Page 36 - Seniorstoday November 2021 Issue
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changed public and media opinion. Casino The Actors Who Played Bond
Royale went on to become the highest
grosser in Bond history and Daniel Craig’s
popularity went through the roof.
By this time, the essence of James
Bond had changed—he was no longer a
cartoonish “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” caper
guy, but a better-rounded figure. For one,
the world had changed too much for the
women to be given names like Honey
Ryder, Mary Goodnight, Kissy Suzuki and Sean Connery: The first and arguably the
Pussy Galore! Barbara Broccoli observed best Bond, till Daniel Craig threatened his
that Craig brought out an inner emotional throne. He played 007 in Dr No (1962),
life of the character, which was there in the From Russia With Love (1963), Goldfinger
books, but never translated on to screen. (1964), Thunderball (1965), You Only Live
The world was even more dangerous after Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971).
the rise of terrorism and a spy had his He also appeared in Never Say Never Again
work cut out, but Craig brought a brooding (1983), which was not produced by Eon
intensity to the part, and did not look like Pictures, and sipped through a loophole in
he was enjoying the killing and mayhem. the contracts. The title referred to the fact
that Connery had said he would never play
Bond again; this was his seventh and final
movie in which he played the iconic role.
George Lazenby: He acted in just one film,
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969),
Roger Moore: Live And Let Die (1973), The
Man With The Golden Gun (1974), The Spy
Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979),
For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy
Daniel Craig – the ‘brooding Bond’ (1983), A View To Kill (1985)
But the iconography of the films was Timothy Dalton: The Living Daylights
carefully retained—like the Monty (1987), Licence To Kill (19989),
Norman-composed James Bond theme, Piece Brosnan: Golden Eye (1995),
the star singers (like John Barry, Tina Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World Is
Turner, Madonna, Adele) lending their Not Enough, Die Another Day (2002),
voices to the title song, the logo of 007 in Daniel Craig: Casino Royale (2006),
the shape of a gun, the exciting pre-credit Quantum of Solace (2008), Skyfall (2012),
sequences, the recurring Bond motif of him Spectre (2015), No Time To Die (2021)
walking across and shooting his pistol (his Besides these actors, David Niven played
weapon of choice being a Walther 99 semi- Sir James Bond in a spoof, Casino Royale
automatic), his image captured in the gun (1967), Barry Nelson played him in the
barrel aimed at him (created by graphic Casino Royale of the anthology series,
artist Maurice Binder). There were the Climax (1954).
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