Casino Royale (1967) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error In an early spy spoof, aging Sir James Bond comes out of retirement to take on SMERSH. Directors: From $9.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 25 titles created 25 May 2011 a list of 43 titles created 16 May 2012 a list of 26 titles created 05 Nov 2012 a list of 26 titles created 21 Jul 2013 a list of 42 titles created 02 Jul 2015 Search for " Casino Royale " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

See more awards » Photos A SPECTRE agent has stolen two American nuclear warheads, and James Bond must find their targets before they are detonated. Director: Irvin Kershner A playboy who refuses to give up his hedonistic lifestyle to settle down and marry his true love seeks help from a demented psychoanalyst who is having romantic problems of his own. Directors: Clive Donner, Richard Talmadge Stars: Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider James Bond woos a mob boss's daughter and goes undercover to uncover the true reason for Blofeld's allergy research in the Swiss Alps that involves beautiful women from around the world. Director: Peter R. Hunt A resourceful British government agent seeks answers in a case involving the disappearance of a colleague and the disruption of the American space program. Director: Terence Young A diamond smuggling investigation leads James Bond to Las Vegas, where he uncovers an evil plot involving a rich business tycoon. Director: Guy Hamilton Agent 007 and the Japanese secret service ninja force must find and stop the true culprit of a series of spacejackings before nuclear war is provoked.

Director: Lewis Gilbert James Bond heads to The Bahamas to recover two nuclear warheads stolen by SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo in an international extortion scheme. Director: Terence Young James Bond is led to believe that he is targeted by the world's most expensive assassin while he attempts to recover sensitive solar cell technology that is being sold to the highest bidder. Director: Guy Hamilton James Bond willingly falls into an assassination ploy involving a naive Russian beauty in order to retrieve a Soviet encryption device that was stolen by SPECTRE. Director: Terence Young 007 is sent to stop a diabolically brilliant heroin magnate armed with a complex organization and a reliable psychic tarot card reader. Director: Guy Hamilton James Bond investigates the hijacking of British and Russian submarines carrying nuclear warheads with the help of a KGB agent whose lover he killed. Director: Lewis Gilbert A fake Fabergé egg and a fellow agent's death lead James Bond to uncover an international jewel-smuggling operation, headed by the mysterious Octopussy, being used to disguise a nuclear attack on N.A.T.O. forces. Director: John Glen Edit Storyline After the death of M, Sir James Bond is called back out of retirement to stop SMERSH.

In order to trick SMERSH and Le Chiffre, Bond thinks up the ultimate plan. That every agent will be named James Bond. One of the Bonds, whose real name is Evelyn Tremble is sent to take on Le Chiffre in a game of baccarat, but all the Bonds get more than they can handle. Written by simon Casino Royale is too much for one James Bond! See more » Genres: 28 April 1967 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Charles K. Feldman's Casino Royale See more » Filming Locations: 70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints)| Mono (35 mm prints) Color: Black and White (archive footage: Keystone Cops)| Color (Technicolor) Aspect Ratio: Cameos by Frank Sinatra , Sophia Loren , and Barbra Streisand were planned. See more » Goofs When the pod from the flying saucer "drives" up out of the water in the underground dock, the cable pulling it is plainly visible near the bottom of the screen. See more » Quotes Sir James : [In Mata's room] Who are all these people?

Mata Bond : They're the high priests of the temple. Okay, Fred, up it! [a priest gets up and bows as he leaves] Sir James : What an extraordinary performance. They seem to treat you like some kind of goddess. Mata Bond : Well, I am the celestial virgin of the sacred altar. See more » Crazy Credits The opening credit animation by Richard Williams parodies illuminated manuscripts with cartoon-style calligraphy. It sets the tone for the film as a psychedelic "knight's tale" of Sir James Bond. See more » Connections "Too many cooks spoil the broth". 5 October 2005 | by Galina (Virginia, USA) – See all my reviews What a mess of the royal proportions - such a great cast (Peter Sellers, David Niven, Orson Welles, Woody Allen, Ursula Andress, Deborah Kerr, and Jean-Paul Belmondo), the James Bond's story, plenty of beautiful (and I mean it) girls, the music by Burt Bacharach, most famous sets - but the movie is almost totally unwatchable.

It started funny enough - at Sir James Bond's (David Niven) home where he was approached by four international agents that forced him to come out of retirement and head up the operation against the evil organization SMERSH. His mission is to destroy Topple LeChiffre (Orson Welles} at the baccarat tables where he never loses and wins a lot of money to supply SMERSH. Then, the movie becomes silly, stupid, pointless, and (what is the worst) not funny. Only Woody Allen, (as Bond's incompetent nephew, Jimmy Bond) brilliant as usual has appeared in two scenes and made them silly and hilarious. I think that "Casino Royale" (the way it was made) illustrates the fact that bigger is not always better - overlong and overblown, written and directed by five or more writers and directors, it brings to mind an old saying, "Too many cooks spoil the broth". OT: the abbreviation SMERSH really existed during the WWII. It means "Death to the Spies" in Russian. 49 of 70 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes David Niven | James Bond Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Last: Casino Royale (1967 film) David Niven (1910-1983) was a British actor. He plays James Bond in the 1967 spoof of Casino Royale . He was the second actor to play the role in a film outside the official franchise. Early life I want you to clean up this mess, 007 This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of article quality. Please follow the guidelines in the Manual of Style and complete this article to the highest level of quality before continuing on smaller articles. James David Graham Niven was born in London to William Edward Graham Niven (1878–1915) and Henrietta Julia Degacher. He was named David for his birth on St. David's Day (1 March). Niven often claimed that he was born in Kirriemuir, in the Scottish county of Angus in 1909, but his birth certificate shows this was not the case. Henrietta was of French and British ancestry.

She was born in Wales, the daughter of army officer William Degacher (1841–1879) by his marriage to Julia Caroline Smith, the daughter of Lieutenant General James Webber Smith. Niven's grandfather William Degacher was killed in the Battle of Isandlwana (1879), during the Zulu War. Born William Hitchcock, he and his brother Henry had followed the lead of their father, Walter Henry Hitchcock, in assuming their mother's maiden name of Degacher in 1874. William Niven, David's father, was of Scottish descent; his paternal grandfather, David Graham Niven, (1811–1884) was from St. Martin's, a village in Perthshire. William served in the Berkshire Yeomanry in the First World War and was killed during the Gallipoli Campaign on 21 August 1915. He was buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Turkey in the Special Memorial Section in Plot F. 10. David's mother Henrietta then married Sir Thomas Comyn-Platt in London in 1917.

Graham Lord, in Niv: The Authorised Biography of David Niven, suggested that Comyn-Platt and Mrs. Niven had been having an affair for some time before her husband's death, and that Sir Thomas may well have been David Niven's biological father, a supposition which has some support from her children. A reviewer of Lord's book stated that Lord's photographic evidence showing a strong physical resemblance between Niven and Comyn-Platt "would appear to confirm these theories, though photographs can often be misleading.” David Niven had three older siblings: Margaret Joyce (born in Geneva, Switzerland, 5 January 1900 – 18 November 1981) Henry Degacher ("Max"; born in Buckland, Berkshire 29 June 1902 – March 1953) Grizel Rosemary Graham (born in Belgravia, Middlesex), 28 November 1906 – 28 January 2007). The source for the dates and places of birth of the above is William Edward Graham Niven's army service record which does not give a place of birth for David, but his birth certificate states Belgrave Mansions, London.

The family's country home at Buckland, Carswell Manor, was sold shortly after David's birth. David Niven - IMDb IMDb Actor | Producer | Soundtrack David Niven was named after the Saint's Day on which he was born, St. David, patron Saint of Wales. He attended Stowe School and Sandhurst Military Academy and served for two years in Malta with the Highland Light Infantry. At the outbreak of World War II, although a top-line star, he re-joined the army (Rifle Brigade). He did, however, consent to... See full bio » Born: Share this page: Related News a list of 23 people created 27 Oct 2011 a list of 25 people created 30 Sep 2012 a list of 28 people created 17 Jul 2014 a list of 47 people created 27 May 2015 a list of 35 people created 2 months ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of David Niven's work have you seen? User Polls Won 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 6 nominations.

See more awards » Known For The Pink Panther Sir Charles Lytton (1963) Casino Royale Sir James Bond (1967) 1963 Burke's Law (TV Series) Harvey Cleeve 1957-1959 Zane Grey Theater (TV Series) Cameo / Milo Brant / Allen Raikes - Checkmate (1959) ... Cameo (uncredited) 1957-1958 Goodyear Theatre (TV Series) Charles Enright / Jeffrey Collins / Jeff Carleton / ... 1952-1956 Four Star Playhouse (TV Series) Lee / Ted / Jim Kenyon / ... 1952 All Star Revue (TV Series) Guest Actor 1952 Robert Montgomery Presents (TV Series) Sheffield 1950 Nash Airflyte Theatre (TV Series) Arthur Carstairs 1949 Inside U.S.A. with Chevrolet (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Episode #1.4 (1949) ...

(performer: "Way Up North") 1938 The Dawn Patrol (performer: "Plum and Apple" - uncredited) Hide - 55 días en Pekín (2011) ...

(in memory of) Hide 1985 The Moviemakers (TV Series) Himself 1982 Hour Magazine (TV Series) Himself 1979 Christmas Snowtime Special (TV Movie) Himself 1977-1978 Hollywood Greats (TV Series documentary) Himself / Himself - Interviewee 1976 David Niven's World (TV Series) Host 1976 Looks Familiar (TV Series) Himself - Guest 1971-1975 V.I.P.-Schaukel (TV Series documentary) Himself 1975 Survival (TV Series documentary) Himself - Narrator 1973 ABC Late Night (TV Series) Himself 1973 Jack Paar Tonite (TV Series) Himself 1968 Paris aktuell (TV Series documentary) Himself Himself - Recalling His Award: Pre-Recorded 1966 Cinema (TV Series documentary) Himself Himself - Host / Himself - Guest Host - Epilogue (1963) ... Himself - Host 1961 Here's Hollywood (TV Series) Himself 1952-1960 What's My Line?

(TV Series) Himself - Guest Panelist / Himself - Panelist / Himself - Mystery Guest - Sticks and Stones (1959) ... Himself - Host - Portrait (1959) ...

Himself - Host 1959 Zane Grey Theater (TV Series) Himself 1958 Glamorous Hollywood (Documentary short) Himself 1957 Cinépanorama (TV Series documentary) Himself 1956 Film Fanfare (TV Series) Himself 1954 Light's Diamond Jubilee (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2013 Talking Pictures (TV Series documentary) Himself 2012 Too Young to Die (TV Series documentary) Himself 2007 Underworld Histories (TV Series) Himself 2005 Hollywood Greats (TV Series documentary) Himself / Various Roles 2005 Ciclo Agatha Christie (TV Series documentary) Himself 2005 The Adventures of Errol Flynn (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Actor 2004 Monaco - Le circuit des princes (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2003 Bob Hope at 100 (TV Movie documentary) Himself (uncredited) 2001 American Masters (TV Series documentary) Himself 1999 The Rat Pack (TV Series documentary) Himself 1996 Bogart: The Untold Story (TV Movie documentary) Himself -

 Funeral Attendee (uncredited) 1993 Northern Exposure (TV Series) Fritz von Tarlenheim 1992 Oscar's Greatest Moments (Video documentary) Himself 1990 Washes Whiter (TV Series documentary) Himself - Maxwell House commercial 1976 - The Getaway People (1990) ...

Himself - Maxwell House commercial 1976 (uncredited) 1988 Hunter (TV Series) 1984 The 56th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special documentary) Himself Novel: "Round the Rugged Rocks". See more » Publicity Listings: 11 Print Biographies | 2 Portrayals | 5 Interviews | 5 Articles | 2 Pictorials | 19 Magazine Cover Photos | See more » Alternate Names: Did You Know? Personal Quote: [on Humphrey Bogart ] It took a little while to realize that he had perfected an elaborate camouflage to cover up one of the kindest and most generous of hearts. Even so, he was no soft touch and before you were allowed to peek beneath the surface and catch a glimpse of the real man, you had to prove yourself. Above all, you had to demonstrate conclusively to his satisfaction that you were no ... See more » Trivia: Was born on St. David's Day, hence his Christian name. St. David is the patron saint of Wales.

See more » Trademark: A natty dresser often with a thin moustache and slick hair See more » Nickname: David Niven | Films | Movies | Cinema | Biography of this British actor - David Niven David Niven (Lt Col) (1910 - 1983) After his Goldwyn contract ended in 1949, Niven marked time with inconsequential movies before joining Dick Powell, Charles Boyer, and Ida Lupino to form Four Star, a television production company. Niven was finally able to choose strong dramatic roles for himself, becoming one of TV's first and most prolific stars, although his public still preferred him as a light comedian. The actor's film career also took an upswing in the '50s with starring performances in the controversial 'The Moon Is Blue' (1953), a harmless concoction which was denied a Production Code seal because the word "virgin" was bandied about, and the mammoth 'Around the World in 80 Days' (1956), in which Niven played his most famous role, erudite 19th century globetrotter Phileas Fogg.

When Laurence Olivier dropped out of the 1958 film ;Separate Tables', Niven stepped in to play an elderly, disgraced British military man. Although he was as flippant about the part as usual - telling an interviewer, "They gave me very good lines and then cut to Deborah Kerr while I was saying them" .. he won an Oscar for this performance. This perhaps sums up David Niven more than anything else you're likely to read. Niven continued his career as a high-priced, A-list actor well into the '60s. He played the amiable comic thief Sir Charles Lytton in 'The Pink Panther' (1963) and returned to television in the stylish "caper" series 'The Rogues' in 1964. He than played Sir James Bond in the 1967 version of 'Casino Royale'. He revisited his hobby of writing in the early '70s; an earlier novel, Round the Ragged Rocks, didn't sell very well, but gave him pleasure while working on it.

But two breezy autobiographies did better: The Moon's a Balloon (1972) and Bring on the Empty Horse (1975). Working alone, without help of a ghostwriter (as opposed to many celebrity authors), Niven was able to entertainingly transfer his charm and wit to the printed page (even if he seldom let the facts impede his storytelling). At the start of the 1980's he played a real military hero in Andrew V. McLaglens 'The Sea Wolves' with Gregory Peck and Roger Moore. A very unusual and enjoyable war time romp – the details of which will be found elsewhere on the website. In 1982, Niven discovered he was suffering from a neurological illness commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which would prove fatal within a year. Courageously keeping up a front with his friends and the public, Niven continued making media appearances, although he was obviously deteriorating. While appearing in his last film, Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), the actor's speech became so slurred due to his illness that his lines were later dubbed by impressionist Rich Little.

Refusing all artificial life-support systems, Niven died in his Switzerland home later that year. Niven was unsure of how worthwhile his life had been, believing that perhaps he had not completed all that he wanted to achieve. But perhaps the legacy of leaving behind countless friends and family members who adored him should have been enough. In terms of a suitable epitaph a lovely story springs to mind. After his death journalists were trying to "dig up dirt" following the actor's death. They came back surprised and perhaps secretly pleased that none of them could find anyone who would have a bad word to say about David Niven. Quotes ‘Going to war was the only unselfish thing I have ever done for humanity’ ’I have a face that is a cross between two pounds of halibut and an explosion in an old clothes closet’ ‘I see my purpose in life as making the world a happier place to be in’ Autobiographies: Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) Little Jimmy You will receive an email shortly to confirm your email address.

Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) Little Jimmy title details and video sharing options now playing Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) Little Jimmy In which the un-retired James Bond (David Niven) meets the new Moneypenny (Barbara Bouchet) and introduces his errant nephew Jimmy (Woody Allen), in the 007 spoof Casino Royale, 1967. View the TCMDb entry for Casino Royale (1967) share video Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) Little Jimmy In which the un-retired James Bond (David Niven) meets the... Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip)... Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) Little Jimmy In which the un-retired James Bond (David Niven) meets the new Moneypenny (Barbara Bouchet) and introduces his errant nephew Jimmy (Woody Allen), in the 007 spoof Casino Royale, 1967.> Casino Royale (1967) - (Pan-and-scan Trailer) A retired James Bond (David Niven) goes...

Casino Royale (1967) - (Pan-and-scan Trailer) The first movie version of the first James Bond novel Casino Royale (1967) was this wild 60's farce with 16 stars and 6 directors.> Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) The Russians... Early on, we meet the retired, stuttering, real and annoyed... Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) The Russians Started It We meet the retired, stuttering, annoyed James Bond (David Niven), visited by English, American, Soviet and French head spooks (director John Huston, William Holden, Kurt Kasznar, Charles Boyer), needing help figuring out who's offing their agents, in the all-star satire Casino Royale, 1967.> Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) Open, My... Peter Sellers is introduced (with Duncan MacRae) as the... Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip)...

Casino Royale (1967) -- (Movie Clip) Open, My Credentials Peter Sellers is introduced (with Duncan MacRae) as the first of many 007's, then ornate period credits, but mostly the evocative Burt Bacharach theme song, opening producer Charles K. Feldman's sprawling James Bond spoof, Casino Royale, 1967.> Casino Royale (1967) Trailer - YouTube Casino Royale (1967) Trailer Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Jan 15, 2007 Trailer Casino Royale (1967) The first James Bond parody, based on the Ian Flemming Novel, David Nivens, Peter Sellers, and Woody Allen star as James, James, and Jimmy to thwart Smirch and it's gambler leader, Orson Welles.

Category Amazon.com: Casino Royale (1968): Peter Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Orson Welles: Amazon Digital Services LLC By Orson Welles on June 4, 2015 Format: Blu-ray Verified Purchase Just search "Casino Royale (1967) [Blu-ray]" "This Blu-ray probably looks like the film Casio Royale and it advances beyond the last DVD editions in several key areas - notably detail and colors. Depth is far more evident than the SD renderings and Bacharach's lively score via Herb Alpert is intoxicating in lossless. Let's not forget Dusty Springfield singing "The Look of Love". Both tracks are worth the price of the disc alone. There are multiple foreign language DUBs as well as subtitle choices signifying this to be a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide. Extras : we get the DVD commentary by James Bond Historians Steven Jay Ruben and John Cork filling in plenty of Bond references for us as well as the more serious Making of Casino Royale over 40-minutes and 4 chapters worth of looking at the franchise.

There is also a theatrical trailer in 1080P." from dvdbeaver review Sean Connery: Snob Ian Fleming didn't want me to play Bond | UK | News | Daily Express UK Sean Connery: Snob Ian Fleming didn't want me to play Bond SIR SEAN CONNERY has attacked James Bond’s creator Ian Fleming as a snob because the author was “not that happy” at the working class Scot playing 007. 00:00, Sun, Oct 19, 2008 CONVERTED: Sean Connery's 007 eventually won over Fleming It emerged recently that Fleming drew up a shortlist of seven actors for the part including Cary Grant and David Niven, but not Connery. Now Sir Sean has revealed more about tension behind the scenes as cameras started rolling on the first Bond film in 1961. In an interview with Melvin Bragg to be shown on the South Bank Show on Wednesday, Sir Sean says he had little time for the secret agent’s creator. He says: “I never got introduced to Fleming until I was well into the movie but I know he was not happy with me as the choice.

“What was it he called me, or told somebody? That I was an over-developed stunt man. He never said it to me. When I did eventually meet him he was very interesting, erudite and a snob – a real snob. Ian Fleming said I was an over-developed stunt man. Sir Sean Connery “But his company was very good for a limited time for me.” Fleming’s first choice of actor to play 007 in Dr No, the first Bond book to reach the big screen, was Cary Grant – but he was too expensive. David Niven, James Mason, Patrick McGoohan, Rex Harrison, Richard Burton and Stewart Granger were also on his list. Niven turned down the role because he felt he was too old. Sir Sean, who confesses he was surprised to get the part, says: “They couldn’t afford most of the people they wanted. That was the start. They were seeing people, they were advertising in the papers. Then they brought me in to see them and they wanted me.” Sir Sean’s performance won Fleming over and in later books he gave 007 a partly Scots ancestry.

Sir Sean tells the South Bank Show he was convinced that the Bond movies – the 22nd, Quantum of Solace, is released at the end of the month – were doomed to failure. “Anybody that says it was going to be a success is lying. I must say that from the beginning. I think about it quite a bit. If I see it on a screen I think, yeah, they could have done this better or that better.” He says he believes now that the series can continue for years. “The ingredients are all there for a kind of movie that people want to see. It’s very good, entertaining value. It’s a spectrum of actors, from myself to Daniel Craig, who I thought was fantastic in the role.” In the programme Craig says he was knocked for six by protests that greeted his casting in 2005. Craig, 40, who had previously starred in gangster drama Layer Cake, was denounced as too ugly, too blond and a wimp.

He said he decided then: “The only way forward is just to create something very memorable and if it doesn’t work I’ll move on.” The doubters were silenced as Casino Royale was released to rave reviews and a record box office return, earning £300million. It transformed Craig into a sex symbol, due in part to the image of him striding from the sea in trunks. He tells Bragg the sequence came about by accident as a sand bank at the location in the Bahamas prevented him from swimming ashore. “I had no idea I’d be haunted by it for the rest of my life,” he says. James Bond Actors Spotlight - ComingSoon.net James Bond Actors Spotlight October 28, 2015 SHARE Take a look back at all the different James Bond actors that have played 007 over the years. There are more than you might think! For over 50 years, audiences have swooned over James Bond , one of the most durable fictional characters of the modern age.

Created by Ian Fleming in 1953, the international super spy was originally modeled after “Georgia On My Mind” singer Hoagy Carmichael but would go on to be played by a series of handsome actors, most of whom would eventually be known as James Bond actors over any of their other career accomplishments. Although several other James Bond actors have appeared over the years – on the radio, for example, or comedy sketches – only so many of these performances actually “count.” As we take a look back at the various Bond actors in this spotlight, we will focus primarily on the feature film portrayals of everyone’s favorite secret agent, as well as an official adaptation of Fleming’s first novel produced for television in the 1950s. And of course, as we all continue to speculate about who will play James Bond after Daniel Craig eventually leaves the franchise, we will also consider the many famous actors who auditioned to star in the hit franchise over the years, and either didn’t get the part, turned it down flat or – in some cases – lost the role early on, only to eventually play Bond later. James Bond Actors Spotlight: Barry Nelson James Bond made his first on-camera appearance just one year after the publication of the first Ian Fleming novel.

But he wasn’t played by Sean Connery , and he wasn’t in theaters. Heck, he was actually an American, “Jimmy Bond,” played by Barry Nelson, an actor otherwise most famous for his supporting role in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. This short adaptation of Casino Royale plays fast and loose with the character, and Nelson is hardly the most memorable actor to have played Bond, but Peter Lorre does give an excellent performance as the villain Le Chiffre. James Bond Actors Spotlight: Bob Simmons One of the most iconic openings in movie history is this shot of James Bond walking into frame and shooting at the camera. But did you know that the actor in this opening wasn’t Sean Connery, who played Bond throughout the rest of the film? For the first three films in the official James Bond series, the actor at the beginning is actually professional stuntman Bob Simmons, who worked on almost every one of the Bond movies until his death in 1987. He also played SPECTRE agent Jacques Bouvar in Thunderball, making him the only actor to have played both James Bond and a James Bond villain. James Bond Actors Spotlight: Sean Connery He may not technically have been the first James Bond, but he’s the icon anyway.

The first official James Bond movie, Dr. No, was Sean Connery’s breakout film after years of smaller roles. (His biggest part before this: the Disney fantasy Darby O’Gill and the Little People .) He smoldered, and quickly became one of the biggest stars in the world, but he wasn’t the first choice to play Bond. Some of the other actors who were reportedly considered include Cary Grant, Patrick McGoohan, and two actors who would go on to play James Bond in the future: David Niven and Roger Moore. James Bond Actors Spotlight: David Niven, et al The 1967 farce Casino Royale , based extremely loosely on Fleming’s original novel, is a rather silly film. David Niven plays James Bond, who is forced out of retirement to take down his arch-nemesis SMERSH once and for all. The tag line for the film was “Casino Royale is too much… for one James Bond!” and the filmmakers followed up on this promise by having multiple agents operating under the code name “James Bond,” in an attempt to confuse the enemy.

Niven is the only true Bond in Casino Royale, but the other faux-Bonds are played by Peter Sellers, Barbara Bouchet, Joanna Pettet, Terence Cooper, Daliah Lavi and former “Bond Girl” Ursula Andress. Adding to the confusion is Woody Allen, playing James Bond’s nephew “Jimmy” Bond. James Bond Actors Spotlight: George Lazenby When Sean Connery departed the James Bond franchise after five films, the producers sought far and wide for a suitable replacement, eventually deciding on Australian actor and model George Lazenby. (Perhaps the most notable actor reportedly up for the part was John Richardson, star of One Million Years B.C.) The film, 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service , is considered one of the best Bond movies but Lazenby himself didn’t become an icon like his predecessor. Lazenby was under contract for more Bond movies but chose to depart the series after only a single film. James Bond Actors Spotlight: Sean Connery (Again) Sean Connery returned for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever, for a hefty $1.25 million paycheck and the studio backing for two films of his choice.

(Only one of those films was made: Sidney Lumet’s The Offence.) Although the producers shelled out for Connery’s hefty paycheck, they did reportedly consider other actors, including Batman star Adam West and future Harry Potter star Michael Gambon. Diamonds Are Forever was a box office hit but Connery was through with the franchise. Again. For a while. James Bond Actors Spotlight: Roger Moore Roger Moore was finally cast as James Bond, after reportedly being considered the first time around (and also playing Bond briefly on the sketch comedy show Mainly Millicent), but only after several major American stars were considered, including Clint Eastwood , Burt Reynolds, Robert Redford and Paul Newman. Roger Moore’s first Bond film, 1973’s Live and Let Die, was an enormous financial success that began the actor’s twelve-year tenure with the franchise. Moore made seven James Bond movies, concluding his run with 1985’s View to a Kill, at which time he was – and still is – the oldest actor to have played Bond. Roger Moore was 57 at the time.

James Bond Actors Spotlight: Sean Connery (Again) The title was appropriate: Never Say Never Again found Sean Connery once again returning to the role of James Bond, albeit for an independent production company which now owned the rights to Thunderball, the story on which Connery’s own 1965 hit was based. Unlike Roger Moore’s later James Bond films, which mostly tried to ignore the age of the lead actor, Never Say Never Again directly addressed the fact that James Bond was now in his 50s. The film was a financial success but was a one-off production, and Connery never ever returned to play the character again. James Bond Actors Spotlight: Timothy Dalton Roger Moore’s retirement from the Bond franchise paved the way for a younger leading man, and because first-choice Pierce Brosnan was under contract with the hit TV series Remington Steele, the part went to Timothy Dalton . (Future Jurassic Park star Sam Neil also auditioned.) Dalton, who had turned down the role years prior, only had two outings as Bond: The Living Daylights (1987) and License to Kill (1989), the latter of which was the lowest-grossing Bond film in America.

It opened the same summer as Batman, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Lethal Weapon 2, tough times, in all fairness. But the damage had been done and the Bond franchise took a six-year hiatus. James Bond Actors Spotlight: Pierce Brosnan Pierce Brosnan , finally free of his TV obligations, took the role of James Bond for the 1995 blockbuster GoldenEye. (Although only after Liam Neeson and Mel Gibson reportedly passed.) It was the beginning of a renaissance for James Bond, with a dashing leading man and a string of hit movies that started out popular and acclaimed and got progressively sillier until 2002’s Die Another Day, typically considered one of the worst – if not THE worst – Bond movies ever made. James Bond Actors Spotlight: Daniel Craig Four years after Bond’s last outing, the franchise was rebooted with Daniel Craig in the lead role. It was a controversial choice, in part because he was the first blonde Bond in history (which seemed SO important ten years ago). He reportedly beat out future Man of Steel star Henry Cavill for the role, as well as Star Trek co-star Karl Urban and Avatar star Sam Worthington.

Casino Royale brought Bond back to basics – no gadgets, semi-realistic storylines and a more brutal hero – and was welcomed with open arms to a big box office take. The follow-up, Quantum of Solace, was less popular, but his third outing Skyfall is among the most successful and beloved films in the series. There is some speculation that after SPECTRE, Craig will not return to the role, leaving room for… James Bond Actors Spotlight: The Next James Bond Wondering who the next James Bond will be is something of an international pastime. Audiences seem to take it for granted that the series will continue forever, and that any age-appropriate actor from the United Kingdom (or Australia) is always in contention to take over the role. Rumors have abounded that Luther star Idris Elba could take over the part (and become the first black James Bond in history), and hopeful speculation has also arisen about Thor star Tom Hiddleston and Oscar-nominee Michael Fassbender. But if history has taught us anything, it’s that Bond stars can be turned down and then ultimately earn the role many years later… so maybe Henry Cavill still has a shot.

Question: In which film did David Niven play James Bond?
Answer: Casino Royale