Actors who were nearly Bond

1961
-Cary Grant - Turned down the role because he was 58 and didn't want to do a franchise
-James Mason - Was offered the role but also didn't want to do a franchise. I heard once that he was considered the play Hugo Drax in Moonraker
-Richard Burton
-Richard Johnson - Turned it down because he had a contract with MGM and was planning to leave
-Rex Harrison - Odd choice, doesn't really feel like an action star type of choice
-Rod Taylor - Felt that the role was beneath him
-David Niven - Would go on the star in the Bond spoof "Casino Royale" in '67

Out of all these candidates, no one on that list can best Connery.

1967/1968
-Michael Caine - Turned down the role because he didn't want to type cast as a spy
-Adam West - Turned it down because he was American
-Terrence Stamp - His ideas to the producers were too radical. He not a bad choice though
-Oliver Reed - Was turned down due to his poor public image
-Jeremy Brett

From this list I think that Stamp would have been a great Bond, but I didn't mind Lazenby and wished he stayed on after OHMSS for a couple of more films if his agent didn't give him the advice.

1970
-John Gavin - Was cast, but Sean Connery returned to the role
-Clint Eastwood - Turned down the role because he was American
-Michael Gambon - Felt that was not in good shape
-Burt Reynolds - Turned down the role because he was American

One of those choices would have worked

1972
-Julian Glover - Would later go on and play the villain in For Your Eyes Only
-Jeremy Brett
-Timothy Dalton - Turned down the role because he was too young, would later play Bind in the Living Daylights
-Michael Billington - Was the front runner, would later play a villain in the Spy Who Loved Me and would be a contender if Moore left the role
-Burt Reynolds - Turned down because he was American
-Paul Newman - Turned down because he was American
-Robert Redford - Turned down because he was American
-Simon Oates
-William Gaunt

Enjoyed Moore in the role, not sure how these candidates (with the exception of Dalton) would have worked, but Michael Billington would have been good

1979/1980
-Timothy Dalton - Turned down the role because he didn't like the direction
-Michael Jayson
-Lewis Collins
-Michael Billington
-Ian Ogilivy

I think Dalton would have been the best choice out these candiates, I'd also favour Lewis Collins, Roger was great, but by the 80s he was getting long in the tooth.

1982
-James Brolin - Auditioned for the role and got but was let go after Roger Moore agreed to return
-Timothy Dalton
-Lewis Collins
-Olivier Tobais
-Ian Ogilivy
-Michael Billington

Roger had to come back to compete against Sean Connery and McClory

1986
-Sam Neill - Screentested the role, but Cubby Broccoli wasn't completely sold
-Pierce Brosnan - Was chosen to played the role, but was let go after his show "Remington Steele" was renewed for a new season
-Mel Gibson - Was turned down because he was not British
-Sean Bean - Would later play 006 in Goldeneye
-Antony Hamilton - Was turned down because he was gay in real life
-Mark Greenstreet
-Andrew Clarke - The youngest contender
-Christopher Lambert - A French Bond?
-Finlay Light
-Lambert Wilson
-Robert Bauthrust

Brosnan was the popular choice out of all the canditdates, but in my opionion Dalton had done two great Bond films.

1994
-Mel Gibson - Turned down the role
-Liam Neeson - Turned down the role because he had accepted it his girlfriend wouldn't have married him
-Hugh Grant - Too posh in my opionion and not tough
-Sean Bean - Would be cast as the villain
-Ralph Fiennes - Would go on the play M in "Skyfall"
-Paul McGaan - Was the alternate choice if Brosnan turned it down
-James Purefoy
-Mark Frankel

Sean Bean is an interesting one, as so are Neeson and McGaan, Others can't best Brosnan out of all of them.

2005
-Clive Owen - The producers were unwilling to provide gross profit points
-Hugh Jackman - Turned down the role because he was Wolverine
-Colin Farrell - Turned down the role due to fear of being type cast. Wouln't be bad choice though
-Gerard Butler - Wanted to do his own projects instead
-Dominic West - Heard a rumour that Pierce Brosnan was coming back and ruled himself out. He would have been a good choice in my opinion
-Ewan McGregor - Turned down the role due to fear of being type cast
-Sam Worthington - Was a final candidate
-Alex O'Loughlin
-Jonathan Rhys Meyers - Heard his name popping around, wouldn't have minded him as a younger Bond than they were going for
-Orlando Bloom - Wouldn't have worked
-Henry Cavill - Was a final candidate and the directors preferred chocie, but was deemed too young by Barbara Broccoli. Today he be the right age for the part but it seems unlikley since he's tied up with Supes and stuff
-Rupert Friend
-Karl Urban
-Sam Hueghan
-Antony Starr
-Christian Bale
-Dougray Scott

I mentioned West, Meyers and Farrell as personal Bond choices, I'd also throw Urban in there on this list but I thought that Craig did a great job.