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The actual age of the Bond actors during production

NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
edited September 2019 in Actors Posts: 7,582
As pointless excercises go this one tops them all. However I was interested in how old the actors actually were during production of the films, rather than at release date. Which is why some actors are listed with two ages because they had a birthday during filming.

I came up with the following (hopefully accurate) list.

What does it tell us?

Roger Moore AVTAK 56/57
Roger Moore OP 54/55
Roger Moore FYEO 52/53
Daniel Craig NTTD 51
Roger Moore MR 50/51 =
Roger Moore TSWLM 48/49 =
Pierce Brosnan DAD 48/49
Daniel Craig SP 46/47
Roger Moore TMWTGG 46
Pierce Brosnan TWINE 45/46
Roger Moore LALD 44/45
Timothy Dalton LTK 44
Pierce Brosnan TND 43/44 =
Daniel Craig SF 43/44
Timothy Dalton TLD 42
Pierce Brosnan GE 41/42
Sean Connery DAF 40
Daniel Craig QOS 39/40
Daniel Craig CR 37/38
Sean Connery YOLT 35/36
Sean Connery TB 34
Sean Connery GF 33
Sean Connery FRWL 32
Sean Connery DN 31
George Lazenby OHMSS 29

For sure Connery looked more mature. Or did actors generally look older in the 60s?
Does Craig look older now than Brosnan did in TND? Probably so.

Will we ever go back to an actor in his early 30s?

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Comments

  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    NicNac wrote:
    Will we ever go back to an actor in his early 30s?

    No because the next Bond will be Michael Fassbender, who will be in his 40's during his first film ;)
  • Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
    edited July 2012 Posts: 4,813
    NicNac wrote:
    Will we ever go back to an actor in his early 30s?
    I'll be 30 next year [-O<
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 24,183
    Oh come on, we all know this will be the next James Bond. ;-)

    Anyway, thank you for that list, @NicNac. I've already printed it for future reference. Interesting to see Connory be so young. Even when he did NSNA, he was about Moore's age at the time of FYEO. And to be honest, I don't think he was too old for the part then. I bet this is a controversial opinion. ;-)
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    @DarthDimi I've booked you a room at the nearest asylum. You have been mentionning Justin B. far too many times recently for a sane person ;)
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    DaltonCraig007 wrote:
    @DarthDimi I've booked you a room at the nearest asylum. You have been mentionning Justin B. far too many times recently for a sane person ;)

    I can't help it. I've actually spent too many hours debating about this kid with girls in my class who honestly think he/she is nature's finest gift. :P

    Back on topic, I prefer my Bonds at least over 35. We were lucky with Connery and Lazenby but I don't expect every 30 year old to come off mature enough.


  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    Maybe they should hire Nicholas Hoult for Bond # 7 ? He'll be about 28 once Craig quits.
  • DB5DB5
    Posts: 408
    You missed Timothy Dalton for TLD, but I assume he would have been around 40. No, I don't think we'll ever see another Bond actor younger than 35. The men of Connery's generation were more mature. Men who were just slightly older than Connery had actually fought in World War II, many when they were only 18 or 19. Today 25 year olds are likely to still be living at home with their parents.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    Any age from 30-50 is fine by me.
  • dchantrydchantry
    Posts: 278
    Dalton was born in March 1944 so that made him 42/43 for TLD and 44/45 for LTK
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    dchantry wrote:
    Dalton was born in March 1944 so that made him 42/43 for TLD and 44/45 for LTK

    He was born in 1946 ;)
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Some sources claim Dalton was born in 1944, others 1946. It's highly debatable.
  • GrindermanGrinderman
    Posts: 165
    After Craig has had his run, I can easily see the franchise doing another "reboot" ala' Casino Royale using a much younger actor in his late 20's/early 30's. They might also think that would help bring in the younger generation of movie goers (which is, let's face it, where all the money is).
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,718
    Grinderman wrote:
    After Craig has had his run, I can easily see the franchise doing another "reboot" ala' Casino Royale using a much younger actor in his late 20's/early 30's. They might also think that would help bring in the younger generation of movie goers (which is, let's face it, where all the money is).

    I hope not - I don't want to see another rookie Bond anytime soon. I hope Bond #7 will be a normal recast - like Dalton, Moore and Lazenby in their time.

  • EllisEllis
    Posts: 224
    Roger looked younger than Sean when Rog did LALD.
  • Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
    Posts: 4,813
    I said elsewhere on the forum that Roger was the 'Ralph Macchio' of his time! The dude always looks way younger than he really is!
    Check out "The Last Time I Saw Paris"-- he's 26 but looks freaking 16!
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    It's funny to think Connery is so far down the list. He looks a lot older than Dalton and Brosnan in all their films, even in Dr. No when he was 31!

    I'd say it's just Connery's presence. He just has a much more aged, mature look about him. I think his deep voice also has something to do with it too. Maybe it's also the fact that the Connery we all know now looks like a wise old man.
    thelivingroyale wrote:
    Any age from 30-50 is fine by me.

    I also quite agree with this too. Bond actor age has been so spread out, that anything goes at this point. Just nothing much younger than 30.
  • Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
    Posts: 4,813
    JBFan626 wrote:
    It's funny to think Connery is so far down the list. He looks a lot older than Dalton and Brosnan in all their films, even in Dr. No when he was 31!

    I'd say it's just Connery's presence. He just has a much more aged, mature look about him. I think his deep voice also has something to do with it too.

    Chalk it up to the slicked back hair too- I look older when I do it. I saw a pic of Sean from a couple years before Dr. No with 'poofy young guy hair' and then he looked his age. Same old face, but he looked like a young guy
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    edited July 2012 Posts: 1,497
    I think the hairline on Sean also is a factor in him looking a bit older. Even in Darby O'Gill he's starting to recede a bit, and it makes him look a tad older; let it be known that he looks great mind you, very debonaire.

    241.jpg

    I'm glad you brought up the slicked back hair. I miss that look on Bond. It's something DC has never done. But the slicked back look really reminds me of Bond. That's why I think Christian Bale really pulled off the Bond "look" in the Dark Knight in his Bruce Wayne scenes.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 24,183
    I love these old fashioned haircuts. The girlfriend says it's A) too out of style and B) not appropriate for a 30 year old. Well, excuse me, darling, but Connery was about 30 in this and several other pictures and 'out of style' is correct but unjustifiable and so I want to bring it back in vogue.

    And if not that, then how about this:

    moore_3x4.jpg
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Two slight corrections to the list:

    Connery was 35/36 during the filming of You Only Live Twice and Moore was 44/45 during the filming of Live And Let Die.

    When seen in a list as in the first post it makes me wonder if Connery's wig was the only reason he looked so old in Diamonds Are Forever.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    He was a bit out of shape too in DAF. His bare chest reveals good food and drinks, and little exercise. However, I don't think it was a problem in a film like DAF. The bon vivant Bond, whose taste for living a luxurious life, seems the right character for this film. An energetic, muscled Bond would feel a bit out of place, no? :-)
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited July 2012 Posts: 13,355
    Oh, without a doubt he would. A Bond a bit more like Connery in the first four films wouldn't have hurt though. At least Connery was having fun, if only being in it for the money.

    Haircuts also matter. I'd love for Craig to have a slightly longer cut in the next film. I think they too matter a great deal.
  • JBFan626JBFan626
    Posts: 1,497
    DarthDimi wrote:
    He was a bit out of shape too in DAF. His bare chest reveals good food and drinks, and little exercise. However, I don't think it was a problem in a film like DAF. <b>The bon vivant Bond, whose taste for living a luxurious life, seems the right character for this film. An energetic, muscled Bond would feel a bit out of place, no? :-)</b>

    Excellent synopsis of Bond in DAF! Bond is in Vegas for crying out loud. It's the perfect playground for leisure, drink and the ladies. Connery himself mirrored this relaxed approach while filming, playing a slot here and there, and enjoying extended games of golf on Vegas's golf courses, all the while running around town with Lana Wood.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    DaltonCraig007 wrote:
    dchantry wrote:
    Dalton was born in March 1944 so that made him 42/43 for TLD and 44/45 for LTK

    He was born in 1946 ;)


    Ah, still at the perfect age, looks, and for me a great performance in both films.
  • wildboonjivewildboonjive
    Posts: 299
    Samuel001 wrote:
    Oh, without a doubt he would. A Bond a bit more like Connery in the first four films wouldn't have hurt though. At least Connery was having fun, if only being in it for the money.

    Haircuts also matter. I'd love for Craig to have a slightly longer cut in the next film. I think they too matter a great deal.

    If you notice, Craig's hair is actually longer in QoS than in CR. In the former he can actually comb it, whereas he can't really in CR. But SF seems the shortest so far.

    On a seperate note (and while we're talking about hair), am I alone in thinking that Dalton's slicked back look in the casino scenes of LTK was completely badass? His hair for the rest of that movie, not to mention TLD, was very different. But I thought that casino look was right on the money.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    Dalton's LTK casino hair was badass, I agree. But then, Dalton is always badass.

    Craig's new hair makes him look older. He should've stuck with his CR/QOS hair I reckon.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    I thnk Craig's hair in Skyfall is too short, but that is just my preference. It makes him look not just older but haggard. I can definitely get past it though and it won't bother my enjoyment of his performance. Still next time I am hoping for at least CR length. My how we all notice hair on these threads. ;)
  • MrBondMrBond Station S
    Posts: 2,044
    Please discuss Craig's hair in another thread please! :)
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    MrBond wrote:
    Please discuss Craig's hair in another thread please! :)
    Ooo! I got the perfect title!

    "Meet the man who shares my Hairbrush." The Bond Hair Thread! :p

  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited July 2012 Posts: 4,520
    Tom Cruise is older but look younger then Daniel Craig. DC is from 1968, Tom Cruise from 1962. Brosnan is from 1953.

    DC already look older then Tom Cruise and he have the same look older thing like Connery.

    Clive Owen is from 1964, 2 years younger then Cruise. If the future Bond movies wil look like more Arthouse/dective movies, Connery movies Clive Owen can stil do it. It may dificult to believe but there should comes a time we get new Connera look like era. For example my opnion be that GF farm is boring, because it is made with the idea of 1964 that let Bond walking around and almoost do nothing is intresting, but Bond walking in the villians place in 2022 can be intresting because we have better music and faster movies.

    Bond 7 need more humor, but this also can bee with stil a litle bit of gritty left from DC era. I stil hope Bond 7 looks older then me (At the end of this month (almoost then..) i turn the same age as Connery be in DR No and stil not have feel Connery looks to young in Dr No.), but i already keep in mind DC mabey be the last one. In 2022 (3 years after DC make his 6th and final Bond in 2019.) iam 42 years old and if Bond 7 is 29 Years old but looks not to young why not, but better of course he bee 35-42. A actor in his 20's i wil not see and because at this moment as 31-32 year old i think under 35 is a problem for me and iam happy we have a Bond who in his 40's.

    Mabey good quistions for people who are 56 years older, are those people think Daniel Craig is a to young Bond for them. I take 56 because then you are 12 years older then DC, whyle iam 12 years younger then DC.
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