<p id=”par-1_54″>George Lazenby was the first actor to play <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/james-bond/”>James Bond</a> on the big screen after <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-james-bond-actor-sean-connery-said-turned-007-into-a-parody.html/”>Sean Connery left the role</a>. That might sound like a significant accomplishment, but Lazenby has been a walking punchline for decades for two very different reasons. Lazenby had interesting things to say about his association with 007 in retrospect.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-george-lazenby-is-the-worst-actor-to-play-james-bond-by-far”>George Lazenby is the worst actor to play James Bond by far</h2>
<p id=”par-2_59″>Connery made Bond one of the most famous fictional characters of the 20th century through the first five 007 movies: <em>Dr. No</em>, <em>From Russia with Love</em>, <em>Goldfinger</em>, <em>Thunderball</em>, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/frank-sinatra-turned-down-james-bond-theme-song-gave-daughter-nancy-sinatra.html/”>and <em>You Only Love Twice</em></a>. He left the franchise, only to be replaced by Lazenby for the following movie: <em>On Her Majesty’s Secret Service</em>. Lazenby had some big shoes to fill.</p>
<p id=”par-3_71″>And fill them he didn’t. While 007 is supposed to be all about his wit and charm, Lazenby is wooden. Watching <em>On Her Majesty’s Secret Service</em>, it’s hard to imagine Lazenby getting the lead role in a community theater production of <em>Our Town</em>, much less a blockbuster movie. His failings are even more notable considering that other members of the film’s cast, like Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas, give pitch-perfect performances.</p>
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<iframe title=”On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) – Official Trailer – George Lazenby Bond Movie HD” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/dOLq5Rg9N-c?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-he-left-james-bond-because-he-thought-it-was-behind-the-times”>He left James Bond because he thought it was behind the times</h2>
<p id=”par-4_67″>The other reason Lazenby has faced so much derision over the years is his decision to leave the 007 series. During a 2017 interview with <a href=”https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/may/17/george-lazenby-on-bond-sex-and-the-60s-they-had-the-pill-i-was-a-handsome-guy” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>The Guardian</a>, Lazenby revealed that he left the franchise because he was convinced the Bond wouldn’t appeal to anyone as the hippie movement took over. Little did he know Bond long outlasted the hippie subculture and most other <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/paul-mccartney-compared-writing-1-the-beatles-songs-writing-james-bond-theme.html/”>trends of the 1960s</a>.</p>
<p id=”par-5_46″>If Lazenby went on to find success, no one would look down on him. Instead, he languished in obscurity, appearing in minor cult classics like <em>The Kentucky Fried Movie</em> and <em>Who Saw Her Die?</em> His decision to leave a massive series now looks ill-advised and arrogant.</p>
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<iframe title=”ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE | 007 resigns from MI6″ width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/XZhA6FZSbNE?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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The Beatles and James Bond: Four Weird Connections </a>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-george-lazenby-has-no-regrets”>George Lazenby has no regrets</h2>
<p id=”par-6_80″>Many fans might assume Lazenby regrets his decision to leave the Bond franchise. They would be wrong. During a 2022 interview with <a href=”https://www.everand.com/article/592587636/George-Lazenby-I-Still-Have-That-Bond-Spirit” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Woman’s Day</a>, he explained his views on the situation. “I have no regrets whatsoever,” he said. “I guess I should have done at least one more based on the feedback I keep getting, but I was a hippie. I wasn’t a dedicated actor — I just wanted to have a good time, and I still have that spirit. </p>
<p id=”par-7_53″>“But my real achievements are my kids,” Lazenby added. “Having lost my son, Zach, I realize time is precious. I bought a boat with the last bit of Bond money I had and then I sailed around the Mediterranean for 15 months with a wonderful girl who I married and had kids with.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_76″>Lazenby admits he’s not the best actor to play fiction’s most famous superspy. “Well, let me say the all-time greatest Bond is obviously Sean Connery,” he opined. “Sean, for me, was always the man, the guy who inspired me to go for the part. I met him a couple of times in LA and he told me to my face I’d been good. Sean made it look easy but anyone who’s played Bond knows it isn’t.”</p>
<p id=”par-9_13″>Lazenby might be a punchline but he’s happy with the life he lived.</p>