. So the reporter rang Cubby up for his opinion, but all Cubby would say on the subject was something like "Is that what he's telling people?". I remember a mid 80s interview with Charles Dance in which he revealed that he turned down his Bond audition because he felt the films were "shallow", which just goes to show how quickly you can go from spear in the back henchman to frightful snob. Interestingly, a few years ago I saw Dance on tv saying how he regretted turning down Bond. I remember watching Mark Greenstreet (whatever happened to him?) on Wogan, must have been late 80s, talking about how his Bond audition was the highlight of his career. (Only highlight I think).

I need to clear out my cupboards because over the years I've tended to chuck interesting Bond and cult film/tv articles in there and then forgot about them. Maybe we should start a thread where CBners can post any interesting Bond memorabilia.

I think out of all the potential Bonds, Lewis Collins and Michael Billington interest me the most because these guys were childhood heroes. Billington's long association with Bond is always worth returning to. For those that haven't read them before, his views on Bond can be accessed in these articles -

http://www.michaelbi...l/articles.html

Here's a pic from Billington's screen test -

Posted Image

Incidentally, if anyone wants to read more of that 2006 Euan Lloyd interview, I'll be happy to post it. I've only got part four of the interview, but there's some interesting stuff on The Sea Wolves, Wild Geese 2, and some more on Who Dares Wins.



Without going into too many details, I knew Michael Billington slightly when we worked briefly on the same project. He was fascinating to talk to. I liked him a lot.

#48 Mark_Hazard

Mark_Hazard

    Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • PipPip
  • 677 posts
  • Location:UK Midlands

Posted 08 June 2009 - 10:04 PM

Without going into too many details, I knew Michael Billington slightly when we worked briefly on the same project. He was fascinating to talk to. I liked him a lot.


I can't say that I knew him, but we met at a number of signing events where I helped out. Unfortunately it has been noted that under certain light I can bear a resemblance to the late Harold Shipman and the first time I met Michael he christened me "The Doc".

I agree that he was fascinating to talk to and he also had a wicked sence of humour - we would talk of him representing me as a look-alike where I could visit nursing homes where the owners wanted to clear a few beds for a new intake - as I said wicked! :tdown: B) :tdown:

#49 ACE

ACE

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 4543 posts

Posted 08 June 2009 - 10:29 PM

Yes, Michael Billington was quite a character! He had an extremely close connection to the Bond dynasty and was entertainingly vocal about some of the backstage workings of the franchise. His website appears to be quite coy about his actual connections. It's a shame his autobiography will probably never see the light of day. He really was one of the closest Bond "also-rans".

#50 chrisno1

chrisno1

    Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • PipPip
  • 931 posts

Posted 08 June 2009 - 11:16 PM

Interesting thread.
I've recently become unemployed and I've watched several repeats of The Professionals on ITV4, DAVE or whatever channel it is. It's an odd, slightly dated program, but the performances of Gordon Jackson, Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins make it very enjoyable. They have thier own camaradrie, much like Cubby's little family (Sir Rog, Lois, Bernard, Desmond etc) and I genuinely thing Lewis Collins would have made a very good Bond. They would have had to change the scrpits quite a bit I think (I can't imagine him doing a lot of the silly stuff in OP and AVTAK) but he'd have been no worse that Dalton or Brosnan IMO.

#51 Terry

Terry

    Midshipman

  • Crew
  • 55 posts

Posted 12 June 2009 - 12:33 PM

One of my favorite Bond-related subjects.

I was a big supporter of Lewis Collins for Bond back in the early 80's. It has been said that he was too rough to be Bond but I remember that the same was said about Connery. That's where the acting comes in and Collins certainly held his own against Martin Shaw, Micahel Caine, Judy Davis and others. I have a few bits I would like to offer to the discussion.

Los Angeles Times review of THE FINAL OPTION included the following, "Collins is a classic movie-hero type caught in the wrong film; he really would be an ideal James Bond should Roger Moore ever wish to retire."

From THE REGISTER, "In fact, given the persistent rumours that Roger Moore wants to bail out of the Bond films, it's a wonder that the Bond producers don't sign Collins to the role; he has the looks, the delivery and the style (not to mention the ability to send female viewers pulse rates throbbing).

Unknown source clipping, "As the heroic guardian of English honor, Lewis Collins has enough dash in his arched eyebrows to give Sean Connery a run in the ways of derring do."

Photoplay (UK) October 1982, "If the Bond producers would stop talking telephone number salaries long enough to watch him in WHO DARES WINS, they would find the best raw material for Ian Fleming's 007 since Sean Connery."

PLAYBOY magazine's review of THE FINAL OPTION included this bit, "British TV star Lewis Collins, as the SAS (Special Air Service) commando who infiltrates her band of of radicals, exudes a very 007 brand of sophistication that ought to boost his stock among moviedom's top macho men."

It's interesting to note that PLAYBOY thought Collins was sophisticated enough to portray Bond. I believe viewers who came to know Collins as Bodie in THE PROFESSIONALS series had the biggest problem with this issue.

So why didn't Collins land the role? Obviously, if Cubby Broccoli didn't like him, he was out of the running. The Daily Star article where he discussed meeting Broccoli was dated 1982 and in it he says that meeting took place two years earlier, making it 1980. In the CINEMA RETRO interview with Euan Lloyd (which my friend Mac McSharry and I were fortunate to conduct), Lloyd clearly states that a renewed interest in Collins stemmed from the Broccoli family viewings of WHO DARES WINS. There is some debate as to whether or not Collins actually tested. I would dearly love to ask director John Glen if he remembers testing Collins. The trouble he had with Bob Simmons most certainly would not have helped his chances. Simmons stated that Collins was "difficult" during the filming of WDW.

I think a big clue came from a April 26, 1982 article in the Daily Star. It reads, He is constantly being tipped as the next James Bond, but Lewis is worried about his height--or rather the lack of it. He may stand 5' 11" but he says, "I lack three inches for that role--and I think height is most important to the way producers think." He mentions height again in an interview featured as a extra on the German DVD release of CODENAME: WILDGEESE.

Regards to the hell raising and drinking, I wonder if that would really stop one from having a career as an actor? Perhaps we should look at Misters Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Peter Otoole for reference?

It's all too bad as he would have been brilliant in my opinion. In addition to being a good actor, he was a marksman with both rifles and handguns, a back belt in Ju Jitsu (sp), could fly a plane and parachute and had successfully completed half of the entry selection process for the SAS. He was not allowed to continue through the program because his face was so well known in England at that time.

This has run a bit long so I will follow with another post later with bits on Michael Billington.

#52 tim partridge

tim partridge

    Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • PipPip
  • 743 posts

Posted 12 June 2009 - 12:56 PM

I am loving the appreciation of Collins here. B)

I think that ten minute SAS raid at the end of WDW is the best physical Bond combat action of the 1980s. Collins had more of a physical presence and a charm with the ladies than Moore and Dalton combined, in my opinion. I love how calm he is in his scenes with Judy Davis too.

#53 Royal Dalton

Royal Dalton

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 4542 posts

Posted 12 June 2009 - 01:55 PM

Collins would have been a crap James Bond.

#54 Bond Bombshell

Bond Bombshell

    Sub-Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • Pip
  • 461 posts

Posted 12 June 2009 - 05:05 PM

In the CINEMA RETRO interview with Euan Lloyd (which my friend Mac McSharry and I were fortunate to conduct), Lloyd clearly states that a renewed interest in Collins stemmed from the Broccoli family viewings of WHO DARES WINS.

Hey, that was a great interview. I hope you don't mind me quoting from it in this thread! Thanks for the info and views on Collins. I'll be interested to hear what you thought of Billington.

#55 Peckinpah1976

Peckinpah1976

    Sub-Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • Pip
  • 351 posts
  • Location:UK

Posted 12 June 2009 - 07:25 PM

Collins would have been a crap James Bond.


A good, well constructed argument.....

#56 Terry

Terry

    Midshipman

  • Crew
  • 55 posts

Posted 13 June 2009 - 12:36 AM

I have no problem at all with your references to our interview. We put it out there for the fans to enjoy and I'm glad you found it of some value. Actually, the whole idea came together out of our shared belief that Lewis Collins would have made an excellant Bond and we wanted to know what happened to the three movie deal he had with Euan Lloyd. For the love of the subject, I guess you could say.

Also, we came very close to landing an interview with Lewis Collins. Euan Lloyd, who was wonderful to work with through the whole process, kindly emailed Lewis Collins and suggested he give us an interview. Lloyd forwarded us Mr. Collins reply where he was OK with the idea but wanted to run it past his agent. End of story. We received no replys from her or our one message to him.

I have an article where Collins stated he was set to play the role that Scott Glen eventually did in WILD GEESE II. I suspect that as THE FINAL OPTION didn't do so well in the USA, the money people pushed Lloyd into using someone better known. A mistake in my opinion. Glen walks like a duck.

Just a couple of additional thoughts about Collins. His haircut and clothes are from a time nearly 30 years ago and just coming out of the awful 70's where even Bond dressed wrong. I would have liked to see Collins take over from Roger Moore for FOR YOUR EYES ONLY and play Bond for 5 movies to LICENSE TO KILL. I know Dalton fans would despise that but it's my opinion. Connery remains my favorite Bond.

I traded emails with the late Michael Billington and believe he would have made a fine James Bond as well. He was working on a bio and that would have made quite an interesting read. One can get a idea of what he would have been like as Bond when you view him in K.G.B.-THE SECRET WAR. It was made shortly after he tested for OCTOPUSSY. Here's a couple of snippets from my collection;

Daily News July 1980 Marilyn Beck column
"Roger Moore-lookalike Michael Billington has become the favoured date of Barbara Broccoli, the daughter of 007 producer Cubby Broccoli. And insiders are predicting Billington's sure to inherit the role of James Bond in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY this Fall-unless Roger and Cubby come to terms fast.
Billington's name might not be familiar to you, but it certainly is to Moore. Because Broccoli has been conveniently keeping the unknown in the wings for years (cast him in a bit part in the 1977 THE SPY WHO LOVED ME) and has frequently ribbed Roger that, if he got out of line, Michael would step into his 007 shoes. Moore thought Cubby was joking-until now."

According to Billington, he tested for LIVE AND LET DIE director Guy Hamilton with actress Caroline Seymour.

He tested for MOONRAKER in Paris for director Lewis Gilbert at the Bolgne Studios. Actresses Shelley Hack (CHARLIE'S ANGELS), Sylvia Kristel, Susan Reed and Cyrielle Besnard all tested with him.

He tested for OCTOPUSSY director John Glen with actresses Deborah Sheldon and Susan Penhaligon.

Billington revealed that he had consented for the Bond producers to include his MOONRAKER test on that DVD release but it was learned later that one "agreement" was not given so the test could not be shown. This is revealing and might explain why we have never seen Pierce Brosnan's 1986 screentests which were supposed to be great.

Billington stated in an STARLOG interview that he still had nightmares about the whole deal and that Cubby Broccoli was very supportive all along.

One last point about Billington was that he was quite bald and would have needed a toupee like Mr. Connery. I'm okay with that when one considers how much fake hair and boobs there are in Hollywood.

#57 ACE

ACE

    Commander

  • Veterans
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 4543 posts

Posted 13 June 2009 - 09:33 AM

Great posts, Terry. And fantastic Cinema Retro article. Congrats to you and Mac.

#58 Bond Bombshell

Bond Bombshell

    Sub-Lieutenant

  • Crew
  • Pip
  • 461 posts

Posted 13 June 2009 - 11:21 AM

That was another fascinating post Terry, although there are parts of it that left me feeling frustrated for what might have been. What a shame that you never got to do that Collins interview, and I'm sure I speak for many on this forum when I say I would have dearly loved to have seen those Billington and Brosnan screen tests.

I have an article where Collins stated he was set to play the role that Scott Glen eventually did in WILD GEESE II. I suspect that as THE FINAL OPTION didn't do so well in the USA, the money people pushed Lloyd into using someone better known. A mistake in my opinion. Glen walks like a duck.


I have an article too.( I wonder if it's the same one you've got). It's an interview about Who Dares Wins Collins did for the December 1983 edition of Video The Magazine. In it Collins has this to say about his Euan Lloyd contract.

"It was a contract that offered me three leads. A young actor new to the cinema like I am would have to be a fool to turn it down. The other two films after Who Dares Wins are to be The Wild Geese 2 in which I play a Lebanese mercenary and the tentatively titled Battle For The Falklands about the Special Boat Service."

It seems clear that Collins was expecting to play the role eventually played by Scott Glenn. I've wondered for years why he didn't do so, so I'm very grateful for the insight your Lloyd interview provided. I think you've probably hit the nail on the head when you say it was all about the US market. I agree with you that this was a mistake. It was always optimistic to believe that Wild Geese 2 with Scott Glenn was going to be a hit in the US. Collins presence in the film would have at least guaranteed interest in the UK and other parts of the world where The Professionals was popular. Glenn meant nothing to UK audiences, and I believe his casting resulted in the film flopping everywhere.

I also wonder about the Richard Burton angle. On the one hand you've got a very experienced actor like Burton, and on the other you've got Collins - a great action man but a whole lot less experienced than Burton. I wonder if Lloyd baulked at the idea of teaming them up, or if Burton himself had opinions on the casting. I remember reading somewhere that Roger Moore turned down the opportunity to reprise his original Wild Geese role. I don't know if this is true or not, but in my mind's eye I like to imagine WG2 delivering a dream team of Burton, Moore and Collins and becoming a much more entertaining film than it eventually was.

I traded emails with the late Michael Billington and believe he would have made a fine James Bond as well. He was working on a bio and that would have made quite an interesting read. One can get a idea of what he would have been like as Bond when you view him in K.G.B.-THE SECRET WAR. It was made shortly after he tested for OCTOPUSSY.


I taped KGB: The Secret War off the telly in the late 80s, and I've hung on to the video because, as you say, it provides a fascinating insight into what Billington's Bond would have been like. I think in many respects it's a routine TV movie, but Billington acquits himself very well, although I get the impression that by this stage Billington was getting on a bit for a first time Bond.

One last point about Billington was that he was quite bald and would have needed a toupee like Mr. Connery. I'm okay with that when one considers how much fake hair and boobs there are in Hollywood.

Yes I'm aware of Billington's hair issues. As far back as the 60s when he appeared in The Prisoner it's very apparent that he's receding. It's also noticeable in the early episodes of UFO, until he started wearing a wig in that series. I've always assumed that by the early 80s, underneath his wigs there probably wasn't much real hair left. I agree with you that it shouldn't have been an issue that stopped him playing Bond. I'm sure that Eon could have done a better job on him than was done in KGB: The Secret War. If you watch the climactic scenes of that film, I'm sure his syrup chops and changes a bit.

#59 Terry

Terry

    Midshipman

  • Crew
  • 55 posts

Posted 13 June 2009 - 01:54 PM

You are correct about the source of that article. It is the issue of VIDEO-the magazine. I'm always looking for more on the subject but there are some rabid fans out there who will pay any price for the smallest bit on ebay.

Yes, we were extremely frustrated, to come close to doing the interview, to actually read his reply consenting to it but then for the evil agent to knock it in the head. That lady seem's hell-bent on killing any fan interest off that remains for Collins.

It would seem that now, so many years later, he might like to tell his side of the story and our method was a very easy way to do so.

I think, when deciding between Billington and Collins, I would choose Collins first as I think he would have handled the humour of the role in a better way. There was no question in my mind that, after MOONRAKER, Roger Moore was simply too old to play a convincing Bond. I love Roger Moore and enjoy his work but Bond should never be over 50 years old IMHO. Seeing him matched up against some of the young villains really underlined that for me.

While I admit the three "jungle movies" Collins made were rather poorly done, there are a few gems I always enjoy watching. In CODENAME: WILDGEESE, Collins' character, Wesley, flies to Hong Kong and has a short bit of word-play with a pretty secretary (Moneypenny?), followed with a M-Bond like meeting. He then works his way across some junks in the harbor for a meeting. Lee Van Cleef is always fun for me to watch and, again, Lewis Collins held his own in scenes with this great character. The bizarre car chase with Marghereti minatures was a stand out, perhaps for the wrong reasons, and Kinski's dubbed English voice a hoot to hear. I understand that Collins and Kinski did not get along and would not be filmed together in the following movie, COMMANDO LEOPARD. I don't remember much for Bond like scenes in that movie but THE COMMANDER did have a cliff side meeting with Van Cleef that had a Bond like feeling to it.

#60 Terry

Terry

    Midshipman

  • Crew
  • 55 posts

Posted 09 July 2009 - 02:17 AM

I forgot to mention the episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents that Collins appeared in. THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO LITTLE. Collins plays a spy who has lost his memory. During his stay in a nice hotel, he comes across a lovely blonde who is mad at him because he doesn't know her and is attacked in his room and surprised by his own fighting skills. During the coarse of the program, we see him recover his memory and take on the bad guys, rescuing the blonde. And while the print I have of the show is terrible, I believe he uses a Walther PPK. One big problem I have with the show is that Collins uses a rather awful American accent. Not sure why they decided to do that. The program did have a surprising finish and was one of the better episodes, which included a George Lazenby-007 program as well. Hope this makes it onto DVD soon.