James Bond Actors Ranked By Complete Film Appearances

James Bond has grow to be one of the crucial enduring live-action characters of all time. Few characters can declare the suave undercover agent’s mixture of sheer longevity and the large quantity of actors who’ve performed them. Due to this, each viewer has loads of potential favourite James Bond actors to select from. Nonetheless, this time we’re not taking part in favorites. As a substitute, we’re taking a look at chilly, onerous information with a purpose to discover out which Bond actor has made most film appearances because the character.   

Commercial

Usually, lists like this are fairly simple, however since nothing ever comes straightforward to James Bond, there’s one floor rule we have to set. In an effort to get a complete record and keep away from potential points, the Bond actor who has made extra movies for the official James Bond movie collection’ manufacturing firm, Eon Productions, shall be awarded the win in case of a tie. With that settled and with none additional ado, let’s dive into our record of James Bond actors, ranked by their variety of appearances. 

Not even Sean Connery was assured he would make James Bond at first, and it most likely did not assist that the author of the Bond novels, Ian Fleming, was championing for a special actor. Fleming’s favourite for the position was David Niven, who had a considerably extra refined air than the comparative newcomer Connery — to not point out an Academy Award for Finest Actor in a Main Position for “Separate Tables” (1958) in his pocket. Destiny and the movie business work in unusual methods, nonetheless. The position went to Connery, and historical past has confirmed that the selection was rock stable. As for Niven, he additionally bought to play the position as soon as … after a style, anyway.

Commercial

Niven’s contribution to the on-screen historical past of James Bond is the notorious, star-studded non-Eon parody “On line casino Royale” (1967) which tends to be remembered lower than fondly. The comedic film posits Niven’s model of the character as the unique James Bond, who comes out of retirement for one final explosive mission (thus pioneering the “each Bond actor portrays a special man” idea that retains floating about). Suffice to say, the top result’s so far faraway from each Ian Fleming’s unique novel and the Bond movie franchise that /Movie did not trouble to incorporate this model of “On line casino Royale” on our rating of James Bond motion pictures.  

After Sean Connery first left the position of James Bond within the wake of “You Solely Stay Twice” (1967), recasting the key agent turned a necessity — however one which posed its share of difficulties. The proverbial finger finally pointed at Australian mannequin George Lazenby, who had even much less expertise within the film enterprise than Connery when he had been chosen within the position. 

Commercial

In a technique, this labored effectively. Lazenby’s sole contribution within the position was “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969), which is definitely one of many higher Bond motion pictures, and he is in no way unhealthy within the position. In one other, extra vital method, casting somebody who wasn’t a seasoned professional might have been a mistake in terms of continuity. Lazenby overtly disliked the expertise of creating the film and did not proceed as Bond, successfully disappearing from Hollywood after this one main position. Connery ended up returning within the Eon Productions fold to play Bond in 1971’s “Diamonds Are Eternally.” 

Till Daniel Craig’s incarnation got here alongside a lot later, Timothy Dalton’s James Bond was the one 007 who was a very plausible killer. As a substitute of the joke-flinging, suave motion hero antics, Dalton opted for a relatively practical and brutal model of the character who required a really particular sort of movie to actually work. Sadly, he by no means bought one. The sunshine-hearted “The Dwelling Daylights” (1987) and the considerably forgettable installment “License to Kill” (1989) stay Dalton’s solely Bond movies, placing him one forward of Lazenby however leaving him a film or two in need of the form of legacy he would have deserved.

Commercial

Curiously, in another actuality, Dalton may’ve acquired one other shot within the position. Among the many assorted scripts for potential continuation of Dalton’s 007 story was a canceled James Bond movie referred to as “Reunion with Dying,” which might have despatched Bond on his first mission to Japan since Sean Connery’s “You Solely Stay Twice,” and even bore connections to that movie. In fact, nothing ever got here of it, and James Bond was left sipping Martinis on the sidelines till Pierce Brosnan took over the position.

Pierce Brosnan’s mid-Nineteen Nineties arrival as James Bond marked a shift again to the collection’ bombastic motion journey sensibilities after Timothy Dalton’s extra muted late-Eighties tenure. Brosnan delivered a efficiency that was concurrently each a “best hits” assortment of 007 traits and nonetheless wholly his personal tackle the character. Brosnan’s Bond has allure, wit, and real toughness, and the incarnation proved sturdy sufficient to star in 4 movies. 

Commercial

As James Bond motion pictures go, Brosnan’s tenure spawned no less than one certifiable gem. “GoldenEye” (1995) was and stays nothing in need of a masterpiece that is memorable for — amongst different issues — its assortment of fantastic motion scenes and Sean Bean’s brilliantly villainous rogue agent, Alec “006” Trevelyan. “Tomorrow By no means Dies” (1997), “The World Is Not Sufficient” (1999), and particularly the abysmal “Die One other Day” (2002) all failed to copy the thrills, however they however have loads of fulfilling moments, and there is little denying that Brosnan greater than held his personal as a Bond actor. 

Daniel Craig has maintained a wholesome non-Bond profession for a lot of his 007 tenure and threatened to give up so many occasions that it is onerous to maintain depend, however he however made at least 5 (principally) spectacular Bond motion pictures earlier than closing the file on this explicit incarnation of the key agent somewhat conclusively. The primary of Craig’s motion pictures was in fact “On line casino Royale” (2006), which can very effectively be the very best Bond movie ever made. All of it however wiped its 1967 namesake out of the historical past books by delivering an exhilarating new 007, a feminine lead not like some other in Vesper Lynd (Eva Inexperienced), and one among the best James Bond villains ever in Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre. 

Commercial

As with Pierce Brosnan, the stellar opening act proved powerful to observe. “Quantum of Solace” (2008), “Spectre” (2015), and “No Time to Die” (2021) are all noticeably weaker choices than Craig’s wonderful Bond debut, with solely “Skyfall” (2012) coming shut by way of high quality. Nonetheless, on the entire, a really first rate argument may very well be made that Craig’s James Bond motion pictures have been probably the most constant of the lot, which is saying one thing since he is one of many three most prolific Bond actors. 

Ah, sure, Sean Connery. The primary and, to many, finest James Bond actor began his work in “Dr. No” (1962), and the movie’s success spawned 5 Connery-led sequels: “From Russia with Love” (1963), “Goldfinger” (1964), “Thunderball” (1965), “You Solely Stay Twice,” and his post-Lazenby movie “Diamonds Are Eternally.” That is six Eon Productions Bond motion pictures in underneath a decade, a lot of that are within the dialogue each time finest James Bond motion pictures are named. 

Commercial

Connery additionally has a seventh Bond movie to his title. In 1983 — the 12 months “Octopussy” premiered — Roger Moore was already deep into his tenure as 007 when the unique Bond returned to do what David Niven had performed to him in 1967: Make a competing, non-Eon James Bond film, portraying an older Bond in his closing mission. Connery’s closing James Bond movie is known as “By no means Say By no means Once more,” and it is successfully an inferior remix of “Thunderball,” which itself is much from the best 007 movie on the market. However, this non-Eon look leaves Connery with a commendable grand complete of seven appearances in James Bond motion pictures, which might be greater than sufficient to win … if it wasn’t for the truth that one Bond actor has seven full-on Eon Bond roles underneath his tuxedo belt. 

Commercial

Sean Connery could be many James Bond followers’ selection for the very best 007, however Roger Moore has him beat as probably the most prolific one … although it is by mere inches. Moore’s distinguished, but comparatively light-hearted tackle the character debuted in “Stay and Let Die” (1973), and went to play the position till “A View to A Kill” (1985). Between these two motion pictures have been “The Man with the Golden Gun” (1974), “The Spy Who Cherished Me” (1977), “Moonraker” (1979), “For Your Eyes Solely” (1981), and “Octopussy” (1983), which provides Moore’s model of Bond a grand complete of seven motion pictures — the identical quantity as Connery, however since Moore’s movies are all Eon motion pictures, he wins on a technicality. 

Commercial

Not like a lot of his Bond colleagues, Moore by no means turned his 007 fame into an enormous movie profession after exiting the franchise. Whereas he did not cease appearing after “Octopussy” by any means, the actor has been extra prone to seem in cameo roles and supporting turns in movies just like the 1996 Jean-Claude Van Damme martial arts film “The Quest” than the form of blockbusters and beloved ensemble movies of us like Connery and Daniel Craig have grow to be recognized for. In fact, it is value noting that his lack of display presence might have had fairly a bit to do with the truth that Moore retired from James Bond movies on the late age of 58 — to not point out his utter dedication to his position as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, a task through which he served from 1991 to 2018. 

Commercial