7 Actors Who Played James Bond Before Daniel Craig

Although the term "James Bond" is usually synonymous with six stars, there are indeed a few more men who have taken up the 007 mantles than most people assume. No Time to Die, the newest Bond film, is fast approaching its April release date, which will be the 25th film starring the most famous super-spy in the world. Starring Daniel Craig in his fourth appearance as 007, No Time to Die is a continuation of Spectre's activities, in which Bond obviously leaves MI6 to evade Madeline Swann's love interest.

Posted On November 19th, 2020

Barry Nelson

You are not alone if the name is new to you. While Sean Connery is the actor most commonly credited with creating the part of James Bond, eight years after Barry Nelson, the first man to play James Bond on television, he actually stepped into the trademark tuxedo. Here's another surprise, if that's not surprising enough: Nelson was an American. That's right - the first man to play James Bond, the iconic British spy, was originally an American actor. In an anthology episode of the television series Climax!, Nelson took the part. It is based on the novel Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. However, the role outside of the single episode was never continued by Nelson, and the James Bond story was not taken up again until 1962.

Sean Connery

The first (and perhaps most iconic) actor to play 007 was Sean Connery, who started his decade-long career as James Bond with the 1962 film Dr. No. Originally, Connery was not considered "classy" or "suave" enough for Bond's role and was even questioned by Ian Fleming himself, whose preference for Bond was more in line with studio proposals such as Cary Grant. The sex appeal and charisma of Connery finally won him the part, though and he went on to immortalize the character in Dr No From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds are Forever, and Never Say Never Again.

Bob Simmons

Bob Simmons depicted James Bond in the same films as Sean Connery, another name that could be new to many readers-just in a much shorter manner. During the filming of the now-iconic gun barrel scene, Simmons was Connery's stunt double and was used. Nowadays in the gun barrel series, the actor who plays Bond also depicts him, but since the sequence was planned to feature the only Bond in the profile, there was no need to include Connery in the scene himself. Simmons will also add his name to the short number of men who have played Bond, but that might be more of a technicality than something else.

David Niven

Although contemporary viewers may be more acquainted with Casino Royale as the violent 2006 thriller starring Daniel Craig as 007, the novel was also adapted in the '60s with a decidedly less serious approach. In the 1967 Casino Royale, which is one of the few Bond films not made by Eon, David Niven played James Bond. The film itself sees James Bond in retirement and is more of a wacky spoof than the sort of film commonly identified with the franchise by modern viewers. About the strange tone of the film and weak critical response, author Ian Fleming deemed Niven the right actor to play Bond, so his stint as the famous spy can't be considered a complete disappointment.

George Lazenby

One film was made in the interim after Sean Connery quit the role in 1967 (only to be persuaded to return in subsequent years) - On Her Majesty's Secret Service, starring George Lazenby. Before the film was released, Lazenby quit the role, and for his performance, he would go on to be nominated for a Golden Globe. Lazenby will never make another Bond film despite the nomination and the strong critical response the film got, making him the actor with the shortest stint out of the big six in the role.

Roger Moore

For seven films, Moore played Bond - Live and Let Die, The Man With the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, Octopussy, For Your Eyes Only and A View to Kill. Thanks to his extensive time as a TV performer, Moore was considered and offered the part when Connery couldn't be persuaded to return to the role. Moore was among those considered for the Secret Service of On Her Majesty, but unlike Lazenby (who ended up playing Bond in that film), Moore would continue to make more successful films as 007. Moore - in fact - was also the first English actor to play James Bond in an Eon series - Connery is Scottish and Lazenby is Australian.

Timothy Dalton

After admitting that he was too old for the part, Moore finally retired as Bond and passed the role on to Timothy Dalton. A few years ago, Dalton had been considered for the part but was believed to be too young at the time to properly represent the superspy. He won the part, however, over Sam Neill of Jurassic Park, and learned by reading some of Fleming's novels until his first appearance as Bond in The Living Daylights of 1986. Dalton quit the role only to star in two films after his success got negative reviews and his films failed to reach the same box office figures as Moore's.