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Burt, oh Burt

patbpatb
in Actors Posts: 4,617
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/18/burt-reynolds-regrets-turning-down-james-bond-role

Burt Reynolds says he regrets turning down the role of James Bond in 1970. Appearing on the TV show Good Morning America to promote his new autobiography, But Enough About Me, the actor said he was offered the chance to take over from George Lazenby after the Australian actor quit the Bond series following his debut in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969.
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Comments

  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 8,399
    He would have been the wrong choice, no disrespect.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    I've got no regrets he turned it down. Would've been an awful choice.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    edited November 2015 Posts: 1,874
    The fact that Hamilton wanted him just goes to show how 'off' the character of Bond Hamilton was.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Lancaster007 wrote: »
    The fact that Hamilton wanted him just goes to show how 'off' the character of Bond Hamilton was.

    The fact that he was offered it and it was him that turned it down shows how Cubby & Harry were losing the plot.

    They signed Hamilton for 3 increasingly lacklustre films and also John Gavin was signed and came within a gnats cock of sinking the series.

    Was it David Picker who intervened and said we have to get Sean back?

    Credit it to Cubby and Rog for delivering with TSWLM and saving the series.

    Interesting to imagine these forums after TMWTGG! After the high water mark of OHMSS and then 3 mediocre films in a row coupled with these eccentric casting rumours we would've all been pulling our hair out!
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    I wasn't aware that he'd been offered the part (maybe I've excised the horror of it from my memory) only that Hamilton wanted him.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited November 2015 Posts: 18,280
    I think that was for the best. An American actor can't play James Bond; Cubby Broccoli knew that himself. It seems that Burt Reynolds even knew this himself but I wasn't aware that he was offered the Bond role, only that he was considered for the part. Interesting news, it's just a relief that it never came to pass.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    edited November 2015 Posts: 5,131
    An American actor can't play James Bond. They can never 'do' the accent either.
  • JohnHammond73JohnHammond73 Lancashire, UK
    edited November 2015 Posts: 4,151
    I really couldn't see Burt Reynolds as Bond and am glad that it never happened.

    I wonder how the Bond universe would look if that had happened?? Sheesh....
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    Just had a quick look at the documentaries on DAF and LALD. John Gavin was actually signed for DAF until UA insisted on getting Connery back. It was LALD that Reynolds was considered, no mention of him actually being offered the roll as Cubby insisted that Bond be played by a Brit. And you can quote TM on that!
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Lancaster007 wrote: »
    Just had a quick look at the documentaries on DAF and LALD. John Gavin was actually signed for DAF until UA insisted on getting Connery back. It was LALD that Reynolds was considered, no mention of him actually being offered the roll as Cubby insisted that Bond be played by a Brit. And you can quote TM on that!

    That's pretty much the story as I know it.

    Do we think Burt is overplaying a chat he might have had with Harry or Cubby at a party just to sell his book?

    The only people ever to actually be offered the role to the best of my knowledge, apart from the 6, are Gavin and James Brolin (and of course Brozza for TLD).
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,280
    TheWizardOfIce wrote: »
    Lancaster007 wrote: »
    Just had a quick look at the documentaries on DAF and LALD. John Gavin was actually signed for DAF until UA insisted on getting Connery back. It was LALD that Reynolds was considered, no mention of him actually being offered the roll as Cubby insisted that Bond be played by a Brit. And you can quote TM on that!

    That's pretty much the story as I know it.

    Do we think Burt is overplaying a chat he might have had with Harry or Cubby at a party just to sell his book?

    The only people ever to actually be offered the role to the best of my knowledge, apart from the 6, are Gavin and James Brolin (and of course Brozza for TLD).

    Could be. I thought that myself on first reading this story. Surely, if true, we would have known about it by now?
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    TheWizardOfIce wrote: »
    Lancaster007 wrote: »
    Just had a quick look at the documentaries on DAF and LALD. John Gavin was actually signed for DAF until UA insisted on getting Connery back. It was LALD that Reynolds was considered, no mention of him actually being offered the roll as Cubby insisted that Bond be played by a Brit. And you can quote TM on that!

    That's pretty much the story as I know it.

    Do we think Burt is overplaying a chat he might have had with Harry or Cubby at a party just to sell his book?

    The only people ever to actually be offered the role to the best of my knowledge, apart from the 6, are Gavin and James Brolin (and of course Brozza for TLD).

    Probably. A lot of people now would be, Burt who?…
  • mepal1mepal1
    Posts: 1,098
    James Bond is British, and at the very least no one outside of the British commonwealth should play the part.
    How would Americans like it, if British characters, played their iconic hereos e.g. Batman?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,280
    mepal1 wrote: »
    James Bond is British, and at the very least no one outside of the British commonwealth should play the part.
    How would Americans like it, if British characters, played their iconic hereos e.g. Batman?

    Well, exactly.
  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,423
    What like Bale and Cavill for example? ;-)
  • brinkeguthriebrinkeguthrie Piz Gloria
    Posts: 1,400
    Bond is British. Period. Burt Reynolds, what a joke.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    mepal1 wrote: »
    James Bond is British, and at the very least no one outside of the British commonwealth should play the part.
    How would Americans like it, if British characters, played their iconic hereos e.g. Batman?

    Oh, you mean like the British Henry Cavill playing Superman or Napoleon Solo? Or Christian Bale playing Batman?
  • Thunderball007Thunderball007 United States
    Posts: 306
    James Bond is 100% British. The more British, the better. :D
  • mepal1mepal1
    Posts: 1,098
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    James Bond is British, and at the very least no one outside of the British commonwealth should play the part.
    How would Americans like it, if British characters, played their iconic hereos e.g. Batman?

    Oh, you mean like the British Henry Cavill playing Superman or Napoleon Solo? Or Christian Bale playing Batman?

    ok.....i may of slipped up a little bit there.......thanks for pointing that out.........NOT!

    :)
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited November 2015 Posts: 18,280
    mepal1 wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    James Bond is British, and at the very least no one outside of the British commonwealth should play the part.
    How would Americans like it, if British characters, played their iconic hereos e.g. Batman?

    Oh, you mean like the British Henry Cavill playing Superman or Napoleon Solo? Or Christian Bale playing Batman?

    ok.....i may of slipped up a little bit there.......thanks for pointing that out.........NOT!

    :)

    James Bond is somewhat different as a character though - his Britishness is part of what makes him unique. American heroes are a dime a dozen by comparison.
  • Thunderball007Thunderball007 United States
    edited November 2015 Posts: 306
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    James Bond is British, and at the very least no one outside of the British commonwealth should play the part.
    How would Americans like it, if British characters, played their iconic hereos e.g. Batman?

    Oh, you mean like the British Henry Cavill playing Superman or Napoleon Solo? Or Christian Bale playing Batman?

    ok.....i may of slipped up a little bit there.......thanks for pointing that out.........NOT!

    :)

    James Bond is somewhat different as a character though - his Britishness is part of what makes him unique. American heroes are a dime a dozen by comparison.

    Exactly! For me as an American, it is James Bond's distinct Englishness that is one of the many reasons I love the character, and what makes him so unique and entertaining.

    James Bond should always be entirely steeped in his exotic British culture. :)

  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    It's not just the Britishness of the character, Burt Reynolds was all wrong for the part. But Hamilton thought he was the dog's danglers, one reason I dislike Hamilton as a Bond director, and the fact that he made three of the least effective Bond films.
  • mepal1mepal1
    Posts: 1,098
    I agree, Burt just wasn't Bond.....with that hat, and moustache.....when i think of him, i just think of 'Smokey and the Bandit'. :)
  • dinovelvetdinovelvet
    Posts: 709
    Can I just say that, American accent notwithstanding, Burt Reynolds would have been absolutely perfect for the tone they were going for with DAF.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I agree he wasn't right for the part but he does have Connery's rugged handsomeness. Hamilton probably saw him in White Lightening and thought he could be Bond.
    2013-06-08-02-14-19-pm-s1m.jpg
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    I prefer Dalton easily over Burt as 007, and that is hard to say. As for the rest I found Burt a better actor and movie star than Dalton ever was or will be.
  • Lancaster007Lancaster007 Shrublands Health Clinic, England
    Posts: 1,874
    Murdock wrote: »
    I agree he wasn't right for the part but he does have Connery's rugged handsomeness. Hamilton probably saw him in White Lightening and thought he could be Bond.
    2013-06-08-02-14-19-pm-s1m.jpg

    In the documentary he mentions seeing him in a TV show at the time. Don't know what one that would be, but it would have aired around 70-72. Only really know Burt from his films, of which Sharkey's Machine [about 1980ish] stood out at the time, though I've not seen it for about 30 years now! And of course when he was considered for Bond (shudder) Smokey was a few years down the line…oh, and what was that Bond parody he did, played a stuntman (that's a stretch for a former stunt man!) I think?
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited November 2015 Posts: 18,280
    Burt Reynolds looks worryingly like James Bond in that photo @Murdock put up to be fair. :D
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    Thunderball007 wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    James Bond is British, and at the very least no one outside of the British commonwealth should play the part.
    How would Americans like it, if British characters, played their iconic hereos e.g. Batman?

    Oh, you mean like the British Henry Cavill playing Superman or Napoleon Solo? Or Christian Bale playing Batman?

    ok.....i may of slipped up a little bit there.......thanks for pointing that out.........NOT!

    :)

    James Bond is somewhat different as a character though - his Britishness is part of what makes him unique. American heroes are a dime a dozen by comparison.

    Exactly! For me as an American, it is James Bond's distinct Englishness that is one of the many reasons I love the character, and what makes him so unique and entertaining.

    James Bond should always be entirely steeped in his exotic British culture. :)

    Never hear British being called exotic before! Ha ha! But yes agreed.
  • suavejmfsuavejmf Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England
    Posts: 5,131
    mepal1 wrote: »
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    mepal1 wrote: »
    James Bond is British, and at the very least no one outside of the British commonwealth should play the part.
    How would Americans like it, if British characters, played their iconic hereos e.g. Batman?

    Oh, you mean like the British Henry Cavill playing Superman or Napoleon Solo? Or Christian Bale playing Batman?

    ok.....i may of slipped up a little bit there.......thanks for pointing that out.........NOT!

    :)

    An American actor can't play James Bond. They can never 'do' the accent! Some British actors can 'do' American accents though. It's not our fault theAmerican talent wasn't out there for Batman or Superman. Beacuse I agree they should have cast Americans.
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