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There is the ages old question posed by the 'older generations,' which is, who is the better Bond, Sean Connery or Roger Moore? (Of course the younger folk get to add the new ones, Brosnan, Craig and Dalton.) I also realize that there were actually a few others like David Niven, but his wasn't a "real" Bond, more a spoof, IIRC.

My personal favorite Bond, and movie, of all time, however, is George Lazenby in the original "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". I watched it again (twice) today.

Why wasn't Lazenby ever asked to play Bond in a sequel? Did it have to do with negative reaction by fans to his marriage and the following death of his wife?

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According to Wikipedia, Lazenby left the role on his agent's advice:

Although Lazenby had been offered a contract for seven movies, his agent, Ronan O'Rahilly, convinced him that the secret agent would be archaic in the liberated 1970s, and as a result he left the series after the release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969.

It also appears that Lazenby clashed with the film's producers, saying:

"They made me feel like I was mindless. They disregarded everything I suggested simply because I hadn't been in the film business like them for about a thousand years."

Around late 1969 and early 1970, it seems he moved on, saying:

"I've already put him behind me. I will never play him again."

And:

"[N]o more Bond. I make better money doing commercials."

So apparently, quitting the role was Lazenby's choice. However, this interesting source tells a slightly different story. It suggests that Lazenby was offered a contract for the next 10 Bond movies and an increased salary and he was willing to sign it, but his managers found the terms unacceptable, at which point United Artists ruled him out and (although John Gavin was also briefly signed as an insurance policy) ordered Bond producers Saltzman and Broccoli to get Connery back at any cost.

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    I would have rather liked seven Lazenby movies than a single Moore one, but well.
    – Napoleon Wilson ♦
    Jun 21, 2014 at 16:44
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    It's funny. As a child, perhaps earlier than 13ish, I loved Moore. He was dashing and always made it with the chicks... err Bond Girls. Later, I realized what the word misogyny actually MEANT and at the same time realized that Connery was the actual classy one. Personally, the only Moore Bond I'll re-watch is Live and Let Die, and then only due to Sheriff J. W. Pepper and Solitaire, though not necessarily in that order. ;) Maaan, I had the hots for Solitaire.
    – CGCampbell
    Jun 21, 2014 at 17:35
  • @CGCampbell I wouldn't see it that hard, though. Albeit having clear favourites, I still enjoy all of them now and then, it's James Bond afterall! ;-)
    – Napoleon Wilson ♦
    Sep 16, 2014 at 10:58
  • @CGCampbell Connery is the classy one. Lets see, for starters he made a woman who resisted his advances have sex with him not to lose her job in Thunderball. Slaps women in the face, hard (I think From Russia with Love). Not defending Moore either. I think Dr No might be the most woke of the early movies. Maybe Connery just looks classier in a tux than Moore looks in his uniform. And not to get distracted but Diana Rigg getting punched in the face by her father because she is "hysterical" takes the cake.
    – Dave Ludwig
    Jan 12, 2021 at 0:35
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I had seen/read/heard that Lazenby preferred to portray Bond without all the gimmicks, toys, e.g. the exploding pen, the ejector seat button, little Nellie, etc. However, the powers that be, whether it was the writers, producers, the viewers (I know I always enjoyed what Q would come up with), etc., wanted 007 to utilize those devices.

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    Can you provide some kind of source to backup your claim? Otherwise this is more conjecture and thus better suited for a comment.
    – MattD
    Jul 21, 2015 at 3:23
  • So.... Daniel Craig before Daniel Craig.
    – PoloHoleSet
    Oct 29, 2018 at 15:46

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