The GEORGE LAZENBY Appreciation thread - Discuss His Life, His Career, His Bond Films

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  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Happy 81st Birthday to George Lazenby. A top three Bond.
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  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,634
    Happy birthday George, wish you would have done another!
  • ResurrectionResurrection Kolkata, India
    Posts: 2,541
    Happy birthday to Lazenby
  • On Her Majesty's Secret Service is my favourite of the Bond movies. I think it's certainly stood the test of time better than Connery's return in Diamonds are Forever, and especially Moore's Moonraker. The latter was on TV a couple of weekends ago and watching it now is like watching a parody of a Bond film except this was the real thing (too much experimenting with gadgetry, the ludicrous hovercraft in the street scene, and canned jokes).

    Lazenby played a Bond who had the arrogance and physical prowess yet at the same time he was vulnerable. Rigg as the co-star and his love interest humanised him rather than just being another skirt to chase.

    Now perhaps Lazenby's Bond appeared more vulnerable simply because as an actor being thrown in the deep end he was not so confident in nailing his delivery. But whether intentional or not the fact, in the books Bond has doubts and second-guesses himself too, so it worked for me. I don't want Bond just to be a robot who is so ruthless he loses all sensitivity.

    I wish he did carry on. I think he would have grown into the role more, the public will have got used to someone other than Connery, and he could have developed his Bond struck by personal grief at the end of OHMSS into the 70s. Rather than the comedic turn the movies took. Even if it was just more more film. Furthermore on an acting level Lazenby could have cemented his stardom with another 007 credit to his name, the press would have accepted he's here to stay. And if the Bond makers wanted him to carry on, other film makers would have seen him as the real deal.
  • Agent_99Agent_99 enjoys a spirited ride as much as the next girl
    Posts: 3,176
    Well said, @Boycott. I wish he'd got at least one more, too; OHMSS is in my top three Bonds always, and sometimes at the top, depending how I'm feeling.
  • OctopussyOctopussy Piz Gloria, Schilthorn, Switzerland.
    Posts: 1,081
    Happy Birthday, George. The first time I watched On Her Majesty's Secret Service you won me over as my favourite Bond.
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 814
    Happy birthday to one of the best Bonds there has ever been. You’re 81, sure, but hey, you have all the time in the world.
  • GadgetManGadgetMan Lagos, Nigeria
    Posts: 4,247
    A very Happy Birthday to George. Bond of fisticuffs.
  • It's a shame Diana Rigg appears to avoid have OHMSS brought up. She put in perhaps the best Bond girl performance of them all. Yet in interviews she rarely touches on it except I've seen be a bit dismissive of George. I know they had their problems but fifty years is an awful long time to hold a grudge and given how OHMSS has with the passing of time become quite popular (something she acknowledges) it's a bit sad.

    It's only speculation but something I've read that I can believe is given she prides herself on her upbringing as a classical actress doing theatre to begin with, for him to to get the most popular character in the business at the time with no experience at all never sat right. The producers wanted her to add star power yet ultimately being a Bond girl meant she was going to play second fiddle. But playing second fiddle to a no-name like Lazenby was awkward. And even more so because of how things panned out.

    If he did another film, and especially did it well, probably she'd be much more willing and happy to attach herself to the franchise. Instead it's like she doesn't think it's worth it because she was in the one with George.

  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,634
    I wonder what Telly Savalas thought of the overall project. Or why he didn’t come back for DAR? He could have carried the role to the end of his story arc.
  • ContrabandContraband Sweden
    Posts: 3,022
    Tracy Bond aka Diana Rigg has died

    https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54106509
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    Contraband wrote: »
    Tracy Bond aka Diana Rigg has died

    https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54106509

    And this was his message:


    He may not have been the best Bond, but he shure is the most humane, thoughtfull and caring former-Bond one could wish for. An amazing person who's lived an amazing life.
  • RyanRyan Canada
    Posts: 692
    I feel like he's very much become the legacy Bond ambassador for the franchise after Sir Roger's passing. It's hard not to like the guy!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    Not sure it's the right thread for it but George Lazenby is now on Cameo, you can get your very own personalized video message from him for $250:

    https://www.cameo.com/georgelazenby?qid=1609257315
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Red_Snow wrote: »

    That was fantastic. Thanks, I am still smiling.
  • ResurrectionResurrection Kolkata, India
    Posts: 2,541
    Haha Lazenby is always fun.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,134
    Haha great stuff. Good old Laz, love that guy!
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    Red_Snow wrote: »

    Just taking him to a new page.... You can see he used to throw a good punch! Had a good laugh there.
  • MaxCasinoMaxCasino United States
    Posts: 4,634
    I watched Becoming Bond with him for the first time this weekend. A MUST see for anyone who loves a great story with everything in it.
  • Posts: 7,430
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    I watched Becoming Bond with him for the first time this weekend. A MUST see for anyone who loves a great story with everything in it.

    Absolutely, great documentary. Really entertaining!
  • RyanRyan Canada
    Posts: 692
    Lazenby has such a jovial demeanor and likable personality. I like how he continues to stay involved with Bond and talking about Bond. I always considered that Sir Roger was the de facto "brand ambassador" for Bond, and now I feel like George has inherited that title. This clip is wonderful! Still full of charm and spunk.
  • Ryan wrote: »
    Lazenby has such a jovial demeanor and likable personality. I like how he continues to stay involved with Bond and talking about Bond. I always considered that Sir Roger was the de facto "brand ambassador" for Bond, and now I feel like George has inherited that title. This clip is wonderful! Still full of charm and spunk.

    100% agreed - he's one of just a couple of celebrities I follow on Instagram and he's indeed a big supporter of Bond and seems very genuine in his fan interactions. Love the man!
  • Posts: 3,327
    Anyone seen the 1976 film The Man from Hong Kong? I'm tempted to buy it on a new Blu Ray release. Watching some of the clips on YouTube, it definitely has a 70's Bond vibe. The opening credit song `Sky High' sounds like a nod to Bond too.

    And of course, it stars old Laz in an action role, where we see him dangerously being on fire during a fight sequence, and where he apparently suffered from burns during the stunt.

    Apparently the film overall was very dangerous to make, and is probably why it's one of Tarantino's favourite flicks.


  • Looking good at 82.
  • EinoRistoSiniahoEinoRistoSiniaho Oulu, Finland
    edited October 2021 Posts: 73
    Just recently bought on blu-ray The Man From Hong Kong, a mid 70s Ozplotation actioner with Mr Lazenby as the bad guy. Been wanting to see this since it was first released (big Bruce Lee fan) and Stoner which was the film he had signed on to do with Bruce Lee before his untimely death. TMFHK is an okay film with Jimmy Wang Yu in the lead, and I have to say quite enjoyed it, and the blu-Ray is stuffed full of extras.

    TMFHK is a gem! Truly wonderful performance from GL, really despicable, nasty work. It shows that he has diverse acting chops. And the fire stunt in the end - like it was said NSNA, they don't make them like they used to.
    In my books George is the second best Bond, only inches behind the two-headed-monster of Connery/Craig.
  • M16_CartM16_Cart Craig fanboy?
    Posts: 541
    I saw the Becoming Bond documentary.

    Yikes, Lazenby did some creepy stuff. Stalking a girl who had a boyfriend all night; asking her out in front of him. Then taking boats all the way from Australia to London to find her; repeatedly knocking her door. Any man who does this nowadays would get a restraining order. Trying to ask her out in front of her new boyfriend. Then when they finally both get in a relationship, he cheats.

    Lying to get an audition is whatever, but shoplifting an expensive suit. It seems like this guy was content with lying, cheating and stealing to get whatever he wants.

    But in a way, I admire him. He's really ambitious, dedicated, brave and goes after what he wants no matter how small the odds seem.
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 3,333
    I wouldn't call Becoming Bond a documentary @M16_Cart. It takes liberties with the real events and embellishes them. I can definitely recall a newspaper serialization of Lazenby's life being printed in a daily newspaper in the Eighties which told a more detailed story of what happened before and after the events of OHMSS. I can't recall which paper it was in, but it was the best and most thoroughly researched serialization of Lazenby's life I've read so far. I have a vague recollection it was for a forthcoming biography that never came out in the bookshops.
  • M16_CartM16_Cart Craig fanboy?
    edited October 2021 Posts: 541
    Yeah, it's embellished. He says his memory is too bad for him to be a liar, but he lied his way into the Bond role, so he's good at it.

    But for someone who is concerned about his image, and is willing to embellish details, it's strange he would include information that makes him look like bad. And he doesn't show remorse either. I'd at least expect him to say "I did this when I was young and immature, I'm sorry". But he seems proud of it.

    Not the least bit concerned about how his actions affect others; only what he gets out of it.

    Stalking a girl across continents, cheating, coaxing a girl into cheating on her boyfriend, stealing her room key, etc.

    I don't see how any man would get away with this. I guess you can get away with this stuff like this if you're a tall handsome fit male model?
  • edited October 2021 Posts: 3,333
    I honestly don't think Lazenby cares @M16_Cart. He's been seen as the black sheep of the Bond franchise for too long now for anything new to affect him. The newspaper serialization I spoke about was quite detailed as it also included Diana Rigg discussing their off-screen romance together and her meeting him again on a beach a few years later and how he'd mellowed. It's been a while since I last watched the TV dramatization, but does it have Lazenby as a top car salesman in Park Lane, where he was spotted by a talent scout who persuaded him to become a London fashion model? I can't remember if those real-life events were changed for dramatic effect or not. I seem to recall Lazenby going to Connery's tailor and the same barber as Cubby Broccoli before his interview also being omitted from the TV drama as well.
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