Robert Wagner - `Why I turned down James Bond`

Robert Wagner explains in a piece in the Daily Mail about the time he was 'offered' the James Bond role...

Around the time I got back together with Natalie in 1971, the producer Cubby Broccoli did me the great honour of suggesting that I play James Bond.

George Lazenby had replaced Sean Connery, but while his film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, had been a good picture, it hadn't done anywhere near the business that the Connery films had.

There was no formal offer but Cubby thought that I was a viable candidate to replace Lazenby. I thought about Cubby's suggestion for about two seconds, but realised it just wasn't a good fit.

'I'm too American,' I told Cubby. 'James Bond has to be English. Roger Moore is your guy.'

I had known Roger ever since I was under contract at Fox and he was with MGM. Roger has always been blithe, charming, hilariously funny. So Roger, if you're reading this, please make the cheque out to cash.

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