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Lewis Collins: 007 ,Who Dares Wins & Professionals appreciation/discussion.

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  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    At that stage I think Lewis was taking what offers he could get...such a waste of an good actor,as he proved he still had the one-liners,the toughness and the punch when he filmed Jack the Ripper with Michael Caine.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    edited March 2017 Posts: 15,423
    Why wasn't Collins recognized in the US is way beyond me. I mean an actor with much charisma... What the hell happened? Did people really go all dense and retarded?
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,568
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    I met Lewis Collins once when he popped into our cutting rooms when we were working on the TV movie of Frankenstein. He was very friendly and, because the editor had cut several of the Moore Bonds, he spoke about "blowing his chance" when he went to meet Cubby in Pinewood Mansion. He laughed, admitting that he swaggered into the office in his biker's jacket and jeans and thought he had the part. Big mistake. But he was really good natured about it as he openly recounted the story to us. Soon after that he packed in acting and moved to LA and started a computer business, which was very successful.

    And then we have the story of Lazenby who had his hair cut at Connery's barber and wore a suit from Connery's tailor. He knew how to impress Cubby, and got the role with no acting experience.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    NicNac wrote: »
    ColonelSun wrote: »
    I met Lewis Collins once when he popped into our cutting rooms when we were working on the TV movie of Frankenstein. He was very friendly and, because the editor had cut several of the Moore Bonds, he spoke about "blowing his chance" when he went to meet Cubby in Pinewood Mansion. He laughed, admitting that he swaggered into the office in his biker's jacket and jeans and thought he had the part. Big mistake. But he was really good natured about it as he openly recounted the story to us. Soon after that he packed in acting and moved to LA and started a computer business, which was very successful.

    And then we have the story of Lazenby who had his hair cut at Connery's barber and wore a suit from Connery's tailor. He knew how to impress Cubby, and got the role with no acting experience.
    Even Peter Hunt was fascinated by how he managed to sell a forged story to producers like Cubby and Harry (especially the latter).
  • SaintMarkSaintMark
    Posts: 7,653
    Thunderpussy wrote: »
    It was a very poor film, but I'm sure it paid a
    Few bills.

    Piss poor is a compliment, got it as an extra on the Arrow Wild Geese bluray release and believe me you do not want to look at it too long. It is a horrible made movie of the z variety.

  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Thats why i feel for Lewis..he really got the shit end of the stick once the Professionals finished and he cocked up his Bond audition.
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited August 2018 Posts: 19,339
    We have been talking about the film and Lewis on the activity page,but I always wondered if Lewis actually got to perform as Bond in his audition,or if he didn't get past the interview stage because he was too macho and 'aggressive' .

    If he did I also wonder if there is a copy of his audition anywhere,ala Sam Neill and James Brolin.

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  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,894
    I don't believe he got passed the interview. I don't know if it's true, but I once read somewhere, that the first words out of Collin's mouth, to Cubby, were: "So you're the Godfather are you?" I think that is when Collins' chances went up in smoke.

    Having seen him in WDW, there's no doubt in my mind, that Collins would have made one hell of a tough Bond, as tough if not more, than Lazenby. But I wouldn't want Collin's at the expense of Dalton.
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited August 2018 Posts: 19,339
    Yep a real shame,he had the whole package for Bond and I agree Major,he would have been one tough 007.
    He was also great with the humour,banter and one-liners,which he delivered brilliantly throughout 'The Professionals'.

    Personally,i think he would have been better than Dalton,but that's only a personal view,naturally.
  • bondsumbondsum
    Posts: 3,333
    patb wrote: »
    The issue is , we are looking at Dalton as the finished article within 2 fully funded Bond movies etc etc, it takes a great leap of imagination to imagine Collins under the same frame of reference. Its easy to go for Dalton when we know what a good effort he made but Collins could have been better IMHO. Dalton was great (at times) but he did lack that "constant threat" that both Connery and Lazenby brought to the role. At any time, you get on the wrong side of him and he could tear the place apart. I like that side of the character and, for me, will always be part of the Bond character. Collins certainly had that.
    A very good post and one that I entirely agree with. Sorry, I’ve only just seen this including @ColonelSun’s insights into Collins. Must have missed these, but thanks Sun for that tidbit.

    In 1980 there was only one name being bandied about by the UK press as a possible replacement and that was Collins. Dalton was never mentioned as far as I can recall. The British public were, by and large, ready for Collins to fill Moore’s shoes. I for one would’ve taken Collins over Dalton in a New York minute if it would’ve meant not seeing Moore in his last 3 Bond entries, no question, despite those fond memories that some younger members, here, might have had of those particular movies.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Dalton was never really mentioned at all around that time,it was all Lewis,and I feel its a real missed opportunity not to at least give him a screen test.
    I don't think Cubby was keen on him even before he entered the interview room.
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,568
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Dalton was never really mentioned at all around that time,it was all Lewis,and I feel its a real missed opportunity not to at least give him a screen test.
    I don't think Cubby was keen on him even before he entered the interview room.

    You never know whether there were rumours about his attitude? I'm not saying he had a bad attitude (I don't know), but there are always factors we don't get to hear about that influence producers. If Collins had attitude you could imagine Cubby thinking 'uh oh another George', and quashing the guys chances.

    I agree, he would have been ok, but nothing more. He wasn't a big screen prospect as such, but I would have personally preferred him to Tim.
  • bondsumbondsum
    Posts: 3,333
    From what @ColonelSun has added and from what little we know of Collins actual meeting with Cubby, it does sound like Collins might have overplayed his hand and simply been too cocky or bigheaded. Had Saltzman still been co-producer, it’s quite possible that Collins would’ve been much closer to the type of actor that he’d have cast in the role. Cubby clearly had other ideas. As @NicNac states, he might’ve thought he would be taking on another Lazenby, or even a troublesome Connery, considering how those two quickly fell out and parted ways, if he’d have cast Collins. It’s hard to know what exactly was really going through Cubby’s mind at the time. Personally, I feel that Cubby felt that if he could keep tempting Moore back with a bigger paycheque each time then he could continue to delay the inevitable moment that he’d be forced to make a change. Declining ticket sales for AVTAK and an aging Bond would eventually see both Roger and Cubby parting ways, but by then it was a horse that had been both well and truly flogged. The jokes were becoming hackneyed and the stunts less believable because it was so visibly obvious a much younger stuntman that was sharing the majority of the screen time with Moore.

    For the record, as much as I appreciated Dalton’s take, I do feel that Collins would’ve brought a much more relaxed, less uptight performance but still maintaining the threat. He’d have also been more physical than both Moore and Dalton.
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited August 2018 Posts: 19,339
    Also in 1981 Moore still had about one more film in him as far as Cubby was concerned,i would think.

    If it was 1983 then Lewis would have had more of a chance,but then again,would they risk him against Connery ? I doubt it,so he would have missed out then as well.
  • bondsumbondsum
    Posts: 3,333
    In my view, it should’ve happened with FYEO. A Bond film clearly written for a new actor to takeover the role, but with Roger Mooreisms grafted on once he’d renegotiated his contract.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    Agreed..that was his moment if it was ever going to happen.
  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,599
    Collins if FYEO is a great fit IMHO, scaling the cliff, kicking the car over the ledge etc , plus the romance would have worked much better
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    patb wrote: »
    Collins if FYEO is a great fit IMHO, scaling the cliff, kicking the car over the ledge etc , plus the romance would have worked much better

    He could have had an actual battle with Erich Kriegler at the end as well,rather than the damp squib we got.
    That would have been some fight.
  • patbpatb
    edited August 2018 Posts: 4,599
    Yes, agree, One of the great Bond "what ifs".

    Sorry if metioned before but I had forgotten about his comic role in "The Cuckoo Walz", shows he was more than a tough guy.

    PS According to Wiki, he was a qualified pilot and parachuting was a hobby!. If only...

  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Benny wrote: »
    I've always thought that Lewis Collins was a missed Bond opportunity in the 80's. Be it in FYEO or even my beloved OP. I think he would've been a very good successor to Moore's Bond. Better I feel than the transition of Moore to Dalton. Lewis Collins had a more playful and similar comedic tone to Rogers that I think would've eased audiences better than Dalton did. Although he wasn't well known in the US market, I think he could've won them over. Especially if he had debuted in a film like FYEO.
    From imdb... He was considered for James Bond in the 1980s, but Albert R. Broccoli turned him down, thinking he was "too thuggish". I wonder then, what Cubby would've made of Daniel Craig.
    Very sad to learn of his passing at a relatively young age. A potentially great Bond we never got.
    I agree with this. I too believe Collins could have smoothed the transition from Moore better than Dalton did. He could do the light stuff well onscreen, in addition to being tough when he needed to be. Dalton, good as he was, appears to have been too much of a change for some markets to absorb.
  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,599
    Here he is in 1997, shows he kept in trim into the late 90s, he could have done four Bonds?

    He also comes across very well in the interview...



  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    patb wrote: »
    Here he is in 1997, shows he kept in trim into the late 90s, he could have done four Bonds?

    He also comes across very well in the interview...


    He looks very good there, I agree. The conventional hairstyle suits him better than the 'bangs'.

    He had a very good blend of toughness and easy, laid back charm.

    I quite liked Gareth Hunt too (another actor who left us too soon).
  • barryt007barryt007
    edited August 2018 Posts: 19,339
    Gareth Hunt was also considered for Bond at one stage,due to him playing Gambit in the New Avengers.
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Gareth Hunt was also considered for Bond at one stage,due to him playing Gambit in the New Avengers.
    I wasn't aware of that. I liked his easy going nature on that show.

    Ian Ogilvy had potential too, although he was more in the Moore style.
  • patbpatb
    Posts: 4,599
    Hunt was very charming and looked the part but lacked in the physical/fighting area IMHO. His banter with Purdey was top class (we digress)
  • LeChiffreLeChiffre
    Posts: 1,548
    Lewis Collins was very wooden. Makes Roger Moore seem like Laurence Olivier by comparison.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    LeChiffre wrote: »
    Lewis Collins was very wooden. Makes Roger Moore seem like Laurence Olivier by comparison.

    What ?!

    Lewis Collins was definitely NOT wooden,matey,come on !
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited August 2018 Posts: 23,883
    Ah, but could Olivier, immensely gifted though he was, have played Bond as well as Collins? That's the question. Just because an actor is top grade, it doesn't mean he can be a decent James Bond & similarly a merely average actor can excel as being OO7. There are many factors which impact who can be a good Bond.

    Martin Shaw seems to think Collins was a missed opportunity.
  • barryt007barryt007
    Posts: 19,339
    I havent seen that before,good find @bondjames !!
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,275
    Lewis Collins had charm, there was often good banter in the Professionals, I think given the chance he would have made a good Bond and he would have been moulded for the role as most other Bond actors had.
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