he played 007 only once - George Lazenby, actor in James Bond, is retired
Former James Bond actor George Lazenby (84) retires. The Australian announced in social media that he would completely withdraw from public life. "So I will no longer act or make public appearances, give no more interviews or sign autographs", wrote the former 007 on Facebook and Instagram. "Getting older is not fun."
No Easy Decision
Retiring from public life was not an easy decision, Lazenby explained, but it was now time for retirement. "Now I can focus on spending more time with my family", he wrote. "My sincere thanks go out to all of you out there for your love and support over the years. It has meant a lot to me."
In November of last year, the 84-year-old fell in his house in Los Angeles and sustained a head injury. After a hospital stay, he recovered at home from the injury. "Getting older is not easy", his manager announced afterwards, "but with 84, George has certainly shown what a fighter he is." Whether his retirement from public life is related to the accident is not known.
James Bond shaped Lazenby's life
George Lazenby played James Bond in 1969 in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". As the direct successor to original Bond Sean Connery, the ex-model landed the coveted role without acting experience. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (original title), in which Diana Rigg and Telly Savalas also appeared, is considered a classic and one of the best James Bond films today. He turned down a contract for further 007 films on the recommendation of his agent at the time. Later, he regretted this decision, as he admitted in interviews.
The great acting career remained elusive afterwards. Instead, James Bond determined Lazenby's life. He still appeared regularly as a guest star at James Bond events around the world until recently. Most recently, he participated in a docu-series about the famous secret agent. The film "Becoming Bond" from 2017, a mix of feature film and documentary, tells his story with a wink.
After retiring, Lazenby plans to spend more time in his home city of London, away from the buzz of Los Angeles in the United States of America. His decision to leave acting and public appearances has been a topic of discussion among his fans on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Despite his retirement, Lazenby's connection with James Bond continues to be celebrated in the world of cinema, with his portrayal of the character in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" still being hailed as a classic. Interestingly, George Lazenby is not the only famous figure connected to Instagram and James Bond; British actor Daniel Craig, who played the role in later films, also has a significant presence on the social media platform.
