The men who could have been Bond: Intimate audition shots show actors vying to be 007 (and the girls that got away)
- Five actors all had final casting session for role which eventually went to George Lazenby
- John Richardson, Hans De Vries, Anthony Rogers and Robert Campbell all tried and failed to land coveted spy role in 1967
- Lazenby eventually landed part but it was his only ever Bond appearance
And while the likes of Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Roger Moore will forever be remembered for playing James Bond, there will always be those who narrowly missed the cut as 007.
But a newly-revealed photo archive has given a fascinating insight into the men who just failed to land the part as the smooth-talking Secret Agent.
The final five: Hans De Vries, Anthony Rogers (top row, left and right), along with John Richardson and Robert Campbell (bottom row, left and centre), all failed to land the James Bond role ahead of one-time 007 George Lazenby (bottom right)
Pictures from 1967 show five actors in a casting session for the Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, where the lead role eventually went to George Lazenby.
The Australian actor, succeeding Sean Connery who had just given up the role, landed the lead part in what would be his only Bond appearance.
The history of the iconic spy franchise could have been very different, however, if one of the four other aspiring Bonds had landed the coveted main role.
Ladies man: John Richardson, a British actor then in his mid-30s, in a casting session for On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which was released in 1969
Licence to thrill: Anthony Rogers, who had previously appeared in Doctor Who and El Dorado, also tried out for the iconic spy role
Shaken not stirred: Robert Campbell, who faded into complete obscurity after his failed audition, tries his best to channel Bond in this casting session picture
The photos taken for LIFE magazine in 1967 show aspiring Bonds suiting up, brandishing weapons, sipping 007's trademark martini and charming beautiful women in his own inimitable style.
Among them is British actor John Richardson, who is pictured facing a gun from his female co-star in a typically 'Bond' scenario.
Leading man: George Lazenby, pictured with actress Gundel Sargeant, eventually landed the lead role for his only Bond appearance
Other fascinating images show another hopeful, Anthony Rogers, alongside a love interest as he did his best to land the part of the suave spy.
The third nearly-man is Robert Campbell, who competed for the role by screen testing in a trademark Bond kissing scene with a female co-star.
Lastly is Hans de Vries, who, just like the others who failed to land the part, faded into relative acting obscurity following his rejection.
Richardson, a British actor then in his mid-30s who had considerable film experience, was considered to be Lazenby's main rival for the role, but narrowly missed out.
The actor, now 78, appears to have taken the rejection in his stride, as he went on to appear in dozens of film in an acting career which spanned until 1994.
The same cannot be said for Rogers and Campbell, however. The former had a recurring role in Doctor Who and later El Dorado in 1966, but his acting career stalled after his failed Bond audition.
Campbell meanwhile, appears even more of an enigma, as virtually no information appears to exist about his acting credentials at all, other than his relation to brother William Campbell, the prolific TV actor.
De Vries in theory should have stood a decent chance of landing the big role, having already appeared in a Bond film as an uncredited control room technician in You Only Live Twice.
He was also overlooked in favour of Lazenby, who said after landing the role: 'I'm really looking forward to being Bond, for the bread and the birds.'
Leading ladies: Swedish model Agneta Eckemyr (left) and actress Marie Boyer were two of the female finalists for the role of Bond's love interest in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Lazenby is said to have been cast as Bond for On Her Majesty's Secret Service after impressing directors in a screen test fight scene.
The Australian also saw off the competition after appearing at an audition in a Saville Row suit which had been ordered, but not collected, by his predecessor Sean Connery.
The archive also catalogues the attempts of several female actors in trying to land parts opposite the famously womanising Bond.
The Swedish actor and model was one of five finalists for a role in the 1969 film, along with other potential Bond girl Marie Boyer, who is also pictured in the LIFE magazine collection.
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