# Your favorite James Bond? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343 "2009-08-31T13:13:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/1 "2009-08-31T13:13:33Z")
You’ve got 7 choices… Sean Connery David Niven George Lazenby Roger Moore Timothy Dalton Pierce Brosnan Daniel Craig A list and bio [here](http://www.klast.net/bond/actors.html) for your reference. Roger Moore is my favorite James Bond, probably because he’s the star of my favorite Bond films (Moonraker, Live and Let Die, and Octopussy). Dr. No and Goldfinger were pretty awesome, so Connery is my second choice, but sort of before my time. I was just a pup when Roger Moore took the Bond role, so his early appearences are before my time, too, but in my mind he is the consummate and classic bond. It was Moore’s films that made me say 'Holy smoke - there’s a bunch more of these syp movies. Hey! Who’s that guy playing James Bond?!?" 😃 ETA: Mods, feel free to move this thread if you think it belongs in Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/2 "2009-08-31T13:20:56Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. Daniel Craig. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/3 "2009-08-31T14:20:37Z")
I’ll divide them into categories. **The Great** Sean Connery Daniel Craig Bond is a brute. When the fists or bullets start flying, you need more than a smile and a witty remark. These are the guys who can take a punch. **The Good** Pierce Brosnan Timothy Dalton George Lazenby I like each of these guys as Bond, but I think that other elements of their movies let them down. After the Moore era, they kept promising us a grittier, edgier Bond, but the producers didn’t have the guts to go through with it. (_Goldeneye_ was close, but they fell back into old habits pretty quickly.) Lazenby’s hard to judge; it was the one time Bond was emotional, and the one time for him in the lead. It’s apples-and-oranges to compare him to the others. **The Rest** Roger Moore The low point in the series was Bond, on the run from villains in India, encountering a tiger and telling it to “sit!”. Maybe it’s not all Moore’s fault. He did have one occasion to be a badass and handled it well. **Doesn’t Count** David Niven The Guest/Hughes/Huston/McGrath/Parrish/Talmadge version of _Casino Royale_ is too much of a carnival sideshow to even rate it with the others. Should we rate our favorite Moneypennys as well? There have been three. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/4 "2009-08-31T14:30:11Z")
Roger Moore tells this story against himself. “My son once asked me in a restaurant, ‘Daddy, could you beat up anyone here?’ I looked around and thought ‘It’s mostly old people here’ and said yes. He asked, ‘But what about if James Bond came in?’ I said ‘But I am James Bond’ and he said ‘No, I mean the real one. Sean Connery.’” Sean Connery, closely followed by Daniel Craig. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/5 "2009-08-31T14:36:18Z")
Daniel Craig. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/6 "2009-08-31T14:37:25Z")
> [@Winston\_Smith](#): > > You’ve got 7 choices… > > Sean Connery > David Niven > George Lazenby > Roger Moore > Timothy Dalton > Pierce Brosnan > Daniel Craig > > A list and bio [here](http://www.klast.net/bond/actors.html) for your reference. > > Roger Moore is my favorite James Bond, probably because he’s the star of my favorite Bond films (Moonraker, Live and Let Die, and Octopussy). Dr. No and Goldfinger were pretty awesome, so Connery is my second choice, but sort of before my time. I was just a pup when Roger Moore took the Bond role, so his early appearences are before my time, too, but in my mind he is the consummate and classic bond. It was Moore’s films that made me say 'Holy smoke - there’s a bunch more of these syp movies. Hey! Who’s that guy playing James Bond?!?" 😃 > > ETA: Mods, feel free to move this thread if you think it belongs in Cafe Society. Duhhhhh…Connery, Sean Connery. The rest are posers. Sean is STILL a stud in 2009. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/7 "2009-08-31T14:41:17Z")
It depends on how you see James Bond. If you see Bond as a tough guy, a ruthless killer first and foremost, then Daniel Craig and Sean Connery are neck and neck. Me, I’ve always seen Bond as a spy first and foremost, a con man in Her Majesty’s service, suaving his way into situations with his charm, although ready to put a bullet in your head if the need arises. That’s why I like Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/8 "2009-08-31T14:53:55Z")
I’m shallow, I guess. Pierce Brosnan does it for me. Then Daniel Craig. Roger Moore looks like an overstuffed sofa. And smug, if an overstuffed sofa can be smug. Sean Connery is a repellant hairy ape much pleased with himself. He is interesting to watch in a retro way, in the movie versions of the original books. Very dated, and he creeps me out, but he is the original Bond and there are those who will have No Other Bond. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/9 "2009-08-31T15:42:53Z")
I was always firmly in the Connery fanclub until Craig came along. Craig is more in the Jason Bourne mold. Connery could be a badass, but was more a wiseass playboy. Craig is all business, and actually seems more like a normal human with human failings. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/10 "2009-08-31T15:55:25Z")
I like Brosnan best, as he seemed to be a great balance between the pure bad-assery of Connery and the wise-assery of Moore. After that, probably Connery, then Moore, but it’s close. Then Craig, then Dalton. I don’t need my Bond to be over-the-top humorous like Moore, but he should have a little twinkle in his eye as he goes about his deadly business, a rogue-ishness about him. I can’t take the character if played simply as a cold killer. Lazenby wasn’t at all bad, but that kilt outfit, with the ruffly shirt, just kills the whole Bond aura for me. Not the actor’s fault, though. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/11 "2009-08-31T15:57:29Z")
I think I’m the only person in the world whose favorite Bond was Timothy Dalton. Roger Moore is second. Sorry, but they’re the ones I grew up with. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/12 "2009-08-31T16:12:34Z")
Lazenby is best forgotten and Niven was an aberration. It’s too early to tell with the Craig reboot. Dalton and Brosnan didn’t leave much of an impression on me, but Bond was getting quite silly by then. So Connery it is, but Craig’s right up there. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/13 "2009-08-31T16:16:33Z")
I have to point out that while I like Craig as a 21st century Bond, I thought Casino Royale was the worst Bond film yet. Haven’t seen QoS. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/14 "2009-08-31T16:19:27Z")
Sean Connery ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/15 "2009-08-31T16:24:11Z")
For me, Sean Connery is best, followed by Danial Craig. I like Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan about equally. And I think George Lazenby did a much better job than he’s given credit for. Roger Moore never impressed me as Bond (although **For Your Eyes Only** was actually pretty good). And howcum you left out the very first James Bond, **Barry Nelson**? > **["Climax!" Casino Royale (TV Episode 1954) ⭐ 5.6 | Drama](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0310853/)** > > 52m | Unrated ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/16 "2009-08-31T16:41:36Z")
Sean Connery is my favorite. But I think Roger Moore is underrated. He gets unfairly dissed by Bond fans for hamming it up. The comic approach I think worked well though for his era. It also helped that Moore genuinely seemed to be having fun in the role and knew better than to take it too seriously, so you never really felt embarrassed for him. And he could still be a badass when the situation called for it. Compare that with the Timothy Dalton era when the producers were going for edginess, while at the same time maintaining some of the comedic elements. Dalton was trying to be intense, even when a scene called for some cheekiness, and as a result his performance just fell flat . ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/17 "2009-08-31T17:29:21Z")
Woody Allen as Jimmy Bond 🙂 Actual choice - Sean Connery. My first Bond was Goldfinger when it opened, and Connery was awesome. In the two earlier ones he played Bond more like in the books - a killer above all. Moore was way too campy for me. I haven’t seen the Craig movies yet, so I withhold judgment, but the rest are just blah Bonds. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/18 "2009-08-31T17:31:17Z")
Connery is tops. Craig is promising, but if _Casino Royale_ wan’t as good as it was, we’d be comparing him to Dalton–moody, broody, one-dimensionally rough around the edges, though Craig’s more of a lunkhead (not an insult). If the rest of his are as bad as _Quantum_, the bloom will vanish off his rose awfully fast. Conversely, Brosnan never had a good film (_Goldeneye_ being moderately tolerable), but he held up pretty well notwithstanding. Makes you wonder what he would’ve been like with better material. Never, ever liked Moore, though some of the films themselves are fun. But the tone of Bond films changed dramatically post-Connery, and that seemed to happen to specifically cater to Moore’s own style, so he gets a much larger dose of the blame. _OHMSS_ has its strengths, but Lazenby isn’t one of them. He’s dismal. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/19 "2009-08-31T17:46:11Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Craig is promising, but if _Casino Royale_ wan’t as good as it was… _snort_ ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343/20 "2009-08-31T18:18:10Z")
Moore to me personifies the Bond of Fleming’s novels the best. Super suave, a tad tongue in cheek, never ever a feather ruffled. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-james-bond/508343.md?page=2)