In 1968, George Lazenby, now 85, was cast as James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, taking over a role made famous by Sean Connery. Unfortunately, Lazenby struggled to fit into the iconic character, partly due to poor advice he received. As his fame dwindled, he shifted focus to family life, ultimately facing tragedy with the loss of his son to a malignant brain tumor in 1994.
The James Bond franchise began in 1963 with Dr. No and has since become a cultural phenomenon, featuring numerous films and actors over the decades. Sean Connery, who portrayed Bond in five films between 1962 and 1967, grew weary of the role. In a 1965 interview with Playboy, he expressed his disinterest, stating he was “sick of this Bond thing”, and found the constant association with the character monotonous.
When Connery stepped away, producers faced the daunting task of finding a successor. Lazenby, then a 29-year-old unknown actor from Australia, caught their attention after appearing in commercials for Fry’s chocolate spread. His persistence and charm helped him land the coveted role. Lazenby even spent his last savings on a tailored suit that had originally belonged to Connery.
Upon auditioning, he boldly introduced himself by saying: “I heard you’re looking for James Bond”, and was subsequently offered the part. However, upon the release of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, reviews were mixed, and comparisons to Connery overshadowed Lazenby’s performance. Notably, critic Gene Siskel remarked that Lazenby lacked the suave confidence of his predecessor.
Despite the criticism, Lazenby was presented with a $1 million contract for six more films, but his manager advised against it, suggesting he pursue other opportunities. This decision led to Lazenby being “blacklisted” in Hollywood, with a reputation for being difficult to work with.
After a brief career in film and television, Lazenby shifted to a more private life. He married Christina Gannet in 1971, and they had two children. Tragically, their son Zachary battled a brain tumor for eight years before passing away at 19, leaving Lazenby “devastated”. Gannet shared on social media that losing Zachary was a profound sorrow for them both.
Following his son’s death, Lazenby divorced Gannet and later married Olympic tennis champion Pam Shriver, with whom he has three children. Now, Lazenby reflects on his life and cherishes his role as a father, stating: “The real successes in my life are my children”. Remember Lazenby’s portrayal of Bond? Share your thoughts on his legacy!
Very sad ,39 minutes ago in Chicago, “America’s Got Talent” Simon Cowell, he has been confirmed as…see mor
Justin Drew Bieber born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. He is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and global influence in modern-day popular music. Bieber was discovered by American record executive Scooter Braun and signed with RBMG Records in 2008, gaining recognition with the release of his debut seven-track EP My World (2009) and soon establishing himself as a teen idol.
which became one of the best selling singles of all time in the US. His second studio album, Under the Mistletoe (2011), became the first Christmas album by a male artist to debut at number one in the US.
Bieber experimented with dance-pop in his third studio album, Believe (2012), and went on to become the first artist in history with five US number-one albums by the age of 18. From 2013–14, Bieber was involved in multiple controversies and legal issues, which had a drastic impact on his public image.In 2015, Bieber explored EDM with Jack Ü as a lead vocalist on “Where Are Ü Now”, which won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording. The song’s musical direction played an instrumental role in his fourth studio album, Purpose, which produced three US number-one singles: “Love Yourself”, “Sorry”, and “What Do You Mean?”
He became the first artist in history to occupy the entire top three of the UK Singles Chart. Bieber diversified on numerous collaborations between 2016 and 2017, including “I’m the One” and his remix to “Despacito”—both reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 a week apart, making him the first artist in history to chart new number-one songs in consecutive weeks.
“Despacito” was named the greatest Latin song of all time by Billboard and earned Bieber his career-first Latin Grammy Award. In 2019, he released a country collaboration with Dan + Shay, “10,000 Hours”, which won the Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
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