MovieChat Forums > On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) Discussion > George Lazenby, gigantic fool.

George Lazenby, gigantic fool.

posted 10 years ago by one9deuce
15 replies | jump to latest

What a colossal mistake he made not signing the seven picture deal they offered him. Because he and his managers thought Bond was "over". Or because he/they wanted even more money. Or whatever you believe. The fact is that Saltzman/Broccoli and United Artists had EVERY reason to keep the new Bond as THE Bond for as many years as possible. Not being able to re-sign Lazenby was a huge PR disaster and they had to go crawling back to Connery for one more film and give him a huge payday. Lazenby thought the long hair hippie culture of EASY RIDER is all the movie going audience would want going forward into the 70's, ROTFLMAO. Nice call George, the hippie culture in pop culture lasted only a few more years, but James Bond is going stronger than ever 45 years after your one and only Bond outing. They offered him $28,000,000 in 1969! Inflation adjusted that's like turning down around $200,000,000 now. Seriously, WTF was he thinking?

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Anthony81 9 years ago

I agree, it was a colossal mistake, especially when one considers that he basically swindled the producers into giving him the role. I also feel that his reasoning for not continuing the role is a bit of a cop out. One would think, no matter what kind of influence people around him had, he should've had the wherewithal to think to himself, hey I pulled off the crime of the century.

Which in the grand scheme of his life is what it amounted to. The irony is up to this very day he's renowned for this one role, must as he was when it was filmed.

In a way I almost feel sorry for him... almost. He summed it up best when he 'I blew it'. It's gotta hurt rather deeply to go all your life and have people know you for blowing your opportunity to be James Bond because you wanted to be a hippie. Sucks.

[–] bhaig 9 years ago

Unfortunately Lazenby's inexperience caused him to take bad business advice from his agent. He could have easily played Bond all the way up to For Your Eyes Only and then hand the mantle over to Dalton.

[–] hal-9010 9 years ago

They offered him $28,000,000 in 1969, Inflation adjusted that's like turning down around $200,000,000 now

The Total budget for a Bond movie at the time was like 7-9 mill, so I don't know from where you got this info?

He got 400k for OHMSS, and I would imagine perhaps 6-800k for DAF. But no more. No way. Connary got $1,3 millfor DAF plus profit share which is said to have totaled him little less than 7 mill. Which for the time was extremely good.. Moore got 1 mill for LALD. Daniel got a little more than 3 mill for CR. All pretty solids salaries, but no way near your number.

___________
** I am normally not a praying man, but if you are up there, please save me Superman **

[–] one9deuce 9 years ago

That $28,000,000 figure was for the entire 7 picture deal over 14 years according to the Bond documentary I watched. That's a lot of money, security, and fame to turn down. Although, it does appear he did alright for himself. But if he was wise with the relatively small amount he had he could have really done something with THAT kind of money.

[–] hal-9010 9 years ago

I see. It sounds insanely high still though. 4 million a pop, meaning each is ten times better paid than his first. Compared to how much Craig gets even today, it seem to be a wrong number.

But really in any case (even if "merely" 800k a pop), one have to be pretty high on himself to turn something like that down.

I just checked him on http://www.celebritynetworth.com/ and they put a 100m bill to his name describing investments and much more. So perhaps he is rather a gigantic fool who learned :-)

___________
** I am normally not a praying man, but if you are up there, please save me Superman **

[–] qormi 9 years ago

The Laz got the last laugh. After Connery, he has the highest net worth of any other actor to play Bond, due to wise investments: $100 million.

[–] maxzorindresden 9 years ago

Game of Death could've boosted his career but then Lee died :(

[–] domester82 9 years ago

He was a fool to turn down the seven picture contract. He could have played Bond right up until Dalton's era.

[–] Lucia2016 (519) 4 years ago

You could argue that he was right- Bond may still be going today but On her majesties Secret Service was probably the last well made/well written of the franchise, it was downhill from here

Personally i like that he wasn't just in it for the money/fame and thought there was more to life, it is refreshing, plus he didn't do too badly i hear

[–] thingmakersback (1184) 4 years ago

If Lazenby came back for Diamonds Are Forever, I think the very limited attempt to tie it to OHMSS would have worked better and could have been expanded. There was a chronology in the novels and there could have been in the movies at this point.
In OHMSS, admittedly in attempt to tie in to past glories, we get the scene of 007 cleaning out his desk - with mementos of previous cases. OHMSS has the strongest story, with an actual relationship for Bond. Diamonds are Forever could actually have been a cathartic revenge story. It could have left Bond in a damaged state similar to the ending of the novel You Only Live Twice... Remember the rather nifty opening of Die Another Day, with Bond bearded and disheveled from a year of torture in North Korean hands? Something like that could have begun a sequel to Diamonds Are Forever... If that film had a stronger and more interesting screenplay.

[–] Lucia2016 (519) 4 years ago

I agree with this- I would add in a perfect World Connery made both those films and then ended the series that would have been awesome

I think he has even said that he wishes he would have made OHMSS

I would have Ditched You Only Live twice as well

[–] liscarkat (16530) 4 years ago

This is one of the best Bond movies. Lazenby was a bit stiff, but charismatic enough to pull it off. If he had stuck with it, his acting would have improved and he would have been a great Bond. Instead, he faded into obscurity.

[–] bobbydallas (8059) 3 years ago

he just wasn't given a chance.
one movie can't prove anything.. and people hate on him because they are SO in love with Connery..

the movie is good, it's one of my favorite Bonds.