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

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  • edited June 2016 Posts: 1,708
    Theory #1 : Laz was a bad guy in Game and died in the pagoda fight

    Theory #2 : Laz was gonna be a recurring character in several films , kinda like Q.

    Laz thought the 10k he got from Bruce was a gift but Chow said it was his money thus he did 3 films for Harvest.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    edited June 2016 Posts: 15,423
    @Tracy, I think Laz's role in The Game of Death was sort of akin to Hugh O'Brian's role in Game of Death (No 'The' in Robert Clouse's version).

    EDIT: Just looked it up. It appears Lazenby was going to play the guru of Lee's character (In the original version, Hai-Tien rather than Billy Lo).
  • edited June 2016 Posts: 2,115
    dchantry wrote:
    GL was one of the bigget idiots of the 20th Century. He wasn't a young and Naive 17 year old. He was over 30. Your thrust into the most famous film role on the earth at the time (must have been stressful) and offered a fortune to continue in the role over a period of time.
    Even if the latter films would have flopped and killed the series then he'd have still made a lot more money and had more security than for starring in dodgy martial art films (apart from TMWTGG LOL) and Hawaii 5'O.
    Lazenby starred in Hawaii Five-0? When did this happen?

    The Year of the Horse, final episode of the 1978-79 season. It was a two-hour episode, filmed in Singapore.

    https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/how-the-ex-spies-fared-in-hawaii-five-o-season-11/
  • edited June 2016 Posts: 1,708
    From imdb : "This film was originally titled "The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss" and was to co-star Bruce Lee along with George Lazenby, but Lee died about two weeks before filming was set to begin"

    Why on Earth would Lee dedicate yrs on Game of Death (and several weeks on filming) then all of a sudden pull the plug , if anything he'd finish Game first.
  • Posts: 1,970
    Has George gone on and aid he regrets his decision of not continuing with bond? Or does he stand by his decision?
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    He did regret it.
  • fjdinardo wrote: »
    Has George gone on and aid he regrets his decision of not continuing with bond?
    Yes he said it including disdain for his agent at the time.

  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Agreed, he openly said he got bad advice.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Ronan O'Rahilly was clearly a w******. Clueless with regards to the film industry too.
  • Posts: 825
    Listen I don't if he missed out I glad quit that all I got say. He would mess it up with other after On Her Majesty Secret Service. He might had regret it today. He should never been Bond at. It should been Sean Connery in On Her Majesty Secret Service & to Diamonds are forever then Roger Moore from Live & Let Die.
  • Red_SnowRed_Snow Australia
    Posts: 2,538
    At the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Hulu's head of content Craig Erwich announced the upcoming Limelight series of non-fiction films covering "subjects who forever shaped pop culture." One of the films will cover George Lazenby's time as Bond. No word on the release date yet.
  • Posts: 11,189
    doubleoego wrote: »
    5cUmq3s.gif

    Awesome. Lazenby was just an awesome Bond.
    Agreed. Even Connery had problems and struggles and doubts with getting the hat rack scene right. Lazenby just nailed it as if it was among his regular routines of the day.

    3o6ozhyabSI2oDp1QY.gif

    That's pathetic.

    Sean takes longer than Terry Griffiths to aim his shot whereas Laz doesn't even break stride and the hat is already on its way almost before he even has time to see the target. Legendary.

    Hey, he does a better job than I would!!
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Indeed he does but I don't think anyone was seriously suggesting you're in contention to play Bond.
  • FoxRox wrote: »
    I do love George Lazenby's Bond. Still my personal third favorite following Connery and Craig.

    Totally agree with you.
    The tough Bonds seem to be the ones, at least for me.
  • stagstag In the thick of it!
    Posts: 1,053
    GL was a great Bond & IMO TS was the best Blofeld.
  • edited August 2016 Posts: 489
    love the Savalas Blofeld as well. :)
  • I personally would have been fascinated to see George in the '70's films. Sean had clearly aged out of the part by DAF.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Red_Snow wrote: »
    At the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Hulu's head of content Craig Erwich announced the upcoming Limelight series of non-fiction films covering "subjects who forever shaped pop culture." One of the films will cover George Lazenby's time as Bond. No word on the release date yet.

    "subjects who forever shaped pop culture." ? Interesting. You have to wonder how this will pan out. Is Bond the subject? If so it would be Connery who they would focus on, surely.
    If it were the actor, then Lazenby didn't shape pop culture. He left Bond behind because he felt pop culture would kill Bond.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    George did a great job in a brilliant film.
  • LeonardPineLeonardPine The Bar on the Beach
    Posts: 3,996
    Thanks for that detailed account @Samuel001

    The story obviously isn't as simple as previously thought.

    Seems Lazenby was in a no win situation. Fancy having your agent have final say in Your career decisions!
  • edited August 2016 Posts: 1,661
    In one of the OHMSS 'making of' documentaries it was claimed Lazenby spooked Bernard Lee's horse. I'm not sure if Bernard Lee was on the horse but the incident involved a horse. Bernard Lee's life was put in jeopardy due to the horse. And legend has it that was the final straw and the producers had given up on Lazenby. They didn't want him back. Too unprofessional on the set.

    Another classic "true or false" claim is Peter Hunt not talking to Lazenby during the filming! There are photos showing the two men together on set, on location, so I assume they spoke. Hard to believe they never spoke! Perhaps Lazenby knew he wasn't mature enough for the part so that was a factor in his decision to leave the role?

    Just a guess, perhaps the producers weren't that bothered if Lazenby came back and Lazenby didn't care much about coming back. Said in hindsight, George was destined to make one film and that's all.
    Lazenby was offered a 7 Bond film contract from James Bond production company Eon before, during, and after filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

    I find this hard to believe. A 7 films contract would be around 14 years of production time. I can't believe EON would have looked that far ahead. I suspect someone has grossly exaggerated that claim to make out Lazenby was more popular with the producers. Clearly he wasn't! Given the claims of his unprofessionalism on set I would suggest it's impossible to imagine Broccoli/Saltzman wanting to rehire George for six more films. That's the stuff of fantasy. Roger Moore had an option to do Moonraker and all subsequent Bond films. From Moonraker he negotiated per film. He was a more established and professional actor than Lazenby but he didn't get a seven picture deal. Why would Lazenby get such a deal? Makes no sense.

  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Heads up for another major Bond birthday tomorrow. Post your tributes and birthday wishes here.

  • Posts: 11,425
    A brilliant Bond
  • Posts: 12,466
    early wish (don't know when I'll have time to post tomorrow), so happy birthday George! One of the best of the bunch IMO. And forever the most underrated.
  • Happy Birthday, George!
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    Happy Birthday George still keeping the end up I hope.
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Happy 77th to one of the best 007s !
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Many happy returns George. Long may you continue to promote and milk the world of Bond in equal measure. ;)

    lazenby_rigg.jpg

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcToZSfPbzoGWkBf7wnbxv74vNUyY7G_RbXsd7eBprDIQePhPD2u

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTqERZT3EINJa3AxvSS2CImD6HZFEBh3GQY8-BT7WUrvZE0ztghHQ

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcStgofIXBcrHCZrI_1YOLBQkut1i5emRKww4kDGLmzxgVpMjAjdSg
  • jake24jake24 Sitting at your desk, kissing your lover, eating supper with your familyModerator
    Posts: 10,591
    Happy birthday to Laz, a great Bond in a brilliant film.
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