11 replies to this topic

[Dr Noah]

I have just read in "The James Bond Files" that one of the actors considered for OHMSS was :-

"Oliver Reed, whom Broccoli later regretted not hiring, despite
the actor's well-know behavioural difficulties"

Any thoughts on this? Would Reed have been a good Bond?

[kevrichardson]

I never read that he was in the running for OHMSS. His (Oliver Reed) ,name was never listed.

[Dr Noah]

"I never read that he was in the running for OHMSS. His (Oliver Reed) ,name was never listed."

I was suprised to read it too, but apparently he was considered, among other contenders such as Adam West and Ian Oglivy.

[zencat]

I've never heard this either, but I think he would have been AWESOME!

[kevrichardson]

He (Oliver Reed ) never appeared to me to be "Romantic Leading Man" material . I think he was in a movie with Telly Salavas , Diana Riggs , called "The Assassination Bureau" 1969. The same year as OHMSS. How could this be??? Besides he does not look like a Bond , not "handsome" in the Byronic tradition. Bond has a certain amount of Byron in him.

[Loomis]

You know what? It seems like virtually every British actor save Robbie Coltrane was at one point or another considered for James Bond. Over the past 40 years, it's been practically a rite of passage for English thesps.

Among those I've heard were considered:

GEORGE BAKER (Sir Hilary Bray in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, also had a small role in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME if I'm not mistaken) - I'm not making this up, BTW

SEAN BEAN (Trevelyan in GOLDENEYE)

MICHAEL BILLINGTON (the Russian lover of Anya killed by Bond during the pre-titles sequence of TSWLM, and apparent possessor of the world's hairiest shoulders and back)

CHARLES DANCE (played a hitman in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY)

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS

RALPH FIENNES (supposedly offered the role for GE, turned it down)

JULIAN GLOVER (main FYEO villain)

HUGH GRANT (supposedly offered the role for GE, turned it down)

[zencat]

Originally posted by Loomis
HUGH GRANT (supposedly offered the role for GE, turned it down)

Really??? Interesting.

[Loomis]

Well, you know, that's what "they" say. It's something I've seen in the UK press from time to time. Unfortunately, there's probably no way of knowing whether Grant really was offered the role (I don't believe he's been directly quoted as saying that he was), other than by cultivating a friendship with Grant or with The Powers That Be at EON!

I guess the one implausibility there is that they would have been prepping GOLDENEYE (and had decided on Brosnan) before FOUR WEDDINGS made Grant an international star. Then again, prior to FOUR WEDDINGS, Grant was no more of a "nobody" than Dalton was when he was cast as Bond.

But I find it highly likely that Grant was seriously considered, and more than possible that they'll approach him again when Brosnan's about to leave the role.

[Dr Noah]

"GEORGE BAKER (Sir Hilary Bray in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, also had a small role in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME if I'm not mistaken) - I'm not making this up, BTW"

Why should any one accuses you making it up? George Baker was a British leading actor in the late '50's. I think it was Dr No he was considered for, he has since starred in I, Claudius amongst a lot of other prestige projects.

In fact, he has possibly had a much better screen career, then say, Dalton.

Besides, he did play Bond in a sense..as he dubbed Lazenby in most of the Piz Gloria scenes

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Dr Noah

Why should any one accuses you making it up?  

Simply on the basis of how he looks in OHMSS and TSWLM. Definitely not Bond material. I don't think many of us remember how he looked in the 1950s. I didn't know he was looked at for DR. NO, but I guess it makes sense that it was around that time.

[kevrichardson]

Michael Billington , yes i remember this . But i (forgive me) thought that was because he and Barbara Broccoli were once "Lovers". Sean Bean, yes i recalled this too, then because of his screen test he was offered the role of 006(main villian). George Baker i heard this too (go ahead , laugh) . Daniel Day-Lewis interesting thought !! , 10 years ago yes!!! Especially when he was "Hawkeye" in "The Last of the Mohicans". Now may be too old. Also may be another Dalton to much of a "brooding actor". You know Bond as "Hamlet". I doubt the series could survive that again. Ralph Fiennes well another interesting thought , but since his turn as John Steed in "The Avengers" . Perhaps Action-Adventure is not for him ,should just stay with melodrama. Charles Dance , didn't he once play Ian Fleming in some Bio-pic in the early 90's . No on him. Julian Glover and Hugh Grant ,jesus no .

[Dr Noah]

"Besides, he did play Bond in a sense..as he dubbed Lazenby in most of the Piz Gloria scenes "

Gosh, I just remembered! He did play James Bond..or rather "James Bondus" in an episode of "Up Pompei!"