Martin Shaw turned down James Bond screentest in 1978

21-Sep-2010 • Bond News

Martin Shaw, the actor, turned down the chance to screentest for the role of James Bond because he feared the role would dominate his career - reports the Telegraph.

Shaw was asked to audition to play Ian Flemming's spy after the daughter of producer Cubby Broccoli was impressed by his performance in The Professionals.

The actor said the offer came in 1978, the year Moonraker was released starring Roger Moore. MI6 Note: The film was released in 1979. Any offer was likely made during Moore's contract negotiations.

"They asked me way back to do a screen test for James Bond. I said "no"," Shaw said in a interview in this week's Radio Times.

"I just didn't want to play him because it dominates everything you've done or go on to do.

"I was having dinner with the daughter of Cubby Broccoli (now Bond producer Barbara Broccoli). This was about 1978. She'd seen me in The Professionals and begged me to do a screen test. She was astonished when I said "no thanks".

"Although, in retrospect, it might have been a good idea to have had a go at it."

Shaw is set to reprise his role as investigator George Gently in the third series of the 1960s drama which begins on Sunday.

Thanks to `LS` for the alert.