Jump to content

George Lazenby

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

George Lazenby
Lazenby at the 2008 Big Apple Comic Con
Born
George Robert Lazenby

(1939-09-05) 5 September 1939 (age 85)
OccupationActor
Years active1963–2024
Known forJames Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Spouses
  • Chrissie Townson
    (m. 1973; div. 1995)
  • (m. 2002; div. 2011)
Children6 (1 deceased)

George Robert Lazenby (/ˈlzənbi/; born 5 September 1939)[1] is an Australian retired actor. He was the second actor to portray the fictional British secret agent James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, playing the character in On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). Since he appeared in only one film, Lazenby's tenure as Bond is the shortest among the actors in the series.

Lazenby began his professional career as a model and had only acted in commercials when he was cast to replace the original Bond actor, Sean Connery.[2] He declined to return for subsequent Bond films and instead pursued roles in Universal Soldier (1971), Who Saw Her Die? (1972), The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss (1974), The Man from Hong Kong (1975), and The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977). After his career stalled in the late 1970s, he moved into business and invested in real estate.

Lazenby later appeared in roles that parodied James Bond. In 2017, a Hulu docudrama film, Becoming Bond, featured Lazenby recounting his life story and portrayal of Bond.

Early life

[edit]

George Robert Lazenby was born on 5 September 1939 in Goulburn, New South Wales,[3] at Ovada Private Hospital, to railway worker George Edward Lazenby and Fosseys retail worker Sheila Joan Lazenby (née Bodel). He attended Goulburn Public School in his primary years and Goulburn High School until 1954. His sister Barbara was an accomplished dancer. When he was young, he spent 18 months in hospital after he underwent an operation that left him with only half a kidney.[4]

When Lazenby was about 14, he moved with his family from Goulburn to Queanbeyan, where his father ran a store. He served in the Australian Army, then afterwards worked as a car salesman and mechanic.[5][6][7]

Early jobs and modelling

[edit]

Lazenby moved to London in 1963 to pursue a woman with whom he had fallen in love.[8][9] He became a car salesman in Finchley, where he was spotted by a talent scout who persuaded him to become a model. He was soon earning £25,000 a year.[10][11] He was widely known for appearing in an advertisement for Fry's chocolate bars.[12] In 1966, he was voted Top Model of the Year.[13]

James Bond

[edit]
Lazenby with Diana Rigg while filming On Her Majesty's Secret Service in November 1968

In 1968, after Sean Connery had left the role of James Bond, producer Albert R. Broccoli met Lazenby for the first time while they were getting their hair cut at the same barbershop.[12] Broccoli later saw him in the Big Fry commercial and felt he could possibly portray Bond, on which basis he invited him to do a screen test.[14]a

Lazenby dressed for the part by sporting several sartorial Bond elements, such as a Rolex Submariner wristwatch and a Savile Row suit, which had been ordered, but not collected, by Connery.[15]

Broccoli offered him an audition. During the audition, Lazenby accidentally punched a professional wrestler, who was acting as stunt coordinator, in the face, impressing Broccoli with his ability to display aggression.[14][16] Director Peter R. Hunt felt that just because Lazenby starred in the movie, it did not make him an actor.[17]

In July 1969, after making On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Lazenby returned home to Queanbeyan to see his parents. He said he had 18 films to consider, but most of them were bad, adding that he had to "wait and see".[18] He also told the press, "I don't think I'm ready for anything like Hamlet yet but I'd love to play Ned Kelly."[19]

Lazenby was offered the chance to portray Bond on film again, in The Man with the Golden Gun.[20] However, prior to the release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Lazenby decided to leave the role of Bond after his agent, Ronan O'Rahilly, convinced him that the secret agent would be archaic in the liberated 1970s.[14][21] Lazenby also felt that he had received poor treatment on the film set.[22] Several of his co-stars felt that Lazenby had made a mistake, including Diana Rigg[23][24] and Desmond Llewelyn.[25][26] Lazenby acknowledged the worry but insisted that he had made the correct decision.[27]

At the time of the release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Lazenby's performance received mixed reviews. Critics felt that while he was physically convincing,[28] he delivered his lines poorly.[29][28] In the years since the film was released, public perception has become more positive.[30][31][32] Broccoli publicly defended Lazenby's performance, saying that while he was not the best actor, he was still great for the role of Bond. He did admit that he found Lazenby's post-movie attitude annoying, feeling that he did not respect the character and was arrogant.[33]

Diana Rigg and George Lazenby

Lazenby was considered to reprise the role of James Bond in Never Say Never Again. However, Sean Connery was chosen for the role instead.[34]

Lazenby has appeared as James Bond in various parodies and unofficial 007 roles, including the 1983 television film The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E., where his character is identified only by the initials J. B.,[35] and the 1996 video game Fox Hunt, parts of which were reedited into a feature film.[36][37] Additionally, he appeared in an episode of The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents called "Diamonds Aren't Forever."[38] In 2012, Lazenby made a guest appearance on the Canadian sketch comedy series This Hour Has 22 Minutes, spoofing the 007 series in a skit called "Help, I've Skyfallen and I Can't Get Up".[39]

Post-Bond career

[edit]

Lazenby made another film a year after On Her Majesty's Secret ServiceUniversal Soldier (1971), which he helped write. He said the movie was "anti-guns and anti-Bond". Due to his reported poor treatment on the set of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, he sought out a director whom he would work with better and found Cy Endfield. Lazenby helped to fund the film.[40][41] Lazenby admitted that after he left the role of Bond, he was unhireable. He landed few roles, to the point that his agent described him as "difficult".[42]

Lazenby next appeared in the 1972 Italian giallo film Who Saw Her Die? opposite Anita Strindberg, a performance for which he lost 35 pounds and received positive reviews.[43] He spent the next 15 months sailing around the world with Chrissie Townson; the trip ended when she became pregnant with their first child, prompting Lazenby to settle down and try to reactivate his career as an actor.[44]

In February 1973, he revealed that he had spent all of the money he had earned from playing Bond, had experienced two nervous breakdowns, and had become an alcoholic. He felt that if he had continued in the role, he would have gone crazy due to the mental stress that the role brings. He later said, "I burnt some bridges behind me, and it was fun, really. I'm sort of glad I did it and I know I won't have to do it again. I can look back and laugh because I didn't hurt anyone — except myself."[45]

Lazenby played a role in the BBC's Play for Today series in 1973, starring in Roger Smith's The Operation. He was meant to follow it with an Anglo-Italian western made in Turkey, followed by a film about rioting students in pre-Castro Cuba, but neither was made.[45]

Hong Kong

[edit]

In 1973, Lazenby said he was "flat broke" when he went to Hong Kong to meet Bruce Lee and producer Raymond Chow. They ended up offering him $10,000 ($68,600 today) to appear in a film with Lee, which was going to be the Golden Harvest film Game of Death. However, the plan collapsed after Lee's sudden death. Lazenby was meant to meet Lee for dinner on the day Lee died.[46]

In the end, Lazenby shot three films for Golden Harvest: The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss,[47] The Man from Hong Kong (1975) (also known as The Dragon Flies),[48][49] and A Queen's Ransom (1976).[50]

Australia

[edit]

In the mid-1970s, Lazenby appeared in a number of television movies shot in his native Australia, and an episode of the local police drama series Matlock Police.[51] He also returned to modelling, appearing in a number of advertisements for Benson & Hedges cigarettes.[52] A few years later, in an interview with the Australian Women's Weekly, he stated that he did not really feel like an actor as he had had very few acting roles, but added that he would embrace being an actor if he was offered more jobs.[53]

Hollywood

[edit]
Lazenby in 2014

In the late 1970s, Lazenby moved to Hollywood, California, where he started taking acting lessons and set about trying to obtain more acting work.[53]

In 1978, Broccoli described casting Lazenby as his biggest mistake, claiming that the actor couldn't deal with fame and labeling him as "very arrogant". He felt that Lazenby did not understand how a film set worked and did not mesh well with the rest of the cast and crew.[54] Sean Connery came to Lazenby's defence, saying that in the time that he knew Lazenby, he had not acted arrogant, instead applying that label to Broccoli.[55]

Lazenby went on to add:

It hasn't been easy, trying to climb back .... I admit I acted stupidly. It went to my head, everything that was happening to me. But remember, it was my first film .... Now what I've got to do is live down my past; convince people I'm not the same person who made a fool of himself all those years ago. I know I can do it. All I need is the chance.[42]

In 1978, he took out an advertisement in Variety, offering himself for acting work. He offered to work in any role for very little money, he later told a journalist for the Chicago Tribune. "People ask me if the Bond movie wasn't worth it if it got me into acting. It's true that it got me in, but it wasn't worth the ten years it cost me."[56] The following year, he had a substantial supporting role in Saint Jack (1979), directed by Peter Bogdanovich.[57] Filmink magazine called it "one of the best things – if not the best thing – Lazenby ever did outside of Bond."[58]

Lazenby was particularly keen to obtain a role in The Thorn Birds,[53] but that project was not made until a number of years later, and without Lazenby. He did manage to secure roles in Hawaii Five-O and Evening in Byzantium.[59] The latter was seen by Harry Saltzman, who offered Lazenby a leading role in a proposed science fiction film, The Micronauts. According to Lazenby, Saltzman had previously claimed that the pair would never work together again.[53]

Lazenby made a guest appearance on the television series Superboy, as Jor-El, in a two-part episode during the series' second season in 1990.[60] He appeared with Sylvia Kristel in several new Emmanuelle films in 1993, many of which appeared on cable television.[61] In 1993, Lazenby had a part in the film Gettysburg as Confederate General Johnston Pettigrew.[62]

On 5 November 2013, comedian Jim Jefferies stated in an interview that Lazenby would be playing Jefferies's father in the then upcoming second season of his FX network sitcom Legit.[63] In 2019, Lazenby starred as Dr. Jason Love in an audiobook version of James Leasor's spy novel Passport to Oblivion.[64]

In 2024, Lazenby announced his retirement from acting and public appearances.[65]

[edit]
Joanna Lumley and George Lazenby during On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Lazenby's single portrayal of the iconic Bond character, and his lack of standing as a favourite in the series, has resulted in his name being used as a metaphor for forgettable, non-iconic acting efforts in other entertainment franchises, and for entities that are largely ignored.[66][67]

In his review of Batman & Robin, widely regarded as the weakest and least successful film in the Batman film franchise, Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle said that George Clooney "should go down in history as the George Lazenby of the series".[67] Actor Paul McGann has described himself as "the George Lazenby of Doctor Who".[66] McGann's only starring television role as the Eighth Doctor was in the 1996 television movie.[68][69]

In 2009, Sondre Lerche released a song called "Like Lazenby" on his album Heartbeat Radio, in which he laments squandered opportunities and wishes for a "second try". Lerche had received a videotape of the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service as a child; he sent away for a free copy of the movie, only to find he had joined a James Bond film club. He got into trouble when his mother was contacted to pay for the membership. Years later, watching the movie again on DVD (with Lazenby's interviews), he found it to be "a perfect metaphor for life's disappointments".[70]

The title of Matthew Bauer's 2022 documentary The Other Fellow, about the lives of real men named James Bond, is inspired by Lazenby's line in the beginning of On Her Majesty's Secret Service, "This never happened to the other fellow", a reference to Sean Connery. Bauer told Filmink that he chose the title because "these are the situations that our characters face – continuously being in the shadow of this movie icon."[71]

Lazenby attended the tennis match of his future wife, Pam Shriver, in 2001

Personal life

[edit]

While working as a car salesman at the age of 21, Lazenby fathered a daughter, Jennifer, with Maureen Powell, who was then an Australian army sergeant and a physical education and fitness instructor at Royal Military College, Duntroon.[72]

In 1973, Lazenby married his girlfriend of three years, Christina Ross "Chrissie" Townson (later Matser), an heiress of the Gannett family.[44] They subsequently had two children, daughter Melanie Andrea Lazenby, born on 13 September 1973, and son Zachary "Zack" Lazenby, born on 9 November 1974, at Woden Valley Hospital (now Canberra Hospital) in Garran, Canberra, ACT.[73] Zachary was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour when he was 11 and died at age 19 in 1994. The two divorced shortly after, in 1995. Melanie is a real estate broker in New York, working for Douglas Elliman.[74][75]

In 2002, Lazenby married former tennis player Pam Shriver and they had three children,[76][77] including son George Junior Lazenby, born on 12 July 2004.[78]The family lived in Brentwood, California.[76] In August 2008, it was reported that Shriver had filed for divorce from Lazenby, citing "irreconcilable differences".[79] Their divorce was finalised in May 2011.[80]

In late 2023, Lazenby was injured in a fall and he was briefly hospitalised.[81][82] On 18 December, he returned home.[83]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Film
Year Title Role Notes Refs
1969 On Her Majesty's Secret Service James Bond [84]
1971 Universal Soldier Ryker Writer and executive producer [40]
1972 Who Saw Her Die? Franco Serpieri [43]
1974 Stoner Joshua Stoner Released in the United States as The Ultimate Bliss [47]
1975 The Man from Hong Kong Jack Wilton Released in the United States as The Dragon Flies [49]
1976 A Queen's Ransom George [50]
1977 The Kentucky Fried Movie The Architect Segment: "That's Armageddon" [85]
1978 Death Dimension Capt. Gallagher Aka Black Eliminator, Freeze Bomb
1979 Saint Jack Senator [57]
1981 Last Harem Prince Almalarik
1986 Never Too Young to Die Drew Stargrove [86]
1987 Hell Hunters Heinrich
1992 Eyes of the Beholder Jack Wyman
1993 Gettysburg J. Johnston Pettigrew [62]
The Evil Inside Me Grandinetti
1994 Twin Sitters Leland Stromm
1996 Fox Hunt Chauncey [87]
1998 Star of Jaipur John Steele
1999 Gut Feeling
2000 Four Dogs Playing Poker Carlo
2002 Spider's Web Leland De Winter
2003 Winter Break Campbell Grady Alternate title: Sheer Bliss
2014 A Winter Rose Henry
2015 Hunter General Bullmount
2016 Dance Angels Captain Hugo
2017 Death Game General Bullmount
Becoming Bond Himself Docudrama [88]
2019 Passport to Oblivion Dr Jason Love
2021 In the Blink of An Eye G
2024 Mundije US President Post-Production [89]
TBA Z Dead End Agent Smart Filming [90]

Television

[edit]
Television
Year Title Role Notes Refs
1973 Play for Today David Adler Episode: "The Operation"
1974 Matlock Police David Parkes Episode: "In the Name of the Queen" [51]
1976 Is There Anybody There? John Hersey TV film
1978 Evening in Byzantium Roger Tory Miniseries [59]
The Newman Shame John Brandy TV film
1979 Hawaii Five-O John Cossett Episode: "The Year of the Horse" [91]
B.J. and the Bear Burglar / Paul Desmond 2 episodes
1982 General Hospital Reginald Durban 5 episodes
1983 Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. J.B. TV film [35]
1984 Hotel Emmett Saunders Episode: "Tomorrows"
The Master Mallory Episode: "Hostages"
Rituals Logan Williams 9 episodes
1985 Cover Up Simon Locke Episode: "Jack of Spades"
1987 The Grand Knockout Tournament Himself TV special
1989 Freddy's Nightmares Dr Clark Episode: "The End of the World"
Alfred Hitchcock Presents James Grant Episode: "Diamonds Aren't Forever"
1990 Superboy Jor-El 2 episodes [60]
1993 Emmanuelle Forever Mario TV film [92]
Emmanuelle's Revenge [92]
Emmanuelle in Venice [92]
Emmanuelle's Love [92]
Emmanuelle's Magic [92]
Emmanuelle's Perfume [92]
Emmanuelle's Secret [92]
1994 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Chi'Ru Master Episode: "Return of the Shadow Assassin"
1998 Team Knight Rider Nigel Davies Episode: "The Return of Megaman"
1999 Baywatch Commander McCabe Episode: "The Big Blue"
1999–2000 The Pretender Major Charles 4 episodes
Batman Beyond Mr. Walker/King Voice, 3 episodes
2012 This Hour Has 22 Minutes Bond Episode #20.9 [39]
2014 Legit Jack Jefferies 2 episodes [63]

Documentaries

[edit]
Film
Year Title Role Notes Refs
1970 Omnibus Himself Documentary
Episode: "Ian Fleming Creator of the James Bond Myth"
1973 Life and Legend of Bruce Lee Himself Documentary
1974 The Last Days of Bruce Lee Himself Documentary
Kung Fu Killers Himself Documentary
Heisse Ware aus Hongkong Himself Documentary
1975 Celebrity Squares Panellist Game show
2 episodes
1984 Bruce Lee, The Legend Himself Archive footage
1993 Death by Misadventure: The Mysterious Life of Bruce Lee Himself Documentary
1995 In Search of James Bond with Jonathan Ross Himself Documentary
1997 The Secrets of 007: The James Bond Files Himself
1999 The James Bond Story Himself Documentary
2000 Harry Saltzman: Showman Himself Documentary
2002 E! True Hollywood Story Himself Documentary
Episode: "The Bond Girls"
Premiere Bond: Die Another Day Himself Documentary
In Other Times Himself Documentary
Best Ever Bond Himself Documentary
2006 Press Day in Portugal Himself Documentary
2007 Where Are They Now Himself Episode: "Hey Dad"
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: George Lazenby – In His Own Words Himself Documentary
Casting on "Her Majesty's Secret Service" Himself Documentary
2008 Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! Himself Documentary
2009 Whatever Happened To? Himself Episode: "Undercover Agents"
2012 Everything or Nothing Himself Documentary
The Path of the Dragon Himself Documentary
2017 And the Winner Isn't Himself Documentary
2018 A Very Bond Farewell with George Lazenby Himself Documentary
2019 Real Men Himself Documentary
2021 OHMSS50: The Concert Himself Video
2021 OHMSS50: Video Report Himself Video documentary
TBA This Never Happened to the Other Fella Himself Documentary
Post-production

Video games

[edit]
Video games
Year Title Role Notes Refs
1996 Fox Hunt Chauncey Live-action video game [93]

Unmade films

[edit]

Roles originally offered to Lazenby

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
^a Cy Endfield directed the Big Fry commercial.[100]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "George Lazenby biography". The New York Times. accessed 4 June 2011.
  2. ^ "New '007' selected". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. 3 October 1968. p. 3A. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  3. ^ Australian National Portrait Gallery. "Australians in Hollywood". National Portrait Gallery. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
  4. ^ Doherty, Megan (10 September 2000). "Former 007 Celebrates His 61st Birthday Back In Queanbeyan". The Canberra Times. p. 3.
  5. ^ "£45 FINE IN TRAFFIC CASE RE-HEARING". The Canberra Times. 15 December 1961. p. 30. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Advertising". The Canberra Times. 9 March 1963. p. 12. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "FAREWELL TO BELINDA". The Canberra Times. 10 April 1964. p. 29. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Gordon, Chris. "Lazenby's Goulburn bond" Archived 4 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine Goulburn Post. 3 November 2010
  9. ^ Barnes, Candice (21 June 2014). "Bond and beyond: George Lazenby sets the record straight". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 5 November 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  10. ^ Kaye, Don (27 May 2017). "Becoming Bond: How a Car Salesman Landed the Role of James Bond 007". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  11. ^ Greenbaum, Josh (20 May 2017). Becoming Bond (Motion picture).
  12. ^ a b Terry Coleman, '007 Mk2', The Guardian, 8 October 1968, p. 5
  13. ^ "CAPITALLETTER". The Canberra Times. 29 August 1968. p. 3. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ a b c Inside On Her Majesty's Secret Service (DVD). OHMSS Ultimate Edition DVD: MGM Home Entertainment Inc. 2000.
  15. ^ Andere Tijden,De 'vergeten' 007 Archived 27 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine. VPRO, Nederland 2, 20:25–21:25.
  16. ^ "Happy 69th Birthday, George Lazenby!". Commanderbond.net. 5 September 2008. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  17. ^ "Australian Non-Actor Chosen to Play James Bond". The Washington Post. 9 October 1968. p. D14.
  18. ^ "FILM SPY HAS TEARFUL EYE TO GREET PARENTS". The Canberra Times. 10 July 1969. p. 3. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "James Bond Slimmer Now". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 July 1969. p. 7.
  20. ^ "JAMES BOND—WHEN HE'S AT HOME". The Australian Women's Weekly. 6 August 1969. p. 7. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ a b Sandwell, Ian (4 March 2024). "Why every James Bond actor quit". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Latest 007 Seeking to End His Bondage", Los Angeles Times, 24 November 1969, pg. 2.
  23. ^ Gene Siskel (3 December 1969). "The Movies: What's New, Diana?". Chicago Tribune. p. C-10.
  24. ^ "Lazenby quits 007". The Canberra Times. 25 November 1969. p. 14. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. ^ Knapp, Dan (27 December 1971). "A Visit With 007's Armorer". Los Angeles Times. p. E-17.
  26. ^ "Glenn Takes Flier as Anti-Flight Hero". Los Angeles Times. 14 December 1969. p. 26a.
  27. ^ "Lazenby does his thing". The Canberra Times. 11 December 1969. p. 34. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. ^ a b Zec, Donald (16 December 1969). "Big film ... small fry". Daily Mirror.
  29. ^ Garrett, Olivia (12 April 2023). "On Her Majesty's Secret Service could have changed the Bond franchise forever". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 26 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  30. ^ Kaye, Don (16 January 2023). "On Her Majesty's Secret Service Is the Most Original James Bond Movie". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  31. ^ Elvy, Craig (12 February 2020). "Why James Bond Fans Hated (But Now Love) On Her Majesty's Secret Service". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  32. ^ Pfeiffer, Lee; Worrall, Dave (20 August 2002). The Essential Bond: The Authorized Guide to the World of 007. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060505615.
  33. ^ "Of human Bondage". The Sunday Times. No. 7647. 21 December 1969. p. 11.
  34. ^ Simpson, George (16 April 2022). "James Bond: Sean Connery wanted Roger Moore in Never Say Never Again". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  35. ^ a b Cotter, Padraig (29 July 2022). "George Lazenby's Unofficial Second James Bond Movie". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  36. ^ "On the Trail of Foxhunt". GamePro. No. 87. IDG. December 1995. pp. 38–40.
  37. ^ Saylor, Mark (9 May 1997). "Cannes: Another Twist in the Path to Filmdom". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 10 April 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  38. ^ "Dick Van Dyke almost played the world's most famous spy!". MeTV. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  39. ^ a b "James Bond Spoof". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  40. ^ a b "Actor Lazenby throws off his Bonds". The Canberra Times. 1 January 1971. p. 3. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  41. ^ "GREER AND LAZENBY". The Australian Women's Weekly. 12 April 1972. p. 3. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  42. ^ a b Mann, Roderick (13 August 1978). "Natalie Wood: Funny but She Doesn't Look 40". Los Angeles Times. p. 27. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  43. ^ a b Wilkins, Budd (17 September 2019). "Blu-ray Review: Aldo Lado's Who Saw Her Die? on Arrow Video". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  44. ^ a b "George Lazenby takes a new domestic role". The Australian Women's Weekly. 17 October 1973. p. 2. Retrieved 10 July 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  45. ^ a b Milliken, Robert (25 February 1973). "Aussie Actor 'Almost Killed' by Role of 007". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 15.
  46. ^ Bey Logan (January 2000). "George Lazenby Far Eastern Odyssey (Part 1)". Impact Magazine. No. 97. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  47. ^ a b "The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss (1974)". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  48. ^ "The Man From Hong Kong (1975)". GeorgeLazenby.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  49. ^ a b Buckmaster, Luke (16 January 2016). "The Man from Hong Kong rewatched – chopsocky fun at a cracking pace". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  50. ^ a b "A Queen's Ransom". TVGuide. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  51. ^ a b Blake, Jason (23 May 2011). "Aussie bloke of screen was larger than life". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  52. ^ "Advertising". Australian Women's Weekly. 10 November 1976. p. 20. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  53. ^ a b c d "PEOPLE". Australian Women's Weekly. 7 December 1977. p. 10. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  54. ^ "The Man Who Makes 007 Run". Los Angeles Times. 5 June 1978. p. G8.
  55. ^ Mann, Roderick (13 July 1978). "Sean Connery Back in Bondage?". Los Angeles Times. p. H12. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  56. ^ Bob Wisehart, "Movies: 007 rises, falls, then rises again", Chicago Tribune, 10 September 1978, p. E23.
  57. ^ a b "Saint Jack". Museum of the Moving Image. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  58. ^ Vagg, Stephen (17 May 2024). "Top Ten Corman – Part Four, Connections with Australia". Filmink.
  59. ^ a b Bashian, Lori (3 October 2022). "James Bond actors over the years: Where are the 007s now?". Fox News. Archived from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  60. ^ a b Wells, Brock (6 October 2022). "10 Things You Never Knew About The Forgotten Superboy TV Show". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  61. ^ Paton, Maureen (15 November 2019). "George Lazenby: 'Being a ladies man is one of the best things in the world'". Telegraph.co.uk. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  62. ^ a b "Filmography". George Lazenby. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  63. ^ a b Beinstock, Hal (5 November 2013). "Q&A with 'Legit' stand-up comic Jim Jefferies". amNY. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  64. ^ "George Lazenby: 'They offered me £1 million cash to do a second Bond film – I walked away'". Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  65. ^ Kuznikov, Selena (25 July 2024). "George Lazenby Retires: Actor Who Played James Bond in One Film Is Done With Acting". Variety. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  66. ^ a b Mottram, James (22 September 2011). "Paul McGann: The latest twist in his tale". The Independent. Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  67. ^ a b LaSalle, Mick (20 June 1997). "Batman Chills Out". San Francisco Chronicle.
  68. ^ Gearan, Hannah (2 November 2023). "Eighth Doctor Actor Paul McGann Enthusiastically Considers Another Doctor Who Return". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  69. ^ Lujan, Adam. "'Doctor Who': Every former Doctor return appearance, ranked". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  70. ^ "Sondre Lerche: on James Bond and George Lazenby". Undertheradarmag.com. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  71. ^ Smith, Magda (7 December 2022). "Bauer, Matthew Bauer and The Other Fellow". FilmInk. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  72. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: George Lazenby's secret love child to take stand in divorce battle with Pam Shriver to say 'he's a good man'". Evening Standard. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  73. ^ "Actor's wife has son". The Canberra Times. 11 November 1974. p. 8. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  74. ^ "Melanie McLennan Lazenby - NYC Real Estate Agent | Douglas Elliman". Archived from the original on 26 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  75. ^ Candace Taylor (1 March 2012). "Lazenby's 007 moment". The Real Deal. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  76. ^ a b "Shriver files for Lazenby divorce". BBC News. 8 August 2008. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  77. ^ "Pam Shriver – no luck with older dudes". Montreal Gazette. 11 August 2008. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  78. ^ "George Lazenby on X". X. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  79. ^ "Pam Shriver files for divorce from former Bond George Lazenby". The Australian. 8 August 2008. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  80. ^ Finn, Natalie (16 May 2011). "Which James Bond Just Got His License to Divorce?". E! Online. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  81. ^ "Former James Bond star George Lazenby, 84, recovering after suffering brain injury". Smooth. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  82. ^ "James Bond actor George Lazenby is recovering from a fall: 'Not easy getting older'". Los Angeles Times. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  83. ^ "James Bond Star George Lazenby Safely Home After Fall: 'What a Fighter'". People. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  84. ^ Kaye, Don (16 January 2023). "On Her Majesty's Secret Service Is the Most Original James Bond Movie". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  85. ^ Gelder, Lawrence Van (11 August 1977). "'Kentucky Fried' A Yolky Film". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  86. ^ Abramovitch, Seth (4 November 2015). "Hollywood Flashback: John Stamos, Gene Simmons Recall Insane 1986 Bomb 'Never Too Young to Die'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  87. ^ "CD-ROM games might have wider appeal on the big screen". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  88. ^ Debruge, Peter (17 May 2017). "Film Review: 'Becoming Bond'". Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  89. ^ "Mundije". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  90. ^ B, Brian (11 March 2021). "It's Raining Zombies in the Insane Z Dead End Trailer". MovieWeb. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  91. ^ "Hawaii Five-0". TVGuide. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  92. ^ a b c d e f g Paton, Maureen (15 November 2019). "George Lazenby: 'Being a ladies man is one of the best things in the world'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  93. ^ Cobbett, Richard (8 October 2022). "Capcom's interactive spy comedy movie Fox Hunt was probably better left forgotten". PCGamer. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  94. ^ "Lazenby rides again". The Canberra Times. 3 January 1970. p. 16. Retrieved 17 February 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  95. ^ "George Lazenby" Archived 23 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Crawleys Casting Calls. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  96. ^ Spencer, Samuel (8 June 2020). "The Bruce Lee '30 for 30' Explored the Mystery of the Actor's Death". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  97. ^ "George Lazenby". Time Out. 14 November 2008. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  98. ^ Castle, Alex (13 December 1999). "Life of Brian: The Criterion Collection". IGN. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  99. ^ Simpson, George (16 April 2022). "James Bond: Sean Connery wanted Roger Moore in Never Say Never Again". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  100. ^ Neve, Brian (2015). The Many Lives of Cy Endfield. University of Wisconsin. pp. 180–181. ISBN 9780299303747.
[edit]