Sorry for the delay, however I had a little thing called voting and a job interview intervene yesterday. That being said, it's onto to blog for yesterday.
I mentioned in my post for Monday, that I have loved movies since I was about six years old, I also mentioned one of the first films I saw in living color was a James Bond Film.
Well this is all about Bond.
Since I was six, I have been drawn into the world of James Bond, I sat on the edge of my seat when I saw "The World is Not Enough" with Pierce Brosnan on the large screen several years back, and it was for the same reason I had sat there wide eyed as a six year old... Because Bond rocks!
Okay, had to get that out, no it was more than that. It had to do with the fact that Bond had a sense of cool aloofness always present, he was a ladies man and drove the coolest cars and had the neatest toys.
But there was still more than this, it was the actor who played the part. Whether it be Barry Nelson or Bob Holness
or Christopher Cazenove each brought a unique quality to the part.
What? Who are Barry Nelson, Bob Holness and Christopher Cazenove? They were all actors who played the legendary James Bond. What, you never heard of any of them? Well there is a reason for that.
Barry Nelson was an American actor who played James Bond for the very first time in 1954, on the Climax Mystery Theater presentation of Casino Royale on CBS. It was a one hour black and white adaptation and can be fond as a bonus disc in the 1967 Bond spoof Casino Royale.
Barry Nelson as Bond, James Bond. 1954
Bob Holness was an actor in South Africa who provided the voice of James Bond in the 1956 Radio adaptation of Ian Flemmings' MOONRAKER, unfortunately for everyone, the radio broadcast was live so there were no recordings made.
Between 1962 and 1967 the most beloved or perhaps the first beloved actor to play James bond came on the screen. That being Connery, Sean Connery, who won over the hearts and minds of every red blooded American male and caused many women world wide to have dreams.
One of the classic scenes from a Bond movie. When Bond is confronted by Goldfinger and his laser of death.
In 1964, we had a glimpse at the future, although at the time, no one could know this. For Moore, Roger Moore played James Bond in a 7 minute sketch that appeared in the comedy sketch show Mainly Millicent.
Although David Nivven played James Bond in the satire of Casino Royale, most fans and for that matter BBC America, do not consider this as part of the official Bond legacy, so moving onto.
Lazenby, George Lazenby who in 1969 took the mantle for one film. Not because he was bad as Bond, as a matter of fact In Her Majestys Secret Service was one of the top grossing Bond films of all times.
Why wasn't Lazenby in a slew more? Because he had listened to his agent, who told him not to sign a multi film deal because he did not see much of a future for the Bond franchise, he felt they were a fading interest. How wrong his agent was.
In 1971 Sean Connery came back to reprise the role. He was paid $1.25 million plus an estimated 12.5% of the profits for his appearance in Diamonds are forever. He was paid this much because United Artists had already sold part of the films proceedings to investors. It would not be Connerys' last appearance as Bond.
From 1973 to 1985 Roger Moore played the role. There are two mindsets concerning Moore's portrayal.
A He played it as satire and had some of the most bizarre opponents that fit no where into the world of James Bond, and belonged more in the camp world of Doctor Who.
Or B: He was light comedy for most of the films he did, until someone serious could be cast in the role.
Or C: I know, I said two mindsets, but there is a third. That the Roger Moore Bond films simply do not exist, that you have Lazeny, Connery and then Christopher Cazenove.
I know, you are saying Christopher Who? Christopher Cazenove like Barry Nelson, played bond on Television. This time a BBC series titled Omnibus, the British Hero which was a documentary and Littery review type series. He acted out several scenes including the famous scene from Goldfinger.
In 1983 Connery came back officially for the last time as Bond, in "Never Say Never Again", a redo of his 1971 film "Diamonds are Forever." Never say Never is considered the worst Bond film that Connery did, and in reality neither Sean Connery or the official producers of the Bond films consider this to exist.
That being said, we move onto Timothy Dalton, who played the role only in two movies in 1987's 'The Living Daylights" and 1989's "License to Kill." Legal matters kept Dalton from doing more Bond films, which he had wanted to do.
The man who would be Bond, Pierce Brosnan. Who had been offered the role of James Bond originally in 1986, after his series "Remmington Steele" had been canceled
However once his being picked as the new James Bond broke, this changed. Remmington Steele was brought back for what many fans felt was the worst of the series, and Brosnan had to wait 9 years to get the part he was meant to play.
This worked to his advantage, it gave Brosnan the opportunity to develop his craft in several movies including a remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair".
From 1995 to 2002 Brosnan played Bond. My favorite movie was his first "Golden Eye" it has some of the best dialogue of any of the Bond films and sets Bond up in a love hate relationship with M skillfully played by Dame Judy Dench.
I mentioned in my post for Monday, that I have loved movies since I was about six years old, I also mentioned one of the first films I saw in living color was a James Bond Film.
Well this is all about Bond.
Since I was six, I have been drawn into the world of James Bond, I sat on the edge of my seat when I saw "The World is Not Enough" with Pierce Brosnan on the large screen several years back, and it was for the same reason I had sat there wide eyed as a six year old... Because Bond rocks!
Okay, had to get that out, no it was more than that. It had to do with the fact that Bond had a sense of cool aloofness always present, he was a ladies man and drove the coolest cars and had the neatest toys.
But there was still more than this, it was the actor who played the part. Whether it be Barry Nelson or Bob Holness
or Christopher Cazenove each brought a unique quality to the part.
What? Who are Barry Nelson, Bob Holness and Christopher Cazenove? They were all actors who played the legendary James Bond. What, you never heard of any of them? Well there is a reason for that.
Barry Nelson was an American actor who played James Bond for the very first time in 1954, on the Climax Mystery Theater presentation of Casino Royale on CBS. It was a one hour black and white adaptation and can be fond as a bonus disc in the 1967 Bond spoof Casino Royale.
Bob Holness was an actor in South Africa who provided the voice of James Bond in the 1956 Radio adaptation of Ian Flemmings' MOONRAKER, unfortunately for everyone, the radio broadcast was live so there were no recordings made.
Between 1962 and 1967 the most beloved or perhaps the first beloved actor to play James bond came on the screen. That being Connery, Sean Connery, who won over the hearts and minds of every red blooded American male and caused many women world wide to have dreams.
In 1964, we had a glimpse at the future, although at the time, no one could know this. For Moore, Roger Moore played James Bond in a 7 minute sketch that appeared in the comedy sketch show Mainly Millicent.
Although David Nivven played James Bond in the satire of Casino Royale, most fans and for that matter BBC America, do not consider this as part of the official Bond legacy, so moving onto.
Lazenby, George Lazenby who in 1969 took the mantle for one film. Not because he was bad as Bond, as a matter of fact In Her Majestys Secret Service was one of the top grossing Bond films of all times.
Why wasn't Lazenby in a slew more? Because he had listened to his agent, who told him not to sign a multi film deal because he did not see much of a future for the Bond franchise, he felt they were a fading interest. How wrong his agent was.
In 1971 Sean Connery came back to reprise the role. He was paid $1.25 million plus an estimated 12.5% of the profits for his appearance in Diamonds are forever. He was paid this much because United Artists had already sold part of the films proceedings to investors. It would not be Connerys' last appearance as Bond.
From 1973 to 1985 Roger Moore played the role. There are two mindsets concerning Moore's portrayal.
A He played it as satire and had some of the most bizarre opponents that fit no where into the world of James Bond, and belonged more in the camp world of Doctor Who.
Or B: He was light comedy for most of the films he did, until someone serious could be cast in the role.
Or C: I know, I said two mindsets, but there is a third. That the Roger Moore Bond films simply do not exist, that you have Lazeny, Connery and then Christopher Cazenove.
I know, you are saying Christopher Who? Christopher Cazenove like Barry Nelson, played bond on Television. This time a BBC series titled Omnibus, the British Hero which was a documentary and Littery review type series. He acted out several scenes including the famous scene from Goldfinger.
In 1983 Connery came back officially for the last time as Bond, in "Never Say Never Again", a redo of his 1971 film "Diamonds are Forever." Never say Never is considered the worst Bond film that Connery did, and in reality neither Sean Connery or the official producers of the Bond films consider this to exist.
That being said, we move onto Timothy Dalton, who played the role only in two movies in 1987's 'The Living Daylights" and 1989's "License to Kill." Legal matters kept Dalton from doing more Bond films, which he had wanted to do.
The man who would be Bond, Pierce Brosnan. Who had been offered the role of James Bond originally in 1986, after his series "Remmington Steele" had been canceled
However once his being picked as the new James Bond broke, this changed. Remmington Steele was brought back for what many fans felt was the worst of the series, and Brosnan had to wait 9 years to get the part he was meant to play.
This worked to his advantage, it gave Brosnan the opportunity to develop his craft in several movies including a remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair".
From 1995 to 2002 Brosnan played Bond. My favorite movie was his first "Golden Eye" it has some of the best dialogue of any of the Bond films and sets Bond up in a love hate relationship with M skillfully played by Dame Judy Dench.
Best scene in the whole movie, had to include this. This scene goes out to my friend Morgan.
The most recent Bond, took a little getting used to. He is not as dashing or handsome as the others have been, he is a bit gritty and cold in how he comes across, and yet he has managed to win over many fans and bring in new viewers to the Bond legacy.
Daniel Craig has been James Bond since 2006 and his third epic "Skyfall" just recently opened. He launched the franchise all over with a very dark version of Casino Royale, all the gags from the David Nivven version were gone, the film was an emotional roller coaster and explained how Miss Moneypenny got her name and how the relationship began between her and bond.
Bond and Her Majesty. For the opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics this year.
So there you have it, the men who have been Bond, and a bit more than you knew before about the actors who played the part. So the next time you sit back and watch your favorite Bond, whether it be Connery, Lazenby, Dalton, Brosnan or Craig, just remember this post.
Now onto other things.
Oh you know Sean Connery is my man! LOL
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think Pierce Brosnan was and always should have been Bond. He exuded the part.
Great overview of the Bond series.
btw-Roger who? LOL
I dunno, Moore caputred the essence of Bond in "Man with the Golden Gun" which was my favorite of the Moore series. However, after "For Your Eyes Only," it just was a parody of itself and played more for the stunts and action than anything else. Dalton brought a fresh perspective and Brosnon was great. But I really lost interest after that. Really doesn't appeal to me any more.
ReplyDelete