16 replies to this topic

[Mr. Kidd]

Two of my favorite actors in the '60's spy genre were Patrick MacNee
(John Steed in THE AVENGERS) and Patrick McGoohan (John Drake in
SECRET AGENT aka DANGER MAN) Let's say Sean Connery was NOT
picked for the role of Bond. Which of the two Patricks would you choose
as Bond. My personal pick would be MacNee. I know...I know...But look
at MacNee in the early episodes of the series. He was lean and equal
to Connery on the "suave meter" whereas I think McGoohan was too
brooding and didn't resemble Fleming's Bond.

[kevrichardson]

PAtrick McGoohan turned down the role on "moral" grounds . He did not like the different birds in bed thing with Bond. In "Danger Man" he never had too many women if any. I never saw Patrick MacNee name listed among the canididates.

[doublenoughtspy]

McGoohan would be my vote. Macnee is a nice, charming guy - but you don't think of him as dangerous or crafty the way McGoohan is.

[Dr Niles Crane]

McGoohan would have made a very angry menacing Bond (you get the feeling that he probably portrays the same intensity when asking for someone to pass the salt as he does when he is complaining about numerology and stuff), but knowing McGoohan's very forceful personality it probably would have veered off into Number Sixish type territory, he would get fed up at all this killing business and M would have had hells own trouble to stop him from resigning.

I love Patrick (Mr Stead), but I feel he should remain in the wonderful world of nineteen sixties British television (case in point - Roger the Dogder) where the good guys spend an inordinate amount of time sitting around each others flats sipping champagne and making witty remarks and the bad guys always live in country mansions and turn out to be Peter Bowles.

I would have to say Mr McGoohan has my vote (I just would have made him get his teeth fixed).

[Loomis]

Patrick McGoohan might have made a good Bond. Patrick Macnee, on the other hand.... I really hate the guy's voice. There's just something about it that sets my teeth on edge. I hate listening to the DVD documentaries he narrates, because his plummy, ingratiating tones begin to irritate me enormously after a while. Anyone else have this problem?

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by Loomis
Patrick McGoohan might have made a good Bond. Patrick Macnee, on the other hand.... I really hate the guy's voice. There's just something about it that sets my teeth on edge. I hate listening to the DVD documentaries he narrates, because his plummy, ingratiating tones begin to irritate me enormously after a while. Anyone else have this problem?

Patrick McGoohan still gave the world his Bond in "Danger Man" and his anti-Bond in"The Prisoner" . Two of the best Television spy dramas . I guess you did not like Patrick Macnee as John Steed . If you want a idea of McGoohan's Bond watch the movie "Ice Station Zebra" 1968 he paly a angry British spy. Nice Cold War drama.

[Dr Noah]

Well I guess both of them would have turned it down ...

But McGoohan would have been the best choice

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by Dr Noah
Well I guess both of them would have turned it down ...
But McGoohan would have been the best choice

As far as i know Patrick MacGee was never on the list to become Bond . From what i have read Patrick McGoohan was offered the role of James Bond by Broccoli . He turned it down for "moral grounds" . The series would have been entirely different if he had taken the role . If you have ever seen "DangerMan" ( in America it was called "Secret Agent Man") . He wold have be more serious in line with Fleming's creation .

[Dr Noah]

"As far as i know Patrick MacGee was never on the list to become Bond"

I don't think anyone said he was , this is just a "What if" question I think

McNee has said in several interviews that he read a lot of Fleming before starting "The Avengers", but felt that the literary character of Bond was a bit unpleasent.

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by Dr Noah
"As far as i know Patrick MacGee was never on the list to become Bond"
I don't think anyone said he was , this is just a "What if" question I think
McNee has said in several interviews that he read a lot of Fleming before starting "The Avengers", but felt that the literary character of Bond was a bit unpleasent.

Okay you might have a point . MCGoohan yes . If fact look at Dalton's Bond . Taht may give you a idea. I like literary Bond , sometime more than cinematic Bond . The comic humor gets in the way some times. Spy dramas should be tough , gritty . Bond has not been a real spy since "FRWL" .

[Dr Noah]

"Bond has not been a real spy since "FRWL" "

Actually, didn't Amis point out once that FRWL was the only book in which Bond gets down to some spying?

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by Dr Noah
"Bond has not been a real spy since "FRWL" "
Actually, didn't Amis point out once that FRWL was the only book in which Bond gets down to some spying?

I guess i just read his "James Bond Dossier" . I was thinking of the film , but then again your right. Also in the novel too .

[Mr. Kidd]

Originally posted by Dr Niles Crane
McGoohan would have made a very angry menacing Bond (you get the feeling that he probably portrays the same intensity when asking for someone to pass the salt as he does when he is complaining about numerology and stuff), but knowing McGoohan's very forceful personality it probably would have veered off into Number Sixish type territory, he would get fed up at all this killing business and M would have had hells own trouble to stop him from resigning.  

I love Patrick (Mr Stead), but I feel he should remain in the wonderful world of nineteen sixties British television (case in point - Roger the Dogder) where the good guys spend an inordinate amount of time sitting around each others flats sipping champagne and making witty remarks and the bad guys always live in country mansions and turn out to be Peter Bowles.

I would have to say Mr McGoohan has my vote (I just would have made him get his teeth fixed).

Peter Bowles OR Leo McKern! In all fairness, Steed did handle himself
well in the fight scenes. Have umbrella will travel?

[Dr Niles Crane]

Have Umbrella, will travel?

And kudos to the fight choreographers - it must have taken some talent to make strangling someone with an umbrella handle seem realistic.

[kevrichardson]

Originally posted by Dr Niles Crane
Have Umbrella, will travel?
And kudos to the fight choreographers - it must have taken some talent to make strangling someone with an umbrella handle seem realistic.

Never thought that fight scenes with John Steed where good . Cathy Gale and Emma Peel had better fights . Steeed just stood there leaning on his umbrella .

[Mr. Somerset]

Classic topic!
I'm going with Macnee, because I met him at a signing in '89 and he was quite the gentleman, a true inspiration.

[Turn]

I'm a big fan of both Patricks, but I think McGoohan was probably the best of all 1960s super spies. The guy didn't have a partner, doing most of his work alone although not always, and rarely using a gun. I picked up some Secret Agent/Danger Man DVDs recently and it reminded me of just how good he was.

MacNee, on the other hand, was the epitome of class and secret agent cool during the time. His Steed will remain timeless that way.