The Con Man Who Defrauded His Way to the Top of Hollywood
In recent times, the “overlooked” masterpiece On Her Majesty’s Secret Service has frequently emerged in discussions as one of the most profound James Bond films. The reputation of OHMSS was not primarily influenced by its ending, which will remain spoiler-free, but rather by the unconventional casting process that led to its unlikely star, George Lazenby. Today’s featured video presents the Top 10 Sequels that are Superior to the Originals. Now, it’s a bit of a stretch to call Lazenby a “star,” but in 1969, he was arguably the most in-demand actor in the world, effortlessly stepping into the highly coveted role of Bond. As the first in a long line of Bond replacements, he managed to fill the void left by Sean Connery quite admirably. This film deviates from the typical Bond formula, featuring fewer gadgets, less cheesy scenes, and minimal disposable romantic encounters. It represents a shift towards a more mature and grounded approach, reminiscent of From Russia with Love. With Connery departing after five Bond films in seven years, the responsibility of carrying the franchise fell upon an experienced and reliable actor. Or so everyone thought. The producers believed they had found a young Olivier, but in reality, they had been fooled by a car salesman. Lazenby’s journey to stardom resembled something out of a Frank Abagnale story, as he unexpectedly rose to fame only to retreat into obscurity. “Would you like to hear about rustproofing?” Universal Pictures After the massive success of You Only Live Twice, Connery retired from the role of Bond, leaving the series in a desperate state without its iconic face and personality. Connery had won over audiences and the industry with his performance, eventually earning the respect of the incredulous creator, Ian Fleming. The next actor to portray Bond would face intense scrutiny. Utilizing his skills as a car salesman, Lazenby managed to deceive 007’s producers, Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli. He possessed a few advantageous qualities; like Connery, he had a background in physical fitness (Connery as a bodybuilder, Lazenby as a model). “I had one thing on my mind day and night, and that was getting that job,” he confessed in a 2012 EPIX documentary. No longer selling undercoating and paint sealant, he now found himself negotiating with millionaire power brokers and holding his own. However, one small obstacle threatened his dream: Lazenby was not an actor. Related: Matthew Rhys Reminisces About His Failed James Bond Audition Fake It Till You Make It United Artists Assuming the role of Bond required some money and a lot of imagination, but Lazenby was completely consumed by the opportunity and was determined to seize it at any cost. He obtained a suit similar to Connery’s from a London tailor (although there are conflicting accounts regarding whether it was actually one of Connery’s unclaimed suits), bought a Rolex, and even visited Connery’s barber to replicate Bond’s hairstyle exactly. Although he fit the Bond image (complete with an impressive cleft chin), he had no connections to secure a meeting with the casting producers. Since his name was not on the list of contenders, Lazenby simply waited for the audition’s receptionist to become distracted and then sneaked into the audition. “I just ran past her and up the stairs,” he shamelessly admitted. This audacity was made possible by a fabricated resume that caught the attention of the producers, listing fictitious acting roles in Germany, the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe. Not only were Lazenby’s suit and hair fake, but so was his acting experience. Fortunately for him, IMDb would not exist for another two decades. Producers are not known for their investigative skills, so they accepted him at face value. The ruse proved too much for Lazenby, who confessed to director Peter Hunt – on his first Bond project – that he had absolutely no acting experience, revealing the truth before it went any further. Instead of being escorted out, security reportedly laughed at his audacity and composure, as this impostor had managed to fool two of the most prominent producers in the industry. Hunt admired his boldness. Lazenby was in, possibly due to Hunt’s belief that a director should focus on finding the right actors for the roles but “never take [movies themselves] too seriously.” Hunt may have been confident, but studio executives were anxious, going to great lengths to conceal the actor’s identity in billboards and advertisements to mask the switch. Related: Quentin Tarantino Shares the Details of His Missed Opportunity to Direct a James Bond Movie The Chase Is More Exciting Than the Capture Doria G. FilmRoas Productions Dieter Geissler film production Despite all his efforts, Lazenby left the role in record time, bowing out after just one film. According to reviewers and fans, what a film it was. Although it earned less money than its predecessor, it was generally well-received. The film begins with the meta line, “This never happened to the other fella,” which has aged gracefully (unlike the day-for-night filter), reflecting the turbulent process of recasting a beloved character with a new actor. At the very least, Lazenby’s brief appearance in the Bond canon is an intriguing addition to a series that has had its fair share of generic and uninspiring entries. Connery would return for the lackluster 1971 sequel Diamonds Are Forever, appearing to have aged 15 years before departing once again. The role of the MI6 agent would eventually be taken over by Roger Moore and remain with him until 1985. Unlike Lazenby, Moore had an impressive resume to support his interest in the character, rather than just a suit from Saville Row and the correct hairstyle. Despite his fleeting tenure, Lazenby did make his mark, although he never had the opportunity to truly make the role his own, deciding to end his run before OHMSS hit theaters. He landed on his feet, and thanks to the success of his sentimental Bond outing, he secured film roles, mostly abroad, including the 1972 Italian horror film Who Saw Her Die? However, his film opportunities would dry up in the following decades. Accounts differ as to why or who convinced him to relinquish his Walther PPK. The divorce is often attributed to bad advice from friends or agents who warned the actor that the Bond character was outdated and had no future box office potential, a woefully inaccurate prediction. Lazenby didn’t seem to mind either way, famously attending the premiere with a beard and long hair, much to the displeasure of MGM. As we learned in Goldfinger, the “real” Bond despises hippies. “I didn’t want to be known as James Bond,” he later asserted. “The only time I regretted it was when I was broke.”
In recent times, the “forgotten” classic On Her Majesty’s Secret Service has often popped up in debates as one of the deepest James Bond films. The reason for OHMSS’s original slight reputation hinges less on the ending — no spoilers here, don’t worry — and more to do with the surreal casting process which vetted its unlikely star, George Lazenby.
Okay, “star” is a stretch, but in 1969, Lazenby was arguably the hottest actor on the planet, easing into the most coveted film role before or since. The first in long line of James Bond replacements, he managed to fill the Sean Connery-shaped divot in the Aston Martin pretty well. The film is free of the trappings of the traditional Bond movies, with few gadgets, less corny scenes, and almost no disposable booty calls. It was a shift into a more mature, grounded direction akin to From Russia from Love.
With Connery walking away after five James Bond films in seven years, this burden was thrust upon an experienced, trustworthy actor. That’s what everyone believed at least. Producers thought they were casting a young Olivier, but in reality, they had just been duped by a car salesman. Playing out his own Frank Abagnale-esque fantasy, the Aussie actor hit the big time in the most unlikely way possible, his meteoric rise to super stardom matched only by his self-imposed descent back into obscurity.
“Can I Interest You in Some Rustproofing?”
Retiring from the role of Bond following the blockbuster You Only Live TwiceConnery left his bosses in the lurch, the series teetering on the edge of death, deprived of the face and personality of the franchise. Connery had won over audiences and the industry so thoroughly with his performance that the incredulous creator, Ian Fleming, eventually learned to respect him. The next fella was in for a lot of scrutiny.
Using his skills as a car salesman, Lazenby conned his way into the good graces of 007’s producers Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli. He had a few things going for him; like Connery, he was a former fitness freak (Connery a body builder, Lazenby a model). “I had nothing on my mind, night and day, except getting that job,” he said in an EPIX documentary in 2012. He was no longer up-selling undercoating and paint sealant, he was haggling with millionaire power brokers — and holding his own. One tiny, little snag in his plans threatened his dream: Lazenby was not an actor.
Fake It Till You Make It
Playing James Bond took a little money and a little imagination, but Lazenby was completely preoccupied with the gig, determined to land it any cost. He picked up a suit similar to Connery’s suits from a London tailor (whether this was actually one of Connery’s unclaimed suits seems to change based on who’s telling the story), purchased a Rolex, and even hit up Connery’s barbershop to replicate the Bond haircut precisely.
Though he fit the image of Bond (plus an impressive cleft chin thrown in for good measure), he had no connections to get him a meeting with the producers casting the job. His name not on the list of contenders, Lazenby simply waited for the receptionist at the audition to get distracted, then slipped into the audition. “I just bolted past her up the stairs,” he said without shame. This was all possible with a faked resume to catch the attention of the producers, cleverly rambling off bogus acting roles in Germany, the Soviet Union, and Eastern Europe. Not only was Lazenby’s suit and hair phony, so was his resume. Lucky for him, IMDb wouldn’t exist for another two decades. Producers aren’t known for their detective skills, and took him at face value.
The ruse was too much for the prankster, Lazenby admitting to director Peter Hunt — on his first Bond project — he had absolutely no experience, fessing up to the con before it went too far. Rather than have security throw him out on his ass, Hunt reportedly laughed at his resourcefulness and poise, the impostor managing to fool two of the biggest producers on the planet. Hunt loved his moxy. Lazenby was in, perhaps only out of Hunt’s philosophy that a director should focus on getting the right actors for the roles but “never take [movies in themselves] seriously.”
Hunt might have been confident, but the studio execs were biting their fingernails in a panic, going so far as to obscure the actor in billboards and ads to disguise the actor switch.
The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
Roas Productions
Dieter Geissler film production
After all the work, Lazenby abandoned the role in record time, bowing out after only one movie. By reviewer and fan estimates, what a movie it was. Despite making less cash than the previous movie, it was generally well received. The film opens with the odd meta line, “This never happened to the other fella,” which has aged well with time (far better than the day-for-night filter), reflecting the tortured nature of trying to recast a beloved character with a new actor. At very least, his one-and-done venture in the canon is an intriguing film, occurring within a series with more than a few generic, listless entries.
Connery would reprise his role in the dopey 1971 sequel Diamonds Are Foreverlooking like he aged 15 years, before bailing once again.The role of the MI6 agent would eventually fall to Roger Moore, and here it would stay until 1985. Unlike Lazenby, Moore had an incredibly solid resume to back up his interest in the character, not just a Saville Row label on his suit and the correct part in his hair. Despite his blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tenure, Lazenby did leave his mark, but never really got the chance to make the role his own, deciding that his run would end before OHMSS released in theaters. He landed on his feet, and on the success of the sentimental Bond outing did snag film roles, mostly abroad, such as the 1972 Italian horror film Who Saw Her Die? But his film opportunities would dry up in the coming decades.
Accounts differ why or who persuaded him to hand in his Walther PPK. The divorce is often chalked up to bad advice from friends or agents who warned the actor the Bond character was outdated and had no future box office potential, which proved to be a woefully inept prediction. Lazenby never seemed bothered either way, infamously wearing a beard and long hair to the premiere which irked those at MGM. As we learned in Goldfingerthe “real” Bond despises hippies. “I didn’t want to be known as James Bond,” he asserted later. “The only time I had regrets was when I was broke.”
