CBS poll finds Sean Connery is still America's favourite 007

11-Aug-2014 • Bond News

Over the past 50 years there have been 23 official James Bond films, and the character has been portrayed by six different actors. CBS set out to find who was the best Bond?

Americans strongly favor the first man to portray the character in film, with 51% picking Sean Connery as the best James Bond.

Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, who starred as Bond in four films beginning with 1995's "Goldeneye," was a very distant second in our poll, picked by 12% of Americans, barely edging out the series' most prolific (and oldest) Bond, Roger Moore (11%).

8% of respondents pick Daniel Craig, the current wearer of the Bond mantle (most recently in "Skyfall"), while 1% each pick Timothy Dalton ("The Living Daylights") or George Lazenby ("On Her Majesty's Secret Service") as the best Bond.

Both men (50%) and women (53%) favor Connery by a wide margin, though Moore comes in second among men, while Brosnan comes in second among women.

Despite having officially retired from the role more than 40 years ago, Connery is by far the favorite Bond of Americans both young and old, though he is particularly well regarded by those 55 and older. Pierce Brosnan comes in second among those under 45, while Roger Moore comes in second among those 45 and over.

This poll was conducted by telephone July 16-20, 2014 among 1,024 adults nationwide.