E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Getty Images
James Bond has been played by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.
Connery. Sean Connery.
He was the first James Bond, but is he now and forever the best?
We asked our readers on Facebook to share their thoughts about the six actors who've played super-spy 007 over the years. In our completely informal poll, Sean Connery came out on top by a mile.
Said Karen Willis: "Favorite Bond ACTOR is, of course, Sean Connery. But I found that the *plot* of some of the OTHER actors' movies really appeal to me more than Sean's! (scandalous!)"
But some viewers feel that it's hard not to have a fond feeling towards whichever actor was playing Bond at the time you grew up.
Says Shundra Stewart, who was born in 1980: "I was in high school going into college when (Pierce Brosnan) was James Bond. So I knew Pierce more than the other Bonds since I grew up watching a lot of his movie and of course Remington Steele."
Current Bond Daniel Craig gets a split decision.
Says Jay Isherwood: "Daniel Craig is doing well, but his Bond is completely humorless and I miss that...I liked Pierce a lot! But Roger Moore is my favorite!"
Joshua Harrington disagrees, writing "Daniel Craig is very very good as Bond. I like his no-nonsense version of Bond. The movies are much less campy and actually really good solid films."
No one on our page is a huge fan of one-movie-wonder George Lazenby, although Bill Salterelli does list him third on his Bond list.
Here's our most unscientific list, in order of preference.
1. Sean Connery
2. Daniel Craig
3. Roger Moore
4. Pierce Brosnan
5. Timothy Dalton
6. George Lazenby
Who's your top Bond? Give us your list, and any reasons, in the comments.
Related content:
Leave a Comment:
Here's an idea (similar to Star trek 2.0) Take the old James Bond movies and digitally insert superior technology to update them.
Connery will always be Bond! He has the luck of having been first.
He wasn't first. That was George Lazanby
Actually, the first Bond was David Niven in Casino Royal. Next came Connery, who briefly retired and was replaced by George Lazanby, who was only in one movie. Connery then returned for "Diamonds Are Forever".
David Niven was NOT the first James Bond. His Casino Royale was made in 1967, 5 years after Dr. No. In actuality, the first Bond was Barry Nelson in 1954 for a TV episode of Climax! that was loosely based on Casino Royale.
The first was the original Casino Royale which actually had two people cast as James Bond, and you are right that David Niven was one, but so was Peter Sellers.
1. David Niven / Peter Sellers
2. Sean Connery
3. George Lazenby (On Her Majestys Secret Service, was far underated)
4. Sean Connery (Not with MGM though, in Never Say Never which was a loose remake of Thunderball)
5. Roger Moore
6. Timothy Dalton (Was supposed to be Pierce Brosnan, but was not let out of his Remmington Steele contract)
7. Pierce Brosnan
8. Daniel Craig
Actually Paul, Connery did one more with MGM after Lazenby - "Diamonds Are Forever". He didn't do Never Say Never again until the year Roger Moore was in "Octopussy".
PghBoy, You are correct about the Diamonds are Forever, Whose concept was borrowed for Die Another Day. However Octopussy came out the following year. Never Say Never Again was made because of an option that Warner Brothers had, to produce a James Bond movie due to some licensing arrangement with EON, but I am not sure of the details, they did have an option to make another movie outside of MGM, and that movie was made through Columbia which now co-distributes with MGM. And that movie was Casino Royale (2006).
Connery is by far the best, followed by Pierce Brosnan. Daniel Craig can't hold a candle to any of the others. Definitely on the bottom of the list!
He was the BEST!!
Nuff said
1a. Connery
1b. Craig
2. Lazenby
3. Brosnan
4. Dalton
5. Moore
Moore may not have been a particularly bad Bond, but so many of the Moore movies are just out-and-out stupid, horribly dated, and cheesy. Most of the Connery canon is still very watchable and fun, and Craig plays Bond closest to what Fleming wrote.
And for those still bickering, the Niven/Sellers/Woody Allen bond was after Connery.
My favorite Bond-wannabe is Dean Martin's "Matt Helm"
Arelem wins!!!!! Post 1.3. Barry Nelson was the first James Bond!!!! So much for you Bond aficionados!
Not this viewer. Daniel Craig tops my list. It helps that the films are rather good, which can't be said of all of the Bond cannon. But ultimately, I think Craig just has the appropriate look, style and charm that Bond (were he real) would exude. Pierce Brosnan was a pretty-boy dressed as Bond, but (for me at least) he completely failed to capture Bond's personality in any memorable way. I love Sean Connery, but let's face it: he's a Scot, not a Brit.
On an aside... "Thatsh what your mother shaid lasht night, Trebek!"
Best SNL skits ever.
"I'll take shwords for five hundred."
"That's actually "S" words, not swords, words that begin with the letter "S".... Popeye was this sort of man."
"Shaber!"
"Once again, the category is "S" words, NOT SWORDS!"
"It began with an esh!"
I liked Sean Connery the best. But I like Daniel Graig also, his Bond is very near Ian Flemming's character. The best film: From Russia with Love! A real spy movie before all the gimmicks. Graig's are right up there too.
Thank you Undertaker8001 for contributing absolutely nothing.
Think you could strain that one brain cell and hash out your thought a little more?
Explain why? Anyone can destroy an idea...only about 10% of the population can actually formulate a new thought.
Here's my order
1. Sean Connery
2. Daniel Craig
3. Timothy Dalton
4. George Lazenby
5. Pierce Brosnan
6. Roger Moore
Connery was simply amazing, in all of the films he did - besides Never Say Never Again, which wasn't that good of a film despite the fact that Kim Basinger was one of the hottest Bond Girls ever.
Craig plays Bond very close to how Connery did, and the closest to how the books portray him.
Although a lot of people for some reason dismiss Dalton, he was actually a relatively badass Bond - when it was time for him to beat up a bad guy, he did so almost as well as Connery and Craig did.
Lazenby was only in one film, but his performance in it was very strong. It would have been interesting to see him in several more films. People seem to overlook him because he was only in the one film, which is a major mistake.
Brosnan is a wuss, pure and simple. It would have been interesting to see how he would have been if he had actually been cast back when they originally tried to get him - but NBC screwed him over with his Remington Steele contract when word came out that he was being considered for the role. For a character who needs to be a badass on occasion, Brosnan failed utterly. The only good Brosnan film was Goldeneye, which was originally supposed to be a Dalton film. In his subsequent films they removed almost all of the pure action, for a very good reason - Brosnan is a wuss and he was not capable of doing those serious action scenes. He would have died if they had tried to make him do half of the stunts that Craig did. Watch his films again and notice that every time he runs, jumps, punches, or is punched he grunts like an old geezer. It is amazingly distracting once you're aware of it, and it really takes away from the action. Sure, he was a suave and debonair looking guy, but so much of a wuss that he's simply not believable as a double-O agent.
And then my old childhood favorite, Moore. Of course as a kid he was in the new films so there was the natural impression that he was badass - but after viewing the Connery, Lazenby and (later) Dalton films he really was far more of a wuss than even Brosnan. He was the only Bond actor who had so little practical fighting ability that any combat scenes with him were truly cheesy and BAD. He was the only Bond who regularly resorted to smashing enemies over the head with object, since they couldn't actually get him to do a realistic fight scene. Sure some of the more interesting plots were for the films he was in (The Spy Who Loved Me, Live and Let Die) - but his weak physical presence and regular use of "girl fighting" tactics really has made his films VERY BAD for repeat viewings. Plus when he was 'kissing' the hot chick you could tell he wasn't even into it - and believe you me, if I had the chance to make out with some of the hot chicks he got to make out with it would be method acting, not a geezer kiss where he's holding his lips still the whole time. Absolutely pathetic Bond, despite his natural charms... and the fact that he was an old geezer when he starred in most of those films didn't help out much either... as with Brosnan, simply not believable as a double-O agent.
Connery, Moore, Craig. In that order.
First movie I saw in a theater was Dr. No. Loved it, went and read as many Ian Fleming books that I could. As much as I loved Connery (and I still do) I had a hard time connecting him to the character. Connery had too much brutishness about him, not to mention the Scottish accent, definitely not Bond!! Still he established the franchise in popular culture and that gives him an edge. I enjoyed Moore in the Saint, and was happy he moved into the Bond role. He brought a true English flair, with a cocky attitude. He walked the 007 walk and talked the 007 talk. For me it's a tie between Moore & Connery. Brosnan had some awesome toys, and I'm warming up to Craig too, but he needs to portray more of the finesse that Moore brought to the character.
Daniel Craig is truer to Ian Fleming's original bond than any of the others. I'd place Connery second. He suffered from the producers' desires to add cuteness to the series - silly gadgets and arch repartee.
Brosnan and Moore? Brosnan didn't have the physique - sorry, but true. Bond doesn't weigh 90 pounds soaking wet. And Moore became a lacquered buffoon in the role - an over the top version of his Saint character (another shame - the Saint books were great).
On the other hand, Judi Dench is the best M ever. (Though I doubt her name is Miles Messervy, the original M's name, revealed fleetingly at the end of the written series. Fodder for your next trivia contest, along with the question of the name of the dog in Topper.)
Craig is definitely #1, smokin' hot bad boy! Connery was too stuffy, he wasn't sexy - especially with that greasy hair. Judi Dench is the best M! Could her name be Miley? I hope NOT!!! Millicent maybe...
I always assumed that M was a title not a name... M as in Minister - as the head of MI6 that would make perfect sense - just like Q stands for Quartermaster (his real name was Boothroyd or something to that effect).
Connery, Craig, Brosnan, Dalton, Moore, Lazenby if your going by acting talent.
Connery, Connery, Connery, Connery, Connery, Connery
Just saying...hands down the best overall.
Connery is Bond, and Daniel Craig is a different Bond. Both are excellent! Still can picture Daniel Craig emerging from the surf in Casino Royale. WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately for so many Bond fans, some of the better Books translated into films with Roger Moore, who absolutely stunk as Bond. If Sean Connery or Daniel Craig had been able to do Live And Let Die, OMG what a film that would have been.
I agree with RW-354689, I am starting to like Daniel Craig's more straight forward characterization a bit better than the periodic wit of Sean Connery, but Sean is still a God in the Bond world. For the most part, the films after Thunderball aren't near as good as their Book counterparts, that is, until Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. Unfortunately, I am in great fear that Daniel is getting close to his shelf life. It would be a wonderful thing if someone wouuld hurry up and re-make Live and Let Die with Daniel as Bond.
Agreed - although I normally dislike remakes, seeing Craig in a redo of The Spy Who Loved me or Live and Let Die would be fantastic. Or even Moonraker - but without the stupid looking non-circular space station that somehow had gravity when it was spinning but didn't when it wasn't - they knew plenty about the physics of space flight and how centripetal forces can make artificial gravity by then to realize that the design of Drax's space station was just DUMB. Were it a cylinder shaped object or even a sphere (with the "floors" on the outside walls) it could have been believable - but the existing film was just plain horrible, despite the fact that Jaws was always a cool villain.
Craig does a good job.IMO Brosnan was a mistake they should of went with Adrain Paul he has the size to match Connery- they are both big men- and Paul is a real life martial artist which also adds to Connery's Bond as a deadly man.
Connery is Bond...The best.
Daniel Craig surpasses Sean Connery in portraying James Bond. As Bond is a fictional character, it is a very subjective criteria for the actor who qualifies as the best Bond. I think that Craig is a good actor as was Connery. But for pure male attraction, which is a component of the Bond mystique, my money is on Daniel Craig.
It's like asking which model is the best representative of the Victoria Secrets model? While I think Model A can walk the catwalk with fluidity, balancing her large wings effortlessly and smiling the whole distance, another judge feels that although Model B fell off the catwalk, he could still have voted for her being the best representative as a Victoria Secrets Model. This is because one is drawn physically, not mentally to the subject at hand.
Therefore, one theory of people choosing Connery over Craig is that they could be the demographic of men who grew up with Connery in their youths. Now that Craig had a difficult pair of shoes to fit into, he made an impression on his acting ability and rugged handsome presence.
Connery was THE best, best physique, best looks, best voice, and best "accent". Let someone else make money with other Bond like films. Bond belongs to Connery. Saw a great series years ago on MPBN.... the title of the series was "Reily.........Ace of Spies". Great series with Sam Neill as Reily. I never got to see it again surprisingly. It was a great series as most MPBN's shows were... Masterpiece Theater, & so many other English serial programs. Where are they today?? We see tons of senseless re-runs of Mickey Rooney, Bogart, John Wayne, & Buster Keaton, but seldom see the great shows that we used to watch on MPBN.
"Reily" would make a great re-run....and Sam Neill...needless to say, was superb!!!
Timothy Dalton was the FIRST Bond to be "most like" the one Ian Fleming wrote about in his novels. Craig is very close to that Bond as well. Both Moore's and "Brosnan's portrayals were too "tongue in cheek" for my tastes, although they did do a couple of good movies (I like Moore's The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only; and I like Brosnan's GoldenEye and The World Is Not Enough).
Separating the actors from the movies, the time period, and the scripts they had to work with is almost impossible. Moonraker was the first I saw on the big screen, and, therefore, will always have a special place in my memory. But if I were listing portrayals of Fleming's Bond, rather than ranking the highly personal effect of the movies, I'd go with (starting with the best): Craig, Lazenby, Connery, Brosnan, Dalton, and Moore.
Bond was a cold-war-era spy, not a flippant, silly, campy, anti-establishment folk hero.
Connery is the best actor and gets my vote. Hated him growing up but came to realize he was pretty good.
Lazenby #1
I agree with you. He had the best line ever of any film. A beautiful girl comes up, kisses him, then steals his car. He looks at the camera and says, "That never happened to the other guy."
1. Sean Connery
2. Pierce Brosnan
3. Roger Moore
After that, I don't care....
Right On!
I agree with packerfan, though I might switch Moore and Brosnan.
I was really more interested in the plot so I like many bond movies for different reasons.
Its all about Panache
1. Sean Connery
2. Roger Moore
3. Pierce Brosnan
4. Timothy Dalton
5. Daniel Craig
6. George Lazenby
Personally Roger Moore was my favorite. Perhaps because I grew up in that era. He was always the real 007 to me. Sean Connery was of course awesome, Pierce Brosnon was silly, and Daniel Craig is great as a new re-vamped tough guy Bond character. Craig definitely gives the character a new spin it desperately needed.
1. Daniel Craig
2. Sean Connery
Last. Everyone else.
Yep
Connery starting the ball rolling and established the franchise.
Lazenby came in and was perhaps overshadowed by the legacy left by Connery. It is a shame. From what I remember, he won the role by breaking an actor's nose in the test screening.
Maybe it was the sign of the times or the desire to continue the campiness that developed in Goldfinger and Thunderball, but Moore was selected. The scripts were horrible and it became a special effects and technology driven movie. Not that it was all that bad, but the plots didn't follow the books and 007 bacame a clown. Not intended, I am sure, but Moore was not the person for the part. He didn't even look like the description of Bond in the books. I am sure that when Connery came back for two more (and competing) movies, there were cheers from a lot of fans.
Enter Dalton. Really not a bad movie and if given the chance may have developed into a great Bond.
Brosman was very good. The special effects didn't eclipse him (I did like John Cleese as "Q".), He was closer to Connery and to Flemming's description but something was missing.
Craig is perhaps the closest to being the winner in this contest. He has the "animal magnetism" that was missing. He is rough at the edges, no nonsense but has the very masculine allure. That is needed in this role and he succeeds wonderfully. I look forward to the next movie. I did not with Brosman.
Craig and Connery are tied, in my book.
Loved John Cleese as 'Q'! Lazenby actually could have had the role "permanently" but believe it or not he DECLINED it! Another poster called Her Majesty's Secret Service very underrated and I would agree with that assessment. Lazenby later was quoted as saying that declining the permanent role of James Bond was the biggest mistake of his life. Daniel Craig is great as Bond. Timothy Dalton was underrated. That said does anybody else think Liam Neeson would have been perfect to take over the role from Roger Moore?
Interesting idea of using Liam.
I have to agree that I think Liam Neeson would have been a great Bond.
I agree with the comment that Connery and Craig are tied for the best James Bond Character. I loved Connery . . . he was the original, but I also love Craig - he has just the right tenor to make the role believable - he is a man of today and plays the role with great panache.
Connery starting the ball rolling and established the franchise.
Lazenby came in and was perhaps overshadowed by the legacy left by Connery. It is a shame. From what I remember, he won the role by breaking an actor's nose in the test screening.
Maybe it was the sign of the times or the desire to continue the campiness that developed in Goldfinger and Thunderball, but Moore was selected. The scripts were horrible and it became a special effects and technology driven movie. Not that it was all that bad, but the plots didn't follow the books and 007 bacame a clown. Not intended, I am sure, but Moore was not the person for the part. He didn't even look like the description of Bond in the books. I am sure that when Connery came back for two more (and competing) movies, there were cheers from a lot of fans.
Enter Dalton. Really not a bad movie and if given the chance may have developed into a great Bond.
Brosman was very good. The special effects didn't eclipse him (I did like John Cleese as "Q".), He was closer to Connery and to Flemming's description but something was missing.
Craig is perhaps the closest to being the winner in this contest. He has the "animal magnetism" that was missing. He is rough at the edges, no nonsense but has the very masculine allure. That is needed in this role and he succeeds wonderfully. I look forward to the next movie. I did not with Brosman.
Craig and Connery are tied, in my book.
I think that Daniel Craig is a very talented actor, but as far as the image of James Bond established in the movie versions(not talking about the books) he does not fit it. His movies are good and have good action, but I miss the humor of the other movies as well as Q and miss Moneypenny. He is just not Bond to me. Here is my rating of James Bond-Image wise: Sean Connery,Roger Moore, Piece Brosnon,George Lazenby,Tim Dalton and Daniel Craig.
Actually, Sean Connery wasn't the first James Bond. Barry Newman played James Bond on American TV before the first movie came out.
Sean Connery
Pierce Bronson
Doesn't matter after that. Although Daniel Craig is NO Bond.....he just doesn't have it. Sorry :(
You never read the book's I assume.
I read about half of them as a teenager. Great stuff at the time, very racy!! But some things don't hold up over time. I used to love Bonanza and.... well, I can't watch it now.
IMO, Lazenby's portrayal of Bond was the closest to the character as described by Ian Flaming in his books. The studio actively trashed his reputation after a contentious negotiation for the next movie. It's unfortunate, because I think that he was actually pretty good in the role.
Connery is Connery; there's no arguing against it. He was the Bond of my childhood and will always be No. 1. Moore was terrible, IMO - silly and campy. Dalton - I don't know what character he was trying to play, but it wasn't Bond. Brosnan was OK, very watchable, but not "gritty" enough. Craig is a refreshing remake, sort of like the Dark Knight of Bond. I actually believe that he would be breat in the role of Red (aka Donald) Grant, the SMERSH killer played by Robert Shaw in the 1963 movie version of 'From Russia with Love'.
Rosa Klebb and Donald Grant, two of my favorite villains of all time, and in the same movie!!
Roger Moore is a LOT smoother than Connery; I like Craig a lot, but I think Roger is first, Craig next,
then Pierce, David Niven, Connery, Dalton. I never saw the Lazenby 007.
Roger Moore is a lot...how do I say it...less masculine than Connery. Fleming's Bond is a bada$$ licensed to kill blunt weapon. Roger Moore is a hairdresser.