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A quick run down on George Lazenby as James Bond

24 August 2008

A quick run down on George Lazenby as James BondAustralian actor George Robert Lazenby was born September 5, 1939 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia. Lanzenby worked as a salesman at a Morris Motor Company dealership in Canberra after leaving school early. He also worked as a ski instructor and won several skiing competitions. In an Australian band called The Corvettes, George played bass guitar.

He proudly served in the Australian Army Special Forces, reaching the rank of Sergeant, and becoming an unarmed combat instructor. In 1964, he moved to London, England to become a model, and then later landed a job as an advertizing actor. Lazenby’s time as a model made him the highest grossing male model in the world, earning over a million dollars after inflation. Lazenby may be recognizable to some from his job as the European Marlboro Man.

After working in television advertizing and an Italian B-movie, Lazenby’s first real acting role was as James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969. Lazenby was the second Bond, immediately following Connery whose portrayal of the character was always in question.

Lazenby struggled with the director of the movie, and end result wasn’t up to par. A miscommunication led to an over-dubbing of another voice overtop of Lazenby’s. There were also rumors of Lazenby’s quarrel with the leading lady in the movie, Diana Rigg. Though most say it’s untrue, Rigg herself admits to eating garlic before a kissing scene, which led to the quarrel in question.

Lazenby was offered a seven-film contract, but because his manager thought it wise to avoid future bond films, Lazenby declined. Despite the turmoil during the first movie, the character of Bond was his to play. Turning it down is a decision that Lazenby admittedly regrets.

Lazenby has portrayed James Bond several times over the years in a host of parodies and unofficial roles, most notably the 1983 TV movie The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. and also an episode of The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents, titled Diamonds Aren’t Forever. He made a guest appearance on the popular TV series Superboy during the show’s second season in 1990.

In the 1970s, Lazenby worked with Bruce Lee in Hong Kong. A planned luncheon meeting with Lee and Raymond Chow to discuss a project for the film Game of Death collapsed due to Lee’s sudden death. Although, Lazenby still went on to make 3 of the 4 films he signed on to do with the Lee: The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss, The Man From Hong Kong, and A Queen’s Ransom.

The films were very financially successful, though without Bruce Lee’s commercial appeal, they never experience much commercial success. Lee’s death seemingly stopped Lazenby’s acting comeback after he left the role of James Bond.

Lazenby has been married twice and has 4 children. Though his acting career never took off the way most predicted after the Bond film, purists of the series still say he’s the best-ever 007 character in terms of Ian Fleming’s vision.

Tags: 007, ian fleming, george robert lazenby, queanbeyan, european marlboro man, on her majesty’s secret service, diana rigg, bruce lee, game of death, the shrine of ultimate bliss, the man from hong kong, a queen’s ransom,
Posted In: Movies, Biographies,
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