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Dame Diana Rigg slams George Lazenby as 'stupid' and 'ghastly'

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  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Wasn't Rigg cast partly to add a bit of weight alongside George and sort of help guide him through this acting business?
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited August 2014 Posts: 15,690
    A 1960's version of Entourage based on Lazenby's early career (OHMSS, etc) would be epic
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    Epic if we could have more of the real scoop; that would be interesting, yes.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,506
    I guess their will not be an OHMSS reunion anytime soon then? ;)
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited August 2014 Posts: 11,189
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    I guess their will not be an OHMSS reunion anytime soon then? ;)

    If there is there's probably a greater chance of Telly Savalas showing up than George and Diana ;)

  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,506
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    RogueAgent wrote: »
    I guess their will not be an OHMSS reunion anytime soon then? ;)

    There's probably a greater chance of Telly Savalas showing up than George and Diana ;)

    =)) Fair point well made! ;)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    thelivingroyale wrote: »
    0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 wrote: »
    Haha, that's brilliant. I would give Diana a high five if I could, as I agree after reading about George's behavior while on set. In many ways EON got lucky when he quit the role, especially since they were going to offer him a multi-picture deal.

    I just don't appreciate smug arses who only desire fame and getting "laid" which is exactly what George has always been in my eyes. He was a fine Bond, but he'd rank dead last next to the other five actors for his unpleasant personality alone.

    What exactly did he do that was so bad on set? I actually want to know because I don't really know much about what went on during production of the film but I've read a lot of members saying he was a dick, unprofessional (speaking of unprofessional, I'd say slagging off your co star in an interview like that is pretty unprofessional on Diana's part), etc, and I'd like to know why.

    I've heard about how he banged lots of girls while working on the film but what's wrong with that? If you were James Bond wouldn't you make the most of that and use the role to pull? I certainly would. And wasn't Connery the same? I've read that he had affairs with some of the Bond girls. At least Lazenby wasn't married when he was getting off with girls on set.

    I think the fame did get to his head a bit (with him quitting the role and all the rest of it) but he's acknowledged this and has said he regrets it.

    I like George. He seems like a laugh.

    I definitely wouldn't have done what he did, no, but that is why I am happy we are completely different people. He acted like a jumpy, hormone-riddled teenager, and was twice as immature. I just find him deluded and piggish, more worried about getting off with women than actually respecting them beyond that carnal garbage, and he thought he was hot stuff when he was only blowing smoke up his own chimney.

    As for Sean, I'm not saying he didn't act as promiscuous as George, but we also don't hear him bragging about it like Lazenby does, which makes him quite unpleasant. Plus, Sean Connery is Sean Connery, and at least had the style, presence and looks to really cement himself in his roles, like Bond, whereas George thought he was all that and clearly wasn't. His career began and peaked with OHMSS, and that was all she wrote. He just reminds me of a male diva that I'd want to punch in seconds flat if I had to work for him or alongside him on a set. He doesn't/didn't have respect for much of anything back then, especially for others around him who had to put up with that kind of behavior.
    thelivingroyale wrote: »
    I like George. He seems like a laugh.

    Yes, I wonder if he knows he's the punchline..

  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Personally I'd take Laz's under-whelming performance in OHMSS over Connery's autopilot performance in DAF. I love Connery in the early films, but by DAF he's a fat, ageing shadow of himself and, frankly, no where near the charisma-magnet he once was. Laz did have his shortcomings most certainly but he at least was in good physical shape and had Rigg to work off of in the emotional scenes.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    Personally I'd take Laz's under-whelming performance in OHMSS over Connery's autopilot performance in DAF. I love Connery in the early films, but by DAF he's a fat, ageing shadow of himself and, frankly, no where near the charisma-magnet he once was. Laz did have his shortcomings most certainly but he at least was in good physical shape and had Rigg to work off of in the emotional scenes.

    If I had been put through the wringer like Sean was in his earlier films, especially when he wasn't be paid enough for his contributions, I'd act that way too. Sean only did DAF for the money, and with that film's paycheck he helped the eduction system in Scotland. Quite honorable to suffer through a film like that for others, especially when he hated the guts of Harry (especially) and Cubby at that point and likely couldn't stand even breathing the same air as them. Anyway, I digress...
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    Posts: 11,189
    Blimey there's been quite a lot of bad blood over the years in the Bond family hasn't there? :(
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    Blimey there's been quite a lot of bad blood over the years in the Bond family hasn't there? :(

    In a business of this sort where money is made in heaps, you'll have some like Sean who feel underpaid, which to be frank, he was. On the set of YOLT I heard he even threatened to just stop working if Harry so much as set foot on the set. It's easy to see why he walked after that film was over. DAF must have been torturous for him at times considering their tensions.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited August 2014 Posts: 13,894
    It makes no difference to me what Lazenby got up to on set. Bigger names than George Lazenby have gotten up to worse. And Rigg doesn't come of any better. If she didn't have anything nice to say, she could have said nothing. I was also going to add that she could've lied, but we've heard the stories before.

    As for Sean Connery, he received a $1.25 million salary for Diamonds Are Forever? Oh yes, that sounds like torture to me. I am the one being tortured, when I have to watch Connery sleepwalk through the film. Don't feel sorry for Connery, he's done alright for himself.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    edited August 2014 Posts: 15,690
    Didn't Sean Connery ask EON for royalties for every Bond movie that would be made once he quits the role for good?
  • Master_DaharkMaster_Dahark
    Posts: 4,813
    That's pretty funny, what Diana said! Too bad ol' George couldn't control himself a bit better. He was at such an age that could have done all of Roger's movies if he didn't blow it.
    DaltonCraig007 wrote: »
    Didn't Sean Connery ask EON for royalties for every Bond movie that would be made once he quits the role for good?

    Wow- if he did, that's some uncanny foresight on his behalf.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,894
    DaltonCraig007 wrote: »
    Didn't Sean Connery ask EON for royalties for every Bond movie that would be made once he quits the role for good?

    That wouldn't surprise me. What he really would like is...

    moon-on-a-stick.gif

    ... the moon on a stick.
  • Suivez_ce_parachuteSuivez_ce_parachute
    Posts: 2,015
    Funny to read some comments about the very troubled history of Bond productions being very understandable.. and in the same time, if you dare to write anything about hearsay about troubles in the production of Bond 24, you're almost an heretic :)








  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,813
    BAIN123 wrote: »
    Wasn't Rigg cast partly to add a bit of weight alongside George and sort of help guide him through this acting business?

    Yes, that is correct.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 5,981
    At her age and stature, Dame Rigg can say anything she damn well pleases!
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,690
    Diana Rigg plays in Game Of Thrones so she's also allowed to add some cuss words if she wants :)
  • CrabKeyCrabKey
    Posts: 1,523
    OHMSS with Moore would have been less.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    Well it would have been Moore.
    Yeah, pun intended.

    I still would have greatly preferred Connery in OHMSS.
    George is fortunate to have done as well as he did; he had a superb cast every step of the way helping him look good.
  • boldfingerboldfinger
    Posts: 5,767
    Considering what he did without having acted before at all, George could have had a great run of Bond films if he got some acting lessons and channelled his behaviour better.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,813
    boldfinger wrote: »
    Considering what he did without having acted before at all, George could have had a great run of Bond films if he got some acting lessons and channelled his behaviour better.

    Very much agreed on that but then OHMSS is my favourite Bond film.
  • JohnBarryFanJohnBarryFan
    Posts: 1,405
    Frankly, I don't much care how Diana Rigg felt about George Lazenby, or how Lazenby felt about Rigg, or that Lazenby was a pain in the a... during filming. Sure, like everyone else I'm curious about what goes on during filming (that's why I bought both the making of OHMSS and the making of The Living Daylights) but the bottom line is the end result.

    In this case, the end result is the best movie I've ever seen, period. OHMSS is pure joy everytime I see it, and I thank both George and Diana, along with director Peter Hunt, for this masterpiece of a movie.
  • BennyBenny In the shadowsAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 14,882
    It's unprofessional of Dame Diana to speak like that. Despite whatever issues she may have. It was forty five years ago, and was well documented at the time. If it's an attempt to gain whatever publicity it's a poor one. I know George Lazenby was no saint. But he was also an inexperienced actor, with the biggest role in the world to tackle. I think he did a damn fine job. I'm certainly not going to judge him for something that happened almost fifty years ago. If Dame Diana hasn't got anything nice to say. Well she should've kept it to herself.
  • BAIN123BAIN123
    edited August 2014 Posts: 11,189
    I couldn't resist sticking on some of OHMSS in the wake of Rigg's bitchy comments. Yes Laz is bad in fair chunks of the film. His line deliveries sound the same and it doesn't help that he's dubbed by George Baker. BUT that barn scene between him and Rigg always chokes me up a bit thanks (in part) to Laz. Its strange: he goes from being bad to good then bad then good again.
  • DaltonCraig007DaltonCraig007 They say, "Evil prevails when good men fail to act." What they ought to say is, "Evil prevails."
    Posts: 15,690
    George Lazenby, an unknown australian model, suddenly given the chance to play the biggest movie role on the planet, to replace the then superstar Sean Connery, is thrown in the spotlight, is given a contract the size of a phone book, acts like a total imbecile on set, bangs girls by the dozen, is offered a 7 movie deal as Bond, turns it down, announces he quits the role before the movie is released, turns up at the premiere with long hair and a beard, starts a career in asian kung-fu movie... Honestly, if a channel like HBO would adapt this, or Martin Scorsese in a 3-hour movie, it would simply be such an amazing story it would be tough to think it was true, even as a hardcore Bond fan. Lazenby's story is simply breathtaking.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,506
    Benny wrote: »
    It's unprofessional of Dame Diana to speak like that. Despite whatever issues she may have. It was forty five years ago, and was well documented at the time. If it's an attempt to gain whatever publicity it's a poor one. I know George Lazenby was no saint. But he was also an inexperienced actor, with the biggest role in the world to tackle. I think he did a damn fine job. I'm certainly not going to judge him for something that happened almost fifty years ago. If Dame Diana hasn't got anything nice to say. Well she should've kept it to herself.

    Well said Benny! I have been lucky enough to meet George many years ago and he was a really genuine decent guy. I lay the blame for what happened during the filming of OHMSS firmly at the door of his idotic agent at the time!
  • OHMSS69OHMSS69
    Posts: 2,341
    doubleoego wrote: »
    Hahahahaha; now that's interesting. Still, it's incredible how the movie turned out; one of the best in the series.

    Spot on bro! Its a great film and she and George had GREAT CHEMISTRY. Shows how much of a professional she was back then. They did not make her a Dame by accident.

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited August 2014 Posts: 12,459
    Actually, Lazenby's behavior at the time was not the work of his agent. He was his own worst enemy back then, as it turned out.

    Glad all the other actors were able to rise above and produce such good performances; especially Diana as she had to deal with him so directly so often. But Lazenby's behavior cannot be condoned as just being a happy go lucky guy who liked the ladies. It was a good deal worse, apparently, and very unprofessional.

    Diana Rigg just doesn't care to be tactful any more. I'm all for being tactful, yet I find it hard to condemn her soundly for speaking her mind.
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