What happened to Lazenby as Bond?

There is the ages old question posed by the 'older generations,' which is, who is the better Bond, Sean Connery or Roger Moore? (Of course the younger folk get to add the new ones, Brosnan, Craig and Dalton.) I also realize that there were actually a few others like David Niven, but his wasn't a "real" Bond, more a spoof, IIRC.

My personal favorite Bond, and movie, of all time, however, is George Lazenby in the original "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". I watched it again (twice) today.

Why wasn't Lazenby ever asked to play Bond in a sequel? Did it have to do with negative reaction by fans to his marriage and the following death of his wife?

casting james-bond

Best Answer

According to Wikipedia, Lazenby left the role on his agent's advice:

Although Lazenby had been offered a contract for seven movies, his agent, Ronan O'Rahilly, convinced him that the secret agent would be archaic in the liberated 1970s, and as a result he left the series after the release of On Her Majesty's Secret Service in 1969.

It also appears that Lazenby clashed with the film's producers, saying:

"They made me feel like I was mindless. They disregarded everything I suggested simply because I hadn't been in the film business like them for about a thousand years."

Around late 1969 and early 1970, it seems he moved on, saying:

"I've already put him behind me. I will never play him again."

And:

"[N]o more Bond. I make better money doing commercials."

So apparently, quitting the role was Lazenby's choice. However, this interesting source tells a slightly different story. It suggests that Lazenby was offered a contract for the next 10 Bond movies and an increased salary and he was willing to sign it, but his managers found the terms unacceptable, at which point United Artists ruled him out and (although John Gavin was also briefly signed as an insurance policy) ordered Bond producers Saltzman and Broccoli to get Connery back at any cost.