Could Lewis Collins have played Bond

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stuart.uk
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Could Lewis Collins have played Bond

Post by stuart.uk »

Lewis Collins was brought in as a last minute replacement for Anthony Andrews in The Professionals, partnering Martin Shaw and working for Gordon Jackson. Such was is impact he was thought of as a possible replacement for Roger Moore in the James Bond series. After The Professionals, he got the lead in the SAS movie Who Dares wins with Richard Widmark, Judy Davis and Edward Woodward. This seemed to increase his chances of landing Bond, but apparently he failed an audition for the role. It's ironic that while Lewis's career seemed to wane, his Profesional partner Martin Shaw has continued to have a very successful tv career

Here is a clip from WDWs
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Could Lewis Collins have played Bond

Post by Rita Hayworth »

Back in early 1980's and continuing to the mid-1990 ... I did belong to a James Bond 007 Club and we talked about movies, actors, and everything in between about James Bond and one of our discussion is that one member brought up the topic ... Can Lewis Collins have played Bond as a replacement for Roger Moore. Many Members (not me) hated that prospect and applauded the Bond Franchise of selecting Timothy Dalton instead.

My answer at that time, and still is today ... Lewis Collins would make an excellent James Bond and he would had given it flair and charisma in a different light of things.

Many members preferred Pierce Brosnan ... but the problem at that time he was heavily involved with NBC's Television Series ... called Remington Steele that co-starred Stephanie Zimbalist and could not get out of it. That was our 1st Choice to replace Roger Moore and Dalton and Collins were tied for Number 2.

In my own opinion ... I always felt that Timothy Dalton was lukewarm as Bond and if they had Collins instead ... Pierce Brosnan would or would not been Bond in the first place.

I may have members here disagree with me regarding my opinion of Dalton ... but ... I felt that Lewis Collins would make an excellent Bond and sad to say ... he never got a chance to do so.
stuart.uk
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Re: Could Lewis Collins have played Bond

Post by stuart.uk »

I wonder if the actor Patrick Mower was ever involved in your possible Bond discussion. Apparently though young Mower was considered for the role. He made his name as secret agent Cross in the classic spy series Callan with Edward Woodward. He went onto play an Inspector in Special Branch and Target. He's now a middle-aged playboy in the UK soap Emerdale
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Could Lewis Collins have played Bond

Post by Rita Hayworth »

stuart.uk wrote:I wonder if the actor Patrick Mower was ever involved in your possible Bond discussion. Apparently though young Mower was considered for the role. He made his name as secret agent Cross in the classic spy series Callan with Edward Woodward. He went onto play an Inspector in Special Branch and Target. He's now a middle-aged playboy in the UK soap Emerdale
Yes, Stuart ... he was mentioned many times if I recalled and I vaguely that he had a small group of supporters too and I could ask my dear friend John about this ... I will see him next Friday over Coffee and ask him about it. He knows a lot about it. He is a big Patrick Mower fan and loved Special Branch.
RedRiver
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Re: Could Lewis Collins have played Bond

Post by RedRiver »

I like Dalton as Bond. He's cold. Mean when he has to be. Not ridiculously handsome. The two movies he made were watchable, if not excellent. A major improvement on the self parody that preceeded them. I'm not familiar with Lewis Collins. The discussion is enlightening.
stuart.uk
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Re: Could Lewis Collins have played Bond

Post by stuart.uk »

I felt Mower was a bit to working class for Bond. That said I always felt that both Connery and Dalton's Bond, grew up in a working class enviroment and educated themselves up into a higher social standing. I sometimes felt, Dalton whom I liked, sometimes showed signs of a regional accent. I also read somewhere that Connery's Bond grew up in the slums of Edinburgh while Moore's went to Eaton. That's not to discredit Moore, who I also highly rated.

I know to James Brolin was also audititioned, but IMO Bond should always be British. I think to Brolin, Mower and possibly Collins were considered when Moore was still playing Bond. I tend to think that was because Moore was making huge wage demands. However, the producers gave into Moore's demands and let him play Bond for a little bit longer
stuart.uk
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Re: Could Lewis Collins have played Bond

Post by stuart.uk »

Here's Patrick Mower taking about Bond. Apparently he was considered after Connery

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