New research names Sean Connery pipping Roger Moore as the most successful James Bond ever

The Sunday Herald have reported on new research which reopens the often disputed issue of who is `the most successful James Bond`.

People can argue forever over who was the sexiest or the toughest or which one was the slickest with a Walther PPK or a dry martini, but we now finally know which Bond was the best where it counts – at the box office. And it’s Sean Connery.

The original James Bond star was the man who pulled in most money of all five actors who stepped into the tuxedo of Ian Fleming’s spy.

A new league table featuring the accrued takings of Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan, puts Connery well ahead of those who followed in his footsteps.

The league table, which was compiled by Dr Adam Webb of the University of North Carolina, who has written a PhD on Ian Fleming’s superhero, ranks the stars who carried a licence to kill, according to their earning power.

At today’s prices Connery’s six films would have earned over £1.68 billion at the box office. Roger Moore, with seven films under his belt, comes a close second with £1.63bn.

Ireland’s Pierce Brosnan, the latest incarnation of the superspy, earned a very respectable £908 million in just four outings, George Lazenby pulled in £180m with one, while Timothy Dalton’s two Bond movies earned £302m. In total, the entire Bond back-catalogue earned a staggering £4.7bn at the box office.

"Sean Connery set the standard for the film version of the character and is the reason for the high popularity and box office figures for his films, as well as the continuation of the Bond franchise for 40 years," said Webb.

"James Bond is the most successful film franchise ever. Other series like Star Wars and the Lord Of The Rings trilogy may surpass briefly – but none has the longevity of more than 40 years of history.

"James Bond is an icon which is capable of re-inven-tion and, in the case of Brosnan, reinvigoration. He is the alter ego most men aspire to be. I believe he has the potential to continue for another 40 years."

What they made at box office :

SEAN CONNERY

Dr No, 1962: £180,536,437
From Russia With Love, 1963: £234,611,926
Goldfinger, 1964: £348,477,067
Thunderball, 1965: £395,010,184
You Only Live Twice, 1967: £302,932,385
Diamonds are Forever, 1971: £225,443,661
TOTAL £1,687,011,660
GEORGE LAZENBY

On Her Majesty`s Secret Service, 1969: £180,991,396
TOTAL £180,991,396

ROGER MOORE

Live and Let Die, 1973: £292,181,198
The Man With the Golden Gun, 1975: £186,189,721
The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977: £314,003,630
Moonraker, 1979: £286,551,569
For Your Eyes Only, 1981: £220,056,205
Octopussy, 1983: £189,285,023
A View to a Kill, 1985: £148,395,469
TOTAL £1,636,662,815

TIMOTHY DALTON

The Living Daylights, 1987: £172,731,011
Licence to Kill, 1989: £129,848,718
TOTAL £302,579,729

PIERCE BROSNAN

Golden Eye, 1995: £236,696,441
Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997: £221,553,986
The World Is Not Enough, 1999: £217,498,799
Die Another Day, 2002: £233,111,631
TOTAL £908,860,857

*All figures at 2004 prices in pounds



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