Why George Lazenby Only Did One James Bond Movie

Over 40 years after "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was released, George Lazenby still has the dubious distinction of having the shortest tenure as James Bond. To many, he's the joke of the franchise and referred to as "the one that failed." Whether or not you agree with that, we still wonder why he lasted through only one 007 movie. Did critics rip his performance to shreds in the press? Or did he have other plans? He told a sold out audience what exactly happened when he made an appearance at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

George said he does and doesn't regret doing more Bond movies, and that he still doesn't know why he got the part. The producers did indeed want him to play Bond again, even offering him a contract to do several more. The '70s however were around the corner, a time of long hair and bell bottoms. His agent informed George said that Bond is dead and would not last beyond the '60s. Although we know that would not be the case, George listened to his agent.

Lazenby also admitted he was happier as a model in Paris and didn't like getting up early in the morning. When the movie was released, he didn't feel proud about it and had already grown a beard to hide from public view. But since he was unrecognizable, he had a little trouble getting into the premiere.

The things he did enjoy included going to fine restaurants whose owners invited him back and said "the check's on us." It also got him instant access to nightclubs where he fearlessly jumped onstage with the dancing girls as if it were perfectly allowable. At one club, he told the head bouncer:

"Send the girls to my place for a drink!"

Now he didn't think the bouncer would honor this request, but sure enough there were 20 girls waiting for him and his buddies at the hotel. The next morning, 4 of them were still hanging around.

Albert R. Broccoli remarked that had George Lazenby done more James Bond films, he would have been seen as the best one to play him. While many still consider him the least of the 007's, he still has many fans who considered his performance "terrific," and he still holds the record for being the only Bond who could perfectly throw his hat onto the hook. To quote a line from the beginning of the movie:

"This never happened to the other fellow."

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