45 replies to this topic

[Mr. Kidd]

I recall that before Timothy Dalton was announced as the new 007,
that actors such as Brian Brown, Antony Hamilton and even Simon McCorkindale were mentioned as being in the running for the role. Keeping in mind that Pierce Brosnan was unavailable back in '86, if not
Dalton, who would have been YOUR choice to play Bond in TLD and why?

[ChandlerBing]

Bryan Brown would have been good. He ended up with Rachel Ward in real life, so he can't be a bad guy. Although, looking at him in Coctail, circa 1988, I dunno. Sam Neil would have been interesting, to say the least. Mel Gibson back in the mid 80s would have been good, but he's pretty short to be Bond. Either Sam or Bryan.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

Sam Neill. I enjoyed the 007 screentest he made with Fiona Fullerton/Pola Ivanova that's on The Living Daylights DVD "making of" documentary.

[MovieManOO7]

Sam Neill would have been an awesome Bond playing much into the style of Connery but nevertheless, if he had played Bond, who knows where the series would be now! Perhaps he would have returned for GE and it may have bombed because of him? Who knows??

[ChandlerBing]

Interesting casting note: Sam Neil and Talisa Soto were in some spy flick in the early 90s.

[Daltonitus]

I rate Sam Neil over Brosnan back then.
Brosnan having to wait for GE was the best thing for him because he had matured alot and made GE really one of the best Bond films ever and brought the series back with a bang.
But if not Dalton, then Neil for me.

[Simon]

I remember he was Reilly, Ace of Spies in a TV series of the same name in the late eighties and he always looked as though he could have done a very creditable job, while at the same time being "different" enough to warrant applause.

His name was always in the running, in the press at least, and I would have been curious to see his take on the role.

I last saw him in The Dish, the Australian drama about the satellite dish used for communications in one of the Apollo flights, he still looks good to this day. A pity it never came about.

[SamuelKevlar]

Sam Neill is a terrific actor. If Dalton hadn't become the fourth Bond, I would have wanted him to put on the tuxedo. I prefer him over Brosnan, though he's getting too old for the action-thing now. Pity.

[ChandlerBing]

Sam was the only reason I was keyed up about the third Jurassic Park movie.

[Turn]

Sam Neill could have been an interesting choice. He doesn't have the conventional handsomeness that the other Bond actors had, but that was sort of the way Fleming's Bond was, good-looking but no male model. Neill as Bond is a great what-if thing to ponder.

[Jriv71]

At the time, I was thinking Mel Gibson.
Whatever happened to his accent, by the way?

Do you think the same thing will happen to Hugh Jackman's, and would that prevent him from becoming Bond 6?

[DLibrasnow]

I remember in the early 1980s, shortly after the release of NSNA that Sam Neill was rumored to be in talks for starring in a series of Bond movies in direct competition with EON (it was a McClory project using all those scripts he developed with Fleming in the 1950s).
I remember thinking that he would do a great job (he was starring in "Reilly: Ace of Spies" at the time) but I always wondered if his association with the aborted McClory 007 series led Cubby Broccoli to veto him as the new Bond when Moore retired.

[Robinson]

Originally posted by Turn
Sam Neill could have been an interesting choice. He doesn't have the conventional handsomeness that the other Bond actors had, but that was sort of the way Fleming's Bond was, good-looking but no male model. Neill as Bond is a great what-if thing to ponder.

Well, Sam did play the anti-Christ when he was younger:D

[Robinson]

Originally posted by ChandlerBing
Sam was the only reason I was keyed up about the third Jurassic Park movie.

"Oh my God... It's a birdcage!":cool:

[00 deceased]

Sam Neil was mint in Jurassic Park 3, that film is so much better than the other two. I am so glad we got Tim though, if had not been for his portrayal of the character The Living Daylights would not be the classic it is, the script was finely taliored to Dalton's unqiue strengths.

[sainttemplar]

I would have picked Lewis Collins who was well known for his role in the long-running tv series The Professionals and the part of SAS officer Peter
Skellen in the movie Who Dares Wins ( American title= The Final Option).
He was a fine actor,looked the part and while a black belt,marksman and parachutist in real life had the light touch to deal with the one-liners.
Interestingly GE is paractically a Professionals reunion.PB made his TV debut as a CI5 agent in the ep Blood Sports,Martin Campbell directed several eps as did director of Photography Phil Meheux.2nd Unit director Ian Sharp directed several Pros eps as well s the movie Who Dares Wins.
It is rumoured that when RM began to negotiate for more money for AVTAK Cubby toild him that if negotiations fell through they'd get Lewis and showed him a contract.
Dalton was the perfect Bond for me but i always wonder how good Collins would have been and what reaction would have been to him.

[Tybre]

ANCIENTLY OLD THREAD REVIVAL GO!

Sorry, saw someone viewing it, topic was too good to resist. Feel free to stone me with flaming pyroclastics.

Sam Neill. I enjoyed the 007 screentest he made with Fiona Fullerton/Pola Ivanova that's on The Living Daylights DVD "making of" documentary.

I agree with the above. I thought the man was quite good in his screentest, and the man is a terrific actor. Merlin, Omen III, Jurassic Park, Hunt for Red October, I can go on. Point is, over the years Sam Neill has displayed a pretty good range, and I think he could have made a very good Bond (I doubt the best, but quite possibly Top 3 material, for me). Mind, I think he should have cut his hair some, but that's easily fixable, and if I recall Craig had long-ish hair when he was being tested.

[Double-Oh Agent]

Most definitely Sam Neill. He would have been great. He and Hugh Jackman are the two actors I am most disappointed to have never seen become James Bond.

[Zorin Industries]

I would have picked Lewis Collins who was well known for his role in the long-running tv series The Professionals and the part of SAS officer Peter
Skellen in the movie Who Dares Wins ( American title= The Final Option).
He was a fine actor,looked the part and while a black belt,marksman and parachutist in real life had the light touch to deal with the one-liners.
Interestingly GE is paractically a Professionals reunion.PB made his TV debut as a CI5 agent in the ep Blood Sports,Martin Campbell directed several eps as did director of Photography Phil Meheux.2nd Unit director Ian Sharp directed several Pros eps as well s the movie Who Dares Wins.
It is rumoured that when RM began to negotiate for more money for AVTAK Cubby toild him that if negotiations fell through they'd get Lewis and showed him a contract.
Dalton was the perfect Bond for me but i always wonder how good Collins would have been and what reaction would have been to him.

A er "challenging" chap to work with on all accounts (allegedly). It wouldn't ever have happened.

Jeff Colby all the way!

[David Schofield]

Jeff Colby all the way!

No! His cousin, Miles.

Maxwell Caulfield could have been a proto-Craig Bond: rugged, well built, blond. And with the bonus of being naturally good-looking and over six feet tall...!

And, er, English.

[Stephen Spotswood]

http://www.alternati...ldgeese_066.jpg

Here's an actor who was being considered for 007 when George Lazenby snagged it:

http://www.jeremybre...s/st_johnny.jpg

Edited by Stephen Spotswood, 23 September 2009 - 04:12 PM.

[Tarl_Cabot]

Is that the guy from The Final Option?


He would have been a good 007, yes.

[Eric Stromberg]

I remember he was Reilly, Ace of Spies in a TV series of the same name in the late eighties and he always looked as though he could have done a very creditable job, while at the same time being "different" enough to warrant applause.

I encourage anyone interested in the more gritty and realistic side of espionage to check out this series on DVD. Sam Neill portrays the first modern spy (early 1900s Britain) and, while conducting his trade during a complex chess game between emerging 20th century political powers pursuing oil and weapons, impresses me as being more ruthless and cold-blooded than any Bond on page or screen.

[Trident]

Is that the guy from The Final Option?


He would have been a good 007, yes.

Tabloids had him marked as "next 007" for quite some time during 'The Professionals'. It's said he actually had a date with Broccoli in some restaurant for discussing a possible role, so he would have been at least a suspect. Arguably he mucked up the interview by not wearing the proper clothes.

Other sources persist to repeat supposed (imagined and/or real) issues with Collins working attitude. Strangely enough, his working attitude seems to have been perfectly good for starring over a period of six years in five seasons of a popular TV show, so he can't have been that insufferable. The word 'allegedly' can be a sharp dagger in the business and more often than not used to damage a persons reputation the 'soft' way.

Fact is, there have been at least two incidents that don't show Collins in a particularly 'professional' light. He broke a leg during the schedule of 'The Professionals', thus making a number of changes in the schedule necessary. As this incident happened after Collins parachuted, a breach of his contract, it was really not a very sensible, let alone 'professional' move of Collins. A second incident involved Collins severely hitting a stunt partner during shooting of 'Who Dares Wins', also not something regarded as particularly considerate.

It's of course debatable, but one can imagine there might have been more to Brocolli's retreat from Collins than just an inappropriate outfit.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

He would have been too young to do the part in 1987, but I always wanted to see Jason Isaacs as Bond. He'd have been a great choice to replace Dalton in 1994, or replace Brosnan after DAD (I am glad King Craig got the gig, though).

[Trident]

He would have been too young to do the part in 1987, but I always wanted to see Jason Isaacs as Bond. He'd have been a great choice to replace Dalton in 1994, or replace Brosnan after DAD (I am glad King Craig got the gig, though).

Very interesting idea. I must have seen him like a hundred times in countless small to medium roles, always gave a good impression to me. Still, never thought about him as Bond, but I can see what you mean. A screen test of him would be most interesting.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

He's the kind of actor who deserves more recogniton.

And he sure has the "Bond look".



He would make a great Bond villain too. They could do something like they attempted, and partially succeeded at, with The Man With The Golden Gun, and create a character who is something of a dark reflection of Bond.

[Trident]

He's the kind of actor who deserves more recogniton.

And he sure has the "Bond look".



He would make a great Bond villain too. They could do something like they attempted, and partially succeeded at, with The Man With The Golden Gun, and create a character who is something of a dark reflection of Bond.

Stunning, really. Definitely potential for a villain too. Shame I think his Potter commitment would most likely count him out as villain for Bond. I actually could see him as 'opposite number' in some other secret service, giving Bond a hard time.

[Stephen Spotswood]

I remember leading up to Dalton (who I wanted as 007 since Sextette), also wanting either of these guys in the part:

http://www.movierepo...rays_Poster.jpg

Of course I always saw this guy as a Bond villain:

http://upload.wikime...cropped_new.jpg

Edited by Stephen Spotswood, 24 September 2009 - 02:55 PM.

[DR76]

He's the kind of actor who deserves more recogniton.

And he sure has the "Bond look".



He would make a great Bond villain too. They could do something like they attempted, and partially succeeded at, with The Man With The Golden Gun, and create a character who is something of a dark reflection of Bond.

Wasn't Jason Isaacs about 23 back in 1986?