James Bond Auditions, 1967 | Being 007: LIFE Behind the Scenes at James Bond Auditions | LIFE.com

James Bond Auditions, 1967 | "Being 007: LIFE Behind the Scenes"

Submitter's comments:

"Everybody always gives the Bond producers a load of crap for choosing George Lazenby. But you have to remember, they had to hire somebody, Everything was lined up for the next the film. You rarely get your dream candidate, if you have to hire on a deadline. Expanding the search isn't always an option.

This was Lazenby's competition.

John Richardson - Everything Bond clearly should be. (sigh) Except the body, 90 pounds soaking wet. Thank you John, next!

Anthony Rogers - An older and clearly Gin soaked, precursor to Roger Moore.

Robert Campbell - Well the man can scowl. Yep no shit he scowl like anything but...

Hans Van de... - oh who the hell cares! Go with the Aussie.

Sadly there was one candidate who was not available. Mostly because he was done with the whole thing after that silly-ass Japan thing. Think about it. The basic concept for OHMSS is in fact fantastic if ... IF Sean Connery was playing James Bond. In the book, it was an older Bond who was tired of the field and wanted out of the cold. And Tracey was there, offering a comforting way out. It would have been as good Casino Royale ... and starred the real James Bond.

Ah well.

So long as we are dreaming, they also should have hired Yul Brynner as Blofeld."

Scoop's note:

I remember liking On Her Majesty's Secret Service, although I haven't seen it since it was in theaters. As I recall (vaguely, to be sure), I thought Lazenby was OK. His only significant flaw was that he wasn't Sean Connery.

Wouldn't we have hated anybody who wasn't Sean Connery?