JAMES BOND NEWS

George Lazenby – it's a name that ignites debate; fan favourite or failure, everybody seems to have an opinion.

Out of his depth by his own admission, he took to James Bond as only he knew how – with no compromises. Always on the fringe with a lifelong distrust of authority, George walked away from the most famous role in film history. It cost him big time and the stigma has never left him.

Setting out from his native Australia, George soon became the highest paid male model in Europe. Then never having acted before, George beat off significant competition to replace Sean Connery as 007 during the pinnacle of countercultural change. A question lingered throughout the shooting of On Her Majesty's Secret Service – could James Bond survive when a whole generation were questioning the establishment and protesting against violence? The movie Easy Rider paved the way and suggested another approach – now that you're known, why not leave and do other films in-keeping with the times? Naïve and new to the business, George was advised to do just this. It was to become one of the biggest mistakes in showbusiness history. Virtually blacklisted by the industry, George’s path led him to the Far East to become a western Kung Fu pioneer, but by then the world had turned their back on the ‘difficult’ Australian.

There's no denying George Lazenby has had quite a ride and he's done it his way. Misunderstood and often maligned, he is now determined to set the record straight.

Currently in production, the documentary, This Never Happened To The Other Fella will finally show his side of the story. Writer/Director Andrew Lumley is currently moulding this extraordinary cautionary tale into shape. Set against a kaleidoscope of Lazenby footage and images, George narrates his life's journey – from the heady highs of the 1960s to a deep realisation of the self.

This Never Happened To The Other Fella will be released soon.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service FACT FILE