It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
But I just don't think he was suitable for Bond!
Too rough around the edges? Maybe too crude in his attitude! I'm not really sure. Who Dares Wins suited him, but his character in that couldn't be perceived as 007? When all the hooha about Craig being cast for CR, I watched 'Layer Cake'. Craigs character was a drug dealer, but it was something about the way he carried himself, his presence.. I knew they chose the right man! Watching any episode of The Professionals or WDW, its hard to visualise him as Bond!
Let's also not forget another good contender who also screen tested for Bond the same time as Collins - Oliver Tobias. He actually looked like a more rugged proto Brosnan. These are two screen tests I'd love to see.
But going back to Collins, I really wanted to see his take on Bond. I think he would've invigorated the series and stopped it from being the squirm inducing joke it had become. For those that don't remember how big a deal Collins was in the late 70s, he was Britain's answer to a new Bond being cast in exactly the same way as Brosnan became the Americans 6 years later. Only difference was the UK's opinion was ignored and the Americans one embraced.
A short interview with Collins about 'Who Dares Wins' here:
Imagine Tobias in the fencing scene from DAD?
There's some good stuff by Michael Billington, who was a real contender for the role, over at Alternative 007 website. Here's a short passage on the Tobias screen test:
"About twenty odd years ago I was working near Pinewood and used to sneak in and use the canteen. Over a sunny week I watched James Brolin and Oliver Tobias do screen tests for James Bond. Directed, it looked like, by the stuntman Martin Grace. It involved beating up Clive Curtis on a lavish room set.
Due to the hot weather, tables and chairs were out on the patio and the french windows of the bar opened out onto the garden. As I sat taking in the "life of the stars" with a coke and packet of dry roasted peanuts I noticed a lonely person sitting quietly under a Skol Lager brolly having a light ale. It was Oliver Tobias. After a while he was joined by a middle-aged lady with a metal cash box. The lady sat down opened the box a counted out sum cash. She gave him the money and he signed a page of foolscap. She then left. The whole thing took about a minute. He then got up went to the bar whare Martin Grace and the rest of the Crew were drinking and started chatting. I went past the restaurant and as I left I could see, through the window, James Brolin sitting with some suits having a meal."
alternative007.co.uk/12.htm
As usual, the thread drifts but I dont think there is any doubt that Collins would have had no problem with this side of Bond's charater.