George Lazenby will return in…nothing, actually. Lazenby, a literal one-time James Bond portrayer, has announced at the age of 84 that he has retired. You might even be surprised to know that he was still working, but Lazenby has occasionally been appearing in various movies over the past few years.
In a social media post this week, George Lazenby wrote, “This hasn’t been an easy decision but it’s time to announce my retirement from work. Therefore, I won’t be doing any more acting or making public appearances, doing any more interviews or signing any more autographs as of today. It’s been a fun ride but getting older is no fun. I would like to thank my manager and friend, Anders Frejah, for helping me since 2013 – the best representative I ever had. I can now concentrate on spending more time with my family. My sincere gratitude to everyone out there for your love and support over the years. It has meant a lot to me. George xx.”
Unlike every other 007, George Lazenby actually made his feature debut as James Bond in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, taking over temporarily for Sean Connery, who would return for 1971’s Diamonds Are Forever (hey, a $1.25 million salary was tough to turn down back then). That distinction of only having ever played Bond once gives Lazenby a special place in movie history. He, too, was the youngest Bond ever, playing the character at the age of 29.
But one couldn’t possibly say that George Lazenby was only that. The Australian-born actor should also be respected for working across an array of genres that included everything from epics (Gettysburg) and giallo (Who Saw Her Die?) to Asian action flicks (The Man from Hong Kong) and TV dramas (you name it!). According to IMDb, Lazenby currently has two movies slated for release: Z Dead End and Mundije 2, both of which he plays the US President in.
While lacking much of an impact following On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, George Lazenby will always be James Bond, and so will always be mentioned whenever a new 007 is cast. And for what it’s worth, Lazenby has thrown his support behind Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
What is your favorite George Lazenby performance? Share your pick below!