OneJames Bondstar addresses how he almost became involved with the franchise earlier than his first appearance. Sir Ian Fleming’s iconic spywas first brought to the screen by Sean Connery in 1962’sDr. Noand would lead the franchise across seven movies from the 1960s to the 1980s. His final appearance came in 1983’sNever Say Never Again, as the actor made a surprise return to the franchise after previously bowing out in 1971.
As of 2025,seven actors have portrayed Bondacross the franchise’s 63-year run.Connery shares the record of most appearances with Roger Moore, with each actor having seven movies in their era. While the core elements of the character’s suave, cool-headed, and professional nature have been retained, the character has evolved through each actor, be it adopting a more progressive mindset or the standards of who could portray the character. As such, the character is one of Hollywood’s enduring heroes.
Timothy Dalton Was Offered To Play James Bond After Sean Connery
The Actor Almost Debuted A Decade Earlier
When Moore finally stepped away from the role in 1985, Timothy Dalton was cast as 007 and inherited the duties of leading theJamesBondfranchise throughout the rest of the decade. Known primarily for his television roles and portrayal of Prince Darin inFlash Gordon,Dalton would portray Bond in 1987’sThe Living Daylightsand 1989’sLicense To Killas a harder-edged, more serious, and human 007 than his predecessors. While a third movie was in development, delays saw Dalton’s license expire in 1993.
Why Timothy Dalton Left James Bond After Only 2 Movies
Timothy Dalton was the fourth actor to play James Bond on the big screen, but his time as the British MI6 agent was cut short after two movies.
However, when speaking toVanityFair, Dalton revealed that former franchise producerAlbert Broccoli approached him to take on the role following Connery’s initial departure in the 1970s. However, the actor felt his mid-twenties would not be a good fit for the character. Furthermore, he stated that he found the prospect of following Connery intimating. Check out Dalton’s full explanation below:
