George Lazenby was born on September 5th, 1939, in Australia. He moved to London, England in 1964, after serving in the Australian Army. Before becoming an actor, he worked as an auto mechanic, used car salesman, prestige car salesman, and as a male model, in London, England. In 1968, Lazenby was cast as James Bond, despite his only previous acting experience being in commercials, and his only film appearance being a bit-part in a 1965 Italian-made Bond spoof. Lazenby won the role based on a screen-test fight scene, the strength of his interviews, fight skills, and audition footage. A chance encounter with Bond series producer 'Cubby Broccoli' in a hair salon in 1966, in London, had given Lazenby his first shot at getting the role. Broccoli had made a mental note to remember Lazenby as a possible candidate at the time when he thought Lazenby looked like a Bond. The lengths Lazenby went to, to get the role included, spending his last pounds on acquiring a tailor-made suit from Sean Connery's tailor, which was originally made for Connery, along with purchasing a very Bondish-looking Rolex watch, and an Aston Martin DB5 car, the Bond car at the time.

Lazenby quit the role of Bond right before the premiere of his only film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, citing he would get other acting roles, and that his Bond contract, which was fourteen pages thick, was too demanding on him .

In his post-Bond career, Lazenby has acted in TV movies, commercials, various recurring roles in TV series, the film series Emmanuel, several Bond movie spoofs, TV guest appearances, provided voice for several animated movies and series, and several Hong Kong action films, using his martial arts expertise.


The Man from Hong Kong (1975): $10,000
Universal Soldier (1971): £ 100,000
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969): £ 50,000

Was the highest paid male model in Europe prior to playing James Bond. Zachary, his son with Christina Gannett, died of brain cancer when he was 20 years old in 1994. He was a martial arts instructor in the Australian army, and holds more than one black belt in the martial arts. He studied martial arts under Bruce Lee himself. Broke a stuntman's nose during a Bond fight screen test, and it was this physical strength that finalized his selection as Bond. He was offered a seven movie deal by the Bond producers, but quit the role because he felt that the tuxedo clad Bond would die out in the new hippie culture that had permeated society in the late 60s and early 70s. His agent, Maggie Smith, told him that he should apply for Bond, since in her opinion, his arrogance would surely win him the role. Was a car salesman in Canberra, Australia after leaving school. Competes on the senior circuit in off-road dirt bike racing, and in stock car racing. George has won several celebrity stock car races and dirt-bike races, as well as amateur and professional races in both. Lazenby's favorite hobbie is playing golf. He plays it at least 5 or 6 times a week. Has a daughter named Melanie Andrea from his first marriage to Christina Gannett. She was born on September 13, 1973. Melanie is currently one of Manhattan's top real estate agents. John Cleese wanted him to play the part of Jesus in the Monty Python movie, Life of Brian (1979). Cleese said in his opinion it would be absolutely hilarious to have Lazenby portray Christ, and he wanted the tag line of the film to be "George Lazenby IS Jesus Christ." But when the film's producers contacted his agent they were informed that he was overseas working on another film project and was unavailable. Kenneth Colley was then cast as Jesus. He says that his favorite Bond film is Goldfinger (1964). He owns mansions in Hawaii, Brentwood, California, Australia, and a 600 acre estate/ranch in Southern Caifornia. Served as a sergeant in the Australian Special Forces. His lead role in the prime time soap opera "Rituals" (1984) was considered to be his "comeback gig". Many industry experts expected this would bring him to A status in Hollywood. However, "Rituals" (1984) received poor ratings and was canceled after just one season by ABC. He was Golden Harvest studios original replacement for Bruce Lee after Lee died. Lazenby had already signed a contract with the studio to co-star with Lee in Game of Death (1978), but Lee died during filming. Lazenby then replaced Lee in what was to be Lee's next film, "The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss", Tie jin gang da po zi yang guan (1974). After that film, Yu Wang was signed to replace Lee and Lazenby moved back to his original co-starring role as the "Western Adversary". This makes Lazenby the actor that first replaced Sean Connery as James Bond and also the actor that first replaced Bruce Lee as Golden Harvest's martial arts action hero after Lee's death. Many subsequent actors would then follow Lazenby playing Bond as well as imitating Bruce Lee. He was a close personal friend of Bruce Lee. He met Lee in 1972 and the two became fast friends. Lazenby studied Lee's personal martial arts and philosophical teaching of "Jeet Kune Do" under Lee until the time of Lee's death in 1973. Lazenby was actually going to have dinner with Bruce the night he died. Lazenby would later say that it was Lee's teachings that allowed him to go on to have such a successful business career and personal life. He is estimated to be the wealthiest actor to have played James Bond. First non-British actor to portray James Bond. Earlier in life, Lazenby donated a kidney to a family member.