One-Time Bond Celebrates Birthday….Day 248 of Bond 365

Both Gert Frobe, as Auric Goldfinger from Goldfinger, and John McLusky, artist for the James Bond comic strip, passed away in 1988 and 2006 respectively. Both have been featured here on Spyfi & Superspies. Frobe was spotlighted on February 25 and McLusky on January 20.

Now, let’s talk about…..

George Lazenby

Born this day in 1939

James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

One time James Bond for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, George Lazenby was born in Goulburn, a city established in 1863 in New South Wales.

In 1964, Lazenby moved to London. Like all struggling actors, he held several jobs: mechanic, car salesman and model. A chance meeting with Albert Broccoli in 1966 left a lasting impression on the Bond producer as a potential Bond. Lazenby is said to have spend his last few pounds on a suit originally made for Sean Connery as well as a Rolex watch.

When Lazenby did audition for the role of Bond, he was selected based on his fighting skills displayed during fight sequence screen test. He is the one person of all the actors to play Bond that did not come to the role with any real acting experience. Lazenby had been in commercials and a very small role in a Bond spoof. However, he had a strong, masculine refine look about him that worked.

And then he quit the role before it premiered in 1969. He went on to guest appear in a television shows that were popular during their respective time periods. Lazenby had recurring roles in the Emmanuelle series, some Bond spoofs, commercials, and voice work.

He’s still an active actor and is a recurring guest at collector shows. I have met him a couple of times. The most recent time, I had the James Bond 007 Archives book with me for him to sign. He asked if he could look through it because he hadn’t seen the book yet. I asked if he would sign the photograph in the book snapped as Lazenby was tossing his hat onto the hook. He told me that he was the only Bond to successfully get his hat on the coat rack hook. He said that’s why his toss is shown on screen.

Over the years, OHMSS has gain accolades as being one of the best films in the history of the Eon Productions films. It is one of my favourites and in my humble opinion has the best soundtrack of all of the franchise’s films.

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